DAYTONA, Fla. (WFLA)— The biggest race in NASCAR is only a few days away, where 40 drivers will compete to win “The Great American Race.”
Only one can be crowned winner at the end of the 200-lap race.
Fans will see 36 full-time drivers attempt to win the Daytona 500. While nine drivers will attempt to make their way into the race on Sunday, only four will advance.
With 18 different winners in 2024, could a Daytona 500 win secure a spot come playoff time for the 2025 season?
Before the drivers can compete on Sunday, they will walk the red carpet and speak with reporters for the Daytona 500 media day before qualifying begins.
Who to watch
William Byron won the Daytona 500 last year and is looking for a back-to-back win where he could be a part of a select few to do so, like Richard Petty and Denny Hamlin.
Denny Hamlin is a 3-time Daytona 500 winner and co-owner of 23XI with former NBA player Michael Jordan. Hamlin’s name is always in the hat for a win at Daytona, but with a new crew chief, could fans see him lifting the Harley J. Earl trophy on Sunday?
Joey Logano won the NASCAR Cup Series Championship in 2024 in Arizona and won the Daytona 500 in 2015, at the time being the youngest person to win at Daytona. Logano was put back into the playoffs after Alex Bowman’s car failed post-race inspection after the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval race. Logano was awarded the last spot in the round of eight.
Chase Elliot won the Clash at Bowman Gray, and with that momentum, he could be in favor of winning the Daytona 500.
A new face trying to make his way into the Daytona 500 is a 4-time Indy 500 winner, and a 3-time 24 Hours of Daytona winner, Helio Castroneves. Castroneves will be driving the number 91 car for Trackhouse racing alongside teammates Ross Chastain, Daniel Suarez, and Shane Van Gisbergen.
According to NASCAR.com, a new open exemption provisional rule was put in place for the Daytona 500. An EOP is when an eligible driver has pre-approval by NASCAR for a starting spot. Castroneves was granted the open exemption provisional for the Daytona 500.
Jimmie Johnson and Martin Truex Jr. will also attempt to qualify for the Daytona 500 after retiring from the sport in 2020 and 2024, respectively.
How to watch
Wednesday will begin practice for the Cup series followed by the Daytona 500 Duels.
The Duels will be 60 laps each starting at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday for the first group and then at 8:45 p.m. for the second group.
The Duels will determine where the drivers will start on Sunday.
The Craftsman truck series will start at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, where fans will see drivers like Frankie Muniz, Ben Rhodes, and Grant Enfinger race to win.
The Xfinity Series will race on Saturday at 5 p.m. on CW Tampa Bay. Spectators can see Jesse Love, Connor Zilisch, and many more attempt to win at Daytona.
It may be no surprise that the Daytona 500 could bring a new driver to the winner’s circle on Sunday.
Fans can expect an exciting 200-lap race to start off the 2025 season that brings fans from all over to see their favorite driver attempt a win the Great American race.
WFLA’s JB Biunno and FOX8’s Kevin Connolly and Danny Harnden will be live on the red carpet and interviewing drivers like Chase Elliot, Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch, Noah Gragson, and many more.
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