Daytona 500 Start Time 2026: Lineup, TV Channel, Weather and How to Watch

• The Daytona 500 start time has been moved up due to weather concerns
• Kyle Busch won the pole in his 21st attempt, edging Chase Briscoe by 0.016 seconds
• Everything you need to know about the 2026 Daytona 500 below

The 68th running of the Daytona 500 takes place Sunday, February 15 at Daytona International Speedway. NASCAR moved the start time up by one hour due to weather concerns, so if you’re planning your day around “The Great American Race,” the schedule has changed.

Here’s everything you need to know about the 2026 Daytona 500, including the updated start time, full starting lineup, weather forecast, and how to watch.

Daytona 500 Start Time

The Daytona 500 green flag is now scheduled for 1:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, February 15. NASCAR originally had the race set for 2:30 p.m. ET but moved it up on Saturday due to weather concerns.

Daytona 500 Start Time by Time Zone

The National Weather Service projects a 50% chance of rain after 1 p.m. on Sunday, holding steady until 7 p.m., when it jumps to 91% for the rest of the evening. NASCAR made the adjustment to try to get the race completed before weather hits. The Daytona 500 was rescheduled to Monday in 2024 and saw a significant rain delay in 2025.

How to Watch the Daytona 500

The 2026 Daytona 500 airs on FOX with streaming available through Fubo (free trial available) and Sling. Pre-race coverage begins at 11 a.m. ET.

Daytona 500 Broadcast Info

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Daytona 500 Weather Forecast

Weather is the big storyline heading into Sunday. The National Weather Service and AccuWeather project a high of 77-79°F with wind gusts up to 24 mph. The rain chance sits at 50% after 1 p.m., which is why NASCAR moved the start time up an hour.

The forecast gets worse as the day goes on. Thunderstorm potential increases around 7 p.m., with a 91% chance of rain for the rest of the evening. If the race gets postponed, Monday’s forecast calls for morning showers with a 55% rain chance and a high of 69°F.

Daytona 500 Starting Lineup

Kyle Busch won his first career Daytona 500 pole position in his 21st attempt, edging Chase Briscoe by just 0.016 seconds. Busch recorded the fastest time overall with a 48.933-second lap at 183.651 mph, the only driver to break the 49-second barrier in qualifying.

Joey Logano won Duel No. 1 and starts third. Chase Elliott won Duel No. 2 and starts fourth. Defending champion William Byron starts 39th after being involved in a wreck in Duel No. 1.

2026 Daytona 500 Starting Grid (Top 20)

The 41-car field features one rookie in Connor Zilisch (32nd) and a returning Jimmie Johnson (31st), who earned his spot via the Open Exemption Provisional. Anthony Alfredo was disqualified after his car failed post-race inspection, with B.J. McLeod taking his spot.

Daytona 500 Odds

Joey Logano is the betting favorite at +1000 after winning Duel No. 1 on Thursday. Ryan Blaney sits at +1100 as the co-favorite, though some sharp bettors are fading him after he hasn’t finished better than fourth at Daytona since 2022.

2026 Daytona 500 Betting Odds

At +1000, Logano carries implied odds of 9.1% to win. Blaney at +1100 implies an 8.3% chance. The Daytona 500 is notoriously unpredictable, and seven of the last 10 winners were first-time Daytona 500 champions. For full betting analysis, check out our Updated Daytona 500 odds & Predictions.

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Is Bubba Wallace Racing in the Daytona 500?

Yes, Bubba Wallace is racing in the 2026 Daytona 500. He starts 27th in the No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota. Wallace has never won the Daytona 500 in eight previous attempts, though he has finished runner-up twice — as a rookie in 2018 and again in 2021.

During this year’s Duel No. 1, Wallace took the lead from Joey Logano but then spun out, causing a caution. He recovered to finish 13th in the Duel. Wallace enters 2026 with momentum after multiple top-five and top-10 finishes in 2025 while leading 378 laps across 36 races.

William Byron Going for Three Straight

William Byron is attempting to become the first driver and first team to win three consecutive Daytona 500s. The defending champion starts 39th after being involved in a wreck in Duel No. 1, so he’ll need to navigate through the entire field.

Byron is listed at +1000 to +1100 in pre-race odds. He’ll join Richard Petty and Cale Yarborough as the only drivers with four Daytona 500 wins if he can pull it off.

Daytona 500 Notable Storylines

Jimmie Johnson (age 50) starts 31st in what could be an emotional Daytona 500. He earned his spot via the Open Exemption Provisional.

Casey Mears made the field as an open entry after plowing through a last-lap wreck in Duel No. 1 — one of the most dramatic qualifying stories of the week. He starts 17th.

Connor Zilisch, the lone rookie in the field, starts 32nd for Trackhouse Racing.

Anthony Alfredo was disqualified after his car failed post-race inspection due to cooling hose infractions. “I was on top of the world, and now it feels like I’m at the bottom of it,” he told The Athletic.

For DFS lineups and more analysis, check out our Daytona 500 DFS Picks & Strategy. You can also follow the season with our 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Odds Tracker.