2022 Daytona 500: TV Schedule, qualifying format, entry list, more

The most storied event in NASCAR finally sits on our doorstep. The Daytona 500 is here to officially kick off the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season and the Next Gen era. Everything you need — from the event schedule to the qualifying format — is right here.

The 64th annual Daytona 500 (Sunday, Feb. 20, 2:30 p.m. ET) carries rich history as one of the most coveted triumphs in all of racing. Legends such as Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon, Richard Petty and Mario Andretti have all tasted victory within the high banks of the mammoth, 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway.

On Feb. 20, 40 drivers will compete in the Great American Race. Let’s dive into how the field will take shape over the course of six days in Daytona Beach:

SETTING THE GRID

Qualifying for the Daytona 500 is unlike any other points race on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule.

Single-car qualifying on Feb. 16 (8:05 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) will now have two rounds, with the top 10 speeds in Round 1 moving on to second round. The fastest two cars in Round 2 will lock in as the front-row starters for Sunday’s Great American Race.

The rest of the starting grid, however, follows a unique formula.

First, the single-car qualifying results will set the lineups for the Bluegreen Vacation Duels races on Thursday evening. Cars finishing first, third, fifth, seventh, etc. in single-car runs will comprise the field for Duel 1. The cars in even-numbered finishing positions in single-car qualifying will comprise the field for Duel 2. However, NASCAR will ensure there are an equal number of Open, or non-Charter teams, in each Duel race.

Then the results from the Bluegreen Vacation Duels will set the starting lineup for the Daytona 500. The finishers from Duel 1 will line up on the inside row in order of their Duel finish. Meanwhile, the finishers from Duel 2 will line up on the outside row in order of their Duel finish.

The fastest open team in each Duel race will qualify into the Daytona 500 field, while the two open teams with the fastest times from single-car qualifying that didn’t qualify through the duels will fill the last two spots in the 40-car field.

Additionally, the top-10 finishers in each Duel will receive points toward the regular-season championship. The winner will receive 10 points, the runner-up nine, and so on until the 10th-place finisher receives one point. No playoff points will be awarded through the Duel.

If rain washes out the Duel races, NASCAR will set the grid for the Daytona 500 by qualifying speeds, taking the four fastest Open cars to complete the 40-car field. If only the second duel is canceled, then the highest-finishing open team from the first duel and the three remaining fastest open teams from qualifying will advance.

WHAT CHANNEL IS THE DAYTONA 500 ON?

FOX Sports will have the full slate of NASCAR action in Daytona, including practice, qualifying and the Bluegreen Vacations Duels. Practice begins Tuesday, Feb. 15 at 5:05 p.m. ET, followed by the second practice at 6:35 p.m.

Wednesday features Daytona 500 pole qualifying presented by Busch Light at 8:05 p.m. ET, setting the front row for the marquee event as well as the starting lineups for Thursday’s two qualifying races, the first of which goes green at 7 p.m. ET on Feb. 17.

Friday (6 p.m. ET) and Saturday (10:30 a.m.) will feature one practice session each day for the Cup Series stars. Then, all that’s left is Sunday’s 64th running of the Great American Race.

See the full rundown of TV and national radio coverage below:

Date	Time (E.T.)	Event	TV/Radio/Stream
Tuesday, Feb. 15	5:05 p.m.	Daytona 500 practice	FS1/MRN/FOX Sports App
Tuesday, Feb. 15	6:35 p.m.	Daytona 500 practice	FS1/MRN/FOX Sports App
Wednesday, Feb. 16	8:05 p.m.	Daytona 500 qualifying	FS1/MRN/FOX Sports App
Thursday, Feb. 17	7 p.m.	Bluegreen Vacations Duel 1	FS1/MRN/FOX Sports App
Thursday, Feb. 17	8:45 p.m. (approx.)	Bluegreen Vacations Duel 2	FS1/MRN/FOX Sports App
Friday, Feb. 18	6 p.m.	Daytona 500 practice	FS1/MRN/FOX Sports App
Saturday, Feb. 19	10:30 a.m. (FS1 at 11 a.m.)	Daytona 500 practice	FS2/MRN/FOX Sports App
Sunday, Feb. 20	2:30 p.m.	Daytona 500	FOX/MRN/FOX Sports App

RELATED:  Active drivers with a Daytona 500 win | See every Daytona 500 winner

ENTRY LISTS: Cup | Xfinity | Truck

LOOKING BACK AT THE LAST ONE

The 2021 Daytona 500 began with a bang when Christopher Bell and Aric Almirola collided on the backstretch on Lap 15, triggering a 16-car accident that took out contenders like Ryan Blaney, Alex Bowman and 2008 race winner Ryan Newman.

With a Daytona 500 victory on the line, chaos broke loose on the final lap.

Joey Logano led Brad Keselowski and Michael McDowell down the backstretch with eager drivers in tow. Keselowski got a run on his then-teammate at Team Penske and looked low, but Logano moved to defend. Those decisions resulted in calamity as Logano spun low, Keselowski went into the outside wall and then was T-boned by Kyle Busch, collecting numerous cars in the carnage.

RELATED: Scenes from the 2021 Daytona 500

Meanwhile, at the front of the field, McDowell edged ahead of Chase Elliott and Austin Dillon at the moment of caution and was declared the winner for the first time in his NASCAR Cup Series career.