NASCAR is ready to open the 2026 season in style and with packed grandstands at Daytona International Speedway. This year marks the 68th edition of the season-opening Daytona 500.
With a record-breaking purse of over $310 million, NASCAR is expecting more than 100,000 fans to pack the 2.5-mile tri-oval racetrack. General tickets have been sold out already, but fans can still opt for limited upgrades and premium packages.
Never before in its 68 years of operation has the Daytona 500 boasted this large a purse. Last year, the purse amount was set at $30,331,250, featuring a 2.35% increase from last year. According to Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports, the exact purse amount for the 2026 Daytona 500 is $31,045,576.
“The biggest race deserves the biggest prize,” wrote NASCAR in an official statement.
Last year, Hendrick Motorsports driver William Byron took home the win. He also won the 2024 Daytona 500, which means that there is a possibility for the Chevy star to log a hat-trick this year. However, no driver has ever won the Daytona 500 thrice in a row.
“I know we’ve been fortunate to win two in a row, and I feel confident we’ll be as prepared as we can be for this weekend,” Byron told NASCAR. “There’s some luck that goes into even being there at the end of the race, I know that.”
“But I also know that myself and this team are going to do everything we can control to put ourselves in position for a third,” he continued. “I know we have the team and the car for it; that’s not a question. I also feel like I have the experience, too, to go with that. All we can do is control what we can control.”
Qualifying for the 500-mile event is scheduled for Wednesday. The main event will be held on Sunday. Fans can watch the race live on FOX with exclusive radio updates on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, starting at 2:30 p.m. ET.
Team Penske’s Austin Cindric Turns Fastest Lap in Daytona 500 Practice
Former Daytona 500 winner, Austin Cindric, was the fastest in practice, which took place Wednesday morning at the iconic Daytona International Speedway. Per reports, his car turned the fastest lap at 48.025 seconds, averaging 197.402 mph for his best lap.
Second in line was Trackhouse Racing driver Ross Chastain. Corey LaJoie, who will drive the No. 99 RFK Racing entry, finished third. Notably, LaJoie was the fastest among the eight non-chartered entries. Rounding off the final five spots were Bubba Wallace and Daniel Suarez.
Reigning Daytona 500 champion William Byron was 34th in practice. Now all eyes are on qualifying, which will decide the top two qualifiers for The Great American Race. Michael McDowell and Todd Gilliland were the only two drivers who sat out during the sessions.
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