Posted on February 19, 2022March 11, 2022 by Pat DeCola

2022 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway
(⏰ 2:30 p.m. ET | 📺 FOX | 📻 MRN, SiriusXM)

Everything you need to know for Sunday’s 64th running of the Daytona 500, the first regular-season NASCAR Cup Series race of the 2022 campaign.

Race-day info

Where: Daytona International Speedway, located in Daytona Beach, Florida
Green flag: 3:06 p.m. ET
Grand Marshal: Charles Woodson | Past Daytona 500 marshals
Flyover: United States Air Force Thunderbirds (backstretch to frontstretch)
TV/Radio: FOX, MRN, Sirius XM NASCAR Radio
Forecast: Sunny, with a high near 73. East wind 5 to 15 mph, according to NOAA.gov
Race Distance: 200 laps | 500 miles
Stages: 65 | 130 | 200
Pit-road speed: 55 mph
Caution car speed: 70 mph
Daytona 101: Get the full lowdown
Starting lineup: See the full lineup
Pit-stall assignments: See who is pitting where | How Next Gen pit stops work

Five things to watch

1. Where to begin? The overhauls that NASCAR saw from last season to this season were nothing short of major, ushering in a new era of stock car racing with the debut of the Next Gen model. After years of development and an offseason full of testing at various locations followed by countless hours of tinkering, it’s ready to go. We caught a glimpse of it in action earlier this month to rave reviews at the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum. It’s now time to take center stage on NASCAR’s biggest day — and it’ll be ready for the spotlight. | Next Gen timeline: Development, testing and launch

2. The story of last season very quickly became Kyle Larson, who won a series-best 10 races en route to his first NASCAR Cup Series title. His competitors, presumably, spent the offseason plotting how to beat him this year, so it’ll be tough for him to repeat his success in 2022. Then again, I seem to recall another former Hendrick Motorsports driver from California who was the focal point of every team in the garage for a solid decade-plus and he still managed to wind up with a record-tying seven titles. He was a special talent, though. So is Larson, who will also be on the pole for Sunday’s race. | Now a champion, Larson covets a 500 win

3. That said, this year’s Cup field is the deepest I can recall in my years of covering the sport. You could make an argument that the elite, top tier of talent in the garage stretches to double-digits, all of whom mark legitimate title contenders. Factor in that several of them enter the year with a chip on their shoulder, and Larson’s task grows taller by the minute. After nearly notching a 10-win season of his own in 2020, Kevin Harvick was winless in 2021. Martin Truex Jr. finished second in the Championship 4 for the third time in four seasons. Denny Hamlin missed out on a title yet again despite another advantageous shot at it. And Kyle Busch is, well, Kyle Busch. All of those drivers and then some will be gunning hard to win the first title of the Next Gen era, and it’ll be tough to hold them at bay. Oh, and that’s not to mention all three of his teammates are fully capable of knocking him off the throne, as well.

4. And what about the Ford brigade? Harvick and Stewart-Haas Racing will be looking to get back on track after a puzzling 2021 season. So far, things look promising there. Team Penske, Wood Brothers Racing and ~~Roush Fenway Racing~~ RFK Racing saw major shakeups with the departure of longtime Penske fixture Brad Keselowski to take on an ownership role alongside Jack Roush. This set off a chain of events that resulted in the 2012 champ taking over the No. 6 for RFK, Austin Cindric hopping in his No. 2 at Penske, fellow rookie Harrison Burton in the famed No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing machine, Matt DiBenedetto in the Camping World Truck Series and fan-favorite Ryan Newman looking for a ride. A lot to absorb, and still a lot of unknowns. After a rough outing at The Clash, however, RFK got back on the horse and swept Thursday night’s Duel races. | Kes clicking with new crew chief McCall

5. Getting back to how strong the competition is across the board in 2022, not only is the Next Gen set to even the playing field a bit — the Cup Series talent level itself is honestly kind of bananas. If we were ever to come across a season with more than 16 winners and see a regular-season victor left out of the playoff field, it’s this year. In fact, that’s exactly what we envision happening in our 2022 Cup race winner picks. All 16 winners of 2021 races have a feasible path to winning again this year — as well as drivers who didn’t win last year such as Harvick, Chase Briscoe, Ross Chastain, Austin Cindric, Austin Dillon, Tyler Reddick and Daniel Suárez. Factor in a handful of flukey winners and we could be talking 20-plus different trophy-claimers in 2022 — especially if no driver or team gets the upper hand on the Next Gen early on and it’s tough to establish any stretches of dominance. One of the most anticipated seasons in NASCAR history has finally arrived and it should be a thrill ride from start to finish. Buckle up.

Next Gen Daytona — The Next Gen is ready for Daytona. | Getty Images

Daytona 500 coverage

The 2022 Daytona 500 is sure to be one for the ages — get caught up on the Great American Race quickly.

• Right on the money: How The Money Team Racing cashed a Daytona 500 ticket in quick fashion | Read more
• Class photos: Meet the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series field with their Daytona cars | See the field
• At-track action: See photos from on the ground at Daytona International Speedway| See the photos
• RFK strong out the gate: Buescher, Keselowski sweep Bluegreen Vacations Duels at Daytona | Read more
• Reigning supreme: 2021 winner Michael McDowell paces third practice for the Daytona 500 | Read more
• You’re in the big show: Kaz Grala, Greg Biffle snap up Daytona 500 berths in Duel qualifiers | Read more
• Starting where he finished: Defending champion Kyle Larson earns Busch Light Pole for 2022 Daytona 500 | Read more
• Welcome to Sunday: Noah Gragson, Jacques Villeneuve jubilant after clinching Daytona 500 starting spots | Read more

2022 Team previews

The 2022 NASCAR Cup Series is as deep as it’s ever been — see what teams have in store for this season.

• 23XI Racing: Kurt Busch, Bubba Wallace | Watch
• Hendrick Motorsports: Alex Bowman, William Byron, Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson | Watch
• Joe Gibbs Racing: Christopher Bell, Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr. | Watch
• Kaulig Racing, Petty GMS Racing, Richard Childress Racing: AJ Allmendinger, Austin Dillon, Ty Dillon, Noah Gragson, Justin Haley, Daniel Hemric, Erik Jones, Tyler Reddick | Watch
• RFK Racing: Chris Buescher, Brad Keselowski | Watch
• Stewart-Haas Racing: Aric Almirola, Chase Briscoe, Cole Custer, Kevin Harvick | Watch
• Team Penske, Wood Brothers Racing: Ryan Blaney, Harrison Burton, Austin Cindric, Joey Logano | Watch
• Trackhouse Racing: Ross Chastain, Daniel Suárez | Watch

Race-day staples

Our biggest pieces of the week — get covered for race day from all angles.

• Power Rankings: Next Gen era is here – who will flex first? | Latest rankings
• Paint Scheme Preview: 2022 Daytona 500 offers fresh looks for this season | See them all
• Preview Show: Next Gen car, same Daytona 500 | Watch the show
• Fantasy Fastlane: Will Haley be a comet that rises at Daytona once again? | Top plays, sleepers

Catch the pack

Read up on the top headlines from the week leading up to Sunday’s race.

• We picked ’em: Predicting every 2022 NASCAR Cup Series race winner | See the picks
• Speaking of picks … : 2022 NASCAR.com staff predictions: Best race, sleepers, champions, more | See the selections
• Reddick is ripe: Kyle Larson, Austin Cindric calling it: Tyler Reddick will win — soon | Read more
• Sign here and here: Rick Hendrick says expect Elliott, Byron contract updates ‘pretty soon’ | Watch the video
• No Christmas cards this year: Erik Jones, Ryan Blaney remain frosty while putting Clash crash behind them | Read more
• MTJ out?: Letarte ‘struggling’ to see Martin Truex Jr. in playoffs | Watch the video
• Intimidation factor: There’s something in the air at Daytona Hamlin can feel | Read more

Get in on the action

Think you know NASCAR? Put your mettle to the test with gaming, fantasy.

• Play it LIVE: Full guide to 2022 NASCAR Fantasy Live game | Get the FAQ
• What are the odds?: Betting odds for 2022 Daytona 500 | See them here
• Going all the way: NASCAR betting: 2022 Cup Series championship odds | See them here
• Fantasy advice: Our Preview Show team tells you who to use in your Daytona lineups | Watch the video
• Go the random route: Use our Daytona 500 Results Generator to guide your picks (don’t really do this) | Simulate results now
• Superspeedway savants: Hamlin, Logano battle in Daytona 500 featured matchup | Read more

Shades of Daytona

There’s always something special about the Daytona 500 — take a look back at the race’s history.

• Ah, the memories: Memorable Great American Race moments in the Daytona 500 | See the list
• Victory Lane: Complete Daytona 500 winner history | See the list
• Great American starters: Every Daytona 500 pole winner in history | See the list
• What a shock: Daytona 500 surprise winners | See the list
• By an inch: Closest finishes in Daytona 500 history | See the list
• Close, but no cigar: Best drivers to never win the Daytona 500 | See the list
• State of affairs: Which state has won the most Daytona 500s? | See the list
• One year ago: Michael McDowell misses last-lap crash, scores first victory in Daytona 500 | Full race recap

Fast facts

Hard-hitting, race-relevant statistics, brought to you by the experts at Racing Insights.

• Reigning Cup champion Kyle Larson has never finished in the top five at a superspeedway.
• Brad Keselowski‘s seven superspeedway wins are most among active drivers — only one of them came at Daytona, however.
• Greg Biffle‘s most recent Cup start came in 2016 with what is now RFK Racing. His first career win came for the team at Daytona in 2003.
• Ryan Blaney has a top-six finish in three of the last four Daytona races; he’s the most recent winner here.
• Chase Elliott only has three top 10s in 12 Daytona starts — and they came in the three most recent races at the track.

Say what?

Notable quotes from the stars of the sport heading into Sunday’s race.

• “I was close to winning in 2017. I crossed the line coming to the white as the leader and then ran out of fuel so, that was really cool. I remember the emotions of that while I was running, like wow I could really win the 500 and then not winning it fuels me to want to win it in my future because before that race and every race since then I have been not even close. I would love to do it and hopefully I can continue to learn more about this race. I mean you could luck into winning here for sure, but I feel like I have a lot more to learn.” – Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

• “It went from puke to puke; puking nervous to puking excited at the end.” – Kaz Grala, driver of the No. 50 The Money Team Racing Chevrolet after making the field for the 2022 Daytona 500 at the last second

• “I think change is good and everyone is on the same playing field right now and we are learning as fast as we can. I like the situation that RCR is in as a whole and truthfully, I think Tyler (Reddick) and I work really well together, and our teammate growth is growing. I think that is a great position to be in. He drives a certain way and I drive a certain way and we can kind of build off of that to elevate our team fast. So, I think it’s been, since I have been here, in the best position RCR has been in from our standpoint.” – Austin Dillon, driver of the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

• “Well, he won’t get fired, which is good. Got a little job security there.” – RFK Racing co-owner and No. 6 RFK Ford driver Brad Keselowski after winning his Duel race

• “I grew up watching the July races. This was our family vacation in the summer, and we would camp off Turn 1 before the camping out there was nice. It was like a mud pit out there, and the motor homes would be stuck. I remember that, those summer races were tough because it rained every day and the races were always delayed. But that’s what we loved. Like we rode our bikes around and I got in trouble for … I can say this now. I think my Statute of Limitations has run out. I got in trouble for riding my bike on the track. That security guard was not happy with me. Those memories, man, just my friends and family and other motor homes, that’s what I remember, and then the cool factor of now racing in the Daytona 500. I remember every part of my first 500, every moment and how nervous I was, and we finished ninth because we stayed out of trouble.” – Ross Chastain, driver of the No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Posted on February 19, 2022February 19, 2022 by Staff Report

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Harrison Burton topped the leaderboard in Saturday’s NASCAR Cup Series practice at Daytona International Speedway, leading a 1-2-3 sweep for Team Penske’s affiliates in the final tune-up for Sunday’s Daytona 500.

Burton paced the session at 188.355 mph in the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford. Right behind him were Penske teammates Joey Logano (188.324 mph) and Austin Cindric (188.265 mph) in the Nos. 22 and 2 Fords.

RELATED: Full practice results | At-track photos

Stewart-Haas Racing’s Chase Briscoe and Kevin Harvick placed fourth and fifth respectively on the speed chart. Fords swept the top eight spots.

The 50-minute session had only light participation to sort out their entries, with just 19 of the 40 starters registering laps, opting to avoid any practice peril on the eve of the season opener. A handful of teams chose to learn more about drafting with the new Next Gen car that debuts this year, while others practiced their pit-road entries.

Former Formula 1 champion Jacques Villeneuve was not among those participating in practice, and he told FOX Sports that the engine in his No. 27 Team Hezeberg Ford had dropped a valve. Villeneuve’s car was beset by mechanical issues in Thursday’s Duel qualifying races and he indicated that his team would change the engine before the 500.

The No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team of Daytona 500 pole winner and reigning Cup champion Kyle Larson also opted to skip final practice.

The next on-track activity for Cup Series cars is Sunday’s Daytona 500 (2:30 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, Sirius XM NASCAR Radio).

Posted on February 19, 2022 by Steve Luvender

You’ve placed your bets, you’ve got your Fantasy Live lineup set, your pre-season Championship 4 picks have been tweeted … now what?

We cooked up some bingo cards for some friendly competition during The Great American Race. Screenshot ‘em, print ‘em out, or just tap the squares throughout the 500 miles of racing Sunday. Try to score as many on- and off-track happenings as possible!

RELATED: Daytona 500 schedule

Posted on February 19, 2022February 19, 2022 by Tadd Haislop

The penultimate night of racing at the 2022 World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at Florida’s New Smyrna Speedway featured a pair of prestigious, 100-lap events. It also crowned a couple champions.

Matt Hirschman, who won last Saturday’s NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season-opener on Night 2 of the World Series before reeling off a pair of Tour-Type Modified wins Wednesday and Thursday, won Friday night’s Richie Evans Memorial 100, the Tour-Type Modified divisions finale for the World Series.

“I couldn’t ask for more, really,” Hirschman said of his team’s efforts over the week at New Smyrna. “Exactly what I wanted to have in the car. The only flaw we had was a tire going flat on Monday night. There’s nobody here who could control that.

“One of our best weeks we’ve ever had, I mean what a week. We actually have done this before; I think we won Wednesday-Thursday-Friday one year. But having the (Whelen Modified Tour) win last weekend, just amazing.”

Yep. He did it again.

Matt Hirschman wins the Richie Evans Memorial 100 at @newsmyrnaspdwy! pic.twitter.com/hlMkifOM5V

— NASCAR Roots (@NASCARRoots) February 19, 2022

Jimmy Blewett, Patrick Emerling, Teddy Hodgdon and Craig Lutz rounded out the top five in Friday night’s Richie Evans Memorial 100.

For his efforts in all four Tour-Type Modified races throughout the week at the World Series, Blewett clinched the division championship with his second-place run Friday night.

His finishing positions for the week were second, third, second and second.

MORE: Sights and sounds from Richie Evans Memorial

“Obviously we wanted to win,” Blewett allowed. “But the championship was the big picture. We were looking at the big picture the whole week. Even though we didn’t win a race, we won a championship. And it means something to me to do it against a guy like Matt Hirschman, because he barely ever misses.”

Also on Friday night, Kaden Honeycutt won the Hart to Heart 100, the finale for the Pro Late Model class at the World Series, after a late pass of second-place finisher William Sawalich. Cory Hall, Michael Hinde and Mike Hopkins rounded out the top five.

That fourth-place finish for Hinde in the Hart to Heart 100 was enough for him to clinch the Pro Late Model championship at the 2022 World Series of Asphalt.

In the third and final race of the evening Friday, Derek Pugh won the first Pro Trucks race of the week. Jeffrey White, Dylan LeBeau, Richard Lavance and Paul Grynewicz completed the top five. The Pro Trucks will race again Saturday evening.

Saturday brings the final night of the 2022 World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing, and the main event of the final night is the Orange Blossom 100, the finale for the Super Late Model division.

Racing starts at 7:30 p.m. ET and can be viewed live on FloRacing.

Posted on February 19, 2022February 19, 2022 by Tadd Haislop

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. — There was no stopping Matt Hirschman on Friday night at the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing. Save for a tire issue Monday, there was no stopping him all week.

Hirschman on Friday won the Richie Evans Memorial 100, the last Tour-Type Modified event of the 2022 World Series of Asphalt and the race named after the late Modified racing legend.

It marked the fifth time Hirschman has won the Richie Evans Memorial in the last six years, and his sixth triumph in the event overall.

He has now won the Richie Evans Memorial more times than any other competitor.

Yep. He did it again.

Matt Hirschman wins the Richie Evans Memorial 100 at @newsmyrnaspdwy! pic.twitter.com/hlMkifOM5V

— NASCAR Roots (@NASCARRoots) February 19, 2022

Hirschman took the lead early in Friday night’s race and never lost it despite multiple restarts.

Jimmy Blewett, Patrick Emerling, Teddy Hodgdon and Craig Lutz rounded out the top five.

For his efforts in all four Tour-Type Modified races throughout the week at the World Series, Blewett clinched the division championship with his second-place run Friday night.

His finishing positions for the week were second, third, second and second.

MORE: Sights and sounds from Richie Evans Memorial

Friday night’s Modified race featured a lengthy and somber pre-race ceremony in honor of Evans and others in the Modified racing community who have died.

Evans was a Modified racing legend who was killed in a crash while practicing at Martinsville Speedway in 1985, soon after he had clinched the inaugural title for what’s now the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.

The Modified finale at New Smyrna’s World Series of Asphalt has been named in Evans’ honor ever since.

Posted on February 18, 2022 by Terrin Waack

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Had the caution light not turned on right after the white flag waved, Christian Eckes thinks he could have caught and passed Zane Smith for the win Friday night at Daytona International Speedway in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season opener.

Instead, Eckes finished third — his first top five at Daytona — while Smith was credited with the first victory of 2022.

“I felt like I was in a good enough position with my teammate before he pulled out to be able to make a move coming to the checkered,” Eckes said. “But when he pulled out, I still felt like we had a pretty good shot being second.

“So, at the end of the day, we’re going to Vegas.”

Las Vegas Motor Speedway is indeed next on the schedule, set for March 4 (9 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Eckes’ teammate, Ben Rhodes, placed second. All three of the top-three finishers led laps at some point, with Eckes leading the way in that small group with nine circuits around the 2.5-mile track out front. Rhodes was credited with six. Smith, three.

“We’ve build a really great team for the 98 with ThorSport Racing), and I’m super happy with everybody on our team,” Eckes said. “I think it’s just a sign of things to come.”

Tanner Gray came in fourth, and part-timer Parker Kligerman rounded out the top five.

Gray’s effort marked his sixth career top-five run in 49 starts. He’s in his third full-time season. Last season, he only had one top five. Season before, he had four.

“Every speedway race that we’ve been to, I don’t think we’ve even finished,” Gray said. “So it feels good to finally finish one and kind of have some luck go our way.”

He really hadn’t completed a superspeedway race before. His two previous Daytona starts resulted in DNFs. Same with Talladega Superspeedway.

“Headed in the right direction so far, but it’s a long season,” Gray said. “Just got to keep on top of things and try to minimize the mistakes on my part.”

Twelve of the 36 trucks did not finish the event running. A large wreck broke out on Lap 99 or 100 that involved 17 contenders, including John Hunter Nemechek, who swept both stages and paced a race-high 50 laps. He turned out 24th on the results sheet.

Eckes was in the lead at the time of the chaos, nearing the finish line, which could have ended the event then all then.

“I thought we were in a good position coming to the white as well,” Eckes said. “Came out little bit short.”

Posted on February 18, 2022February 18, 2022 by Holly Cain

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – A 17-car incident as the field approached the white flag signaling one lap to go instead sent Friday night’s NextEra Energy 250 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season-opener into overtime where 22-year old Californian Zane Smith won under caution over defending series champion, Ben Rhodes.

A nearly 16-minute red flag was needed to clean up all the debris from the frontstretch melee, which happened only a few feet before the start-finish line and littered much of the track’s tri-oval. Had Smith – the leader at the time – crossed the line before the wreck began, the race would have ended. Instead, the remaining cars that were able to continue, continued.

So Smith had to do it all over again. He lined up alongside Eckes for the final two-lap run to the checkered. A sturdy nudge from behind from Parker Kligerman sent Smith’s No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford-150 to the front and he was able to pull away – taking the white flag before a caution flew on the final lap. He led only three laps on the night – including the important last two.

“It’s something else, man,” Smith said of winning at the iconic Daytona International Speedway. “This place is its own, I’ll tell you that. Literally, my heart hurt during that red flag. I thought we had it.

“Just hats off to this whole group. They’ve really put the work in and it’s so damn cool to see when it pays off. Man, this is going to be a really fun year and I’m going to try and make it a record year for myself.”

Reigning series champion Ben Rhodes finished second while his ThorSport teammate Eckes finished third. Former National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) standout Tanner Gray and Kligerman rounded out the top five. Carson Hocevar, Jesse Little, pole sitter Ty Majeski, Danny Bohn and former NASCAR Cup Series driver Matt DiBenedetto rounded out the top 10. This was DiBenedetto’s career first start in the series.

Kligerman, who was the last driver to qualify for the race on speed, started 31st and rallied into the top five ultimately giving that winning push to Smith, who now has four victories and was championship runner-up last year. It was the kind of dramatic racing – there were 18 lead changes – and finish that fans have come to expect of Truck races on the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway high banks and it did not disappoint.

RELATED: At-track photos

“This is just huge to get this momentum,” said Kligerman, a part-time series competitor who also does national racing broadcast work for NBC.

He was particularly proud of Friday’s effort considering his truck team has only one full-time employee.

“It’s just such an honor,” Kligerman said. “I’m so grateful to have the chance to just show up here, let alone go out there and compete and reel off a top five. We’re just firing on all cylinders.”

While the ending was certainly exciting, last year’s five-race winner John Hunter Nemechek really dominated the early-going. He led a race-best 50 of the 106 laps and won both Stage 1 and Stage 2. He was caught up in the massive incident while running in the top-five and ultimately settled for a 24th-place showing.

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series takes a week off and then resumes competition in the Victoria’s Voice Foundation 200 on March 4 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (9 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Note: Inspection in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series garage is complete. There were no issues. The No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford of Zane Smith is officially the race winner.

Posted on February 18, 2022 by Staff Report

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 18, 2022) – Big E, one of WWE’s most versatile Superstars, has been named the Honorary Pace Car Driver for the 64th DAYTONA 500 this Sunday, Feb. 20.

Big E will pilot the “Official” 2022 Toyota Camry DAYTONA 500 pace car, leading the 40-car field to the green flag of The Great American Race, which is scheduled to start at 2:30 p.m. ET. Live pre-race coverage begins on FS1 with NASCAR RACEDAY at 11:00 a.m. ET, before the show’s move to FOX at 1:00 p.m. ET. The season-opener for the NASCAR Cup Series gets the green flag at 2:30 p.m. ET.

Possessing incredible strength, unmatched charisma and the power of positivity, Big E, learned the value of hard work at an early age and found success in football and powerlifting before joining WWE. Big E is a former WWE Champion, Intercontinental Champion and United States Championship, and partnered with Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston to become one of sports entertainment’s most popular trios, The New Day.

A Tampa, Florida, native, Big E is a former University of Iowa defensive lineman and USA Powerlifting Champion. He actively supports WWE’s bullying prevention program, Be a STAR, as well as the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

Big E will be a major part of WrestleMania 38, which takes place over the course of two nights on Saturday, April 2 and Sunday, April 3 from AT&T Stadium in Dallas. Tickets for the most stupendous two-night WrestleMania in history are still available at SeatGeek.com.

While the DAYTONA 500 is sold out, there are still plenty of exciting ways to experience the pageantry of Speedweeks Presented By AdventHeath with an excited lineup of super-competitive races. For ticket information, log onto www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or call 1-800-PITSHOP.

• Friday, Feb. 18: NextEra Energy 250 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race (7:30 p.m. ET); ARCA Menards (1:30 p.m. ET) and Camping World Truck Series qualifying (3:00 p.m. ET); NASCAR Cup Series practice (6:00 p.m. ET).

• Saturday, Feb. 19: Lucas Oil 200 Driven By General Tire ARCA Menards race (1:30 p.m. ET) and Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. 300 NASCAR Xfinity Series event (5:00 p.m. ET); NASCAR Cup Series final practice (10:30 a.m. ET); NASCAR Xfinity Series qualifying (11:35 a.m. ET).

• Sunday, Feb. 20: DAYTONA 500, The Great American Race (2:30 p.m. ET).

** Schedule subject to change

Fans can stay connected with Daytona International Speedway on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, as well as the all-new NASCAR Tracks App, for the latest speedway news.

Big E’s participation in The Great American Race was unveiled earlier this evening on WWE Friday Night SmackDown on FOX. Fans can follow Big E on Twitter and Instagram, in addition to WWE on Twitter and Instagram, for behind-the-scenes access at Daytona International Speedway this Sunday.

Posted on February 18, 2022 by Holly Cain

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Already riding a wave of positive momentum and international attention, Sunday’s 64th-annual Daytona 500 (2:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) is again shaping up to be one of the most high-profile, highly-competitive events as it ushers in the 2022 season.

Reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson will start his No. 5 Chevrolet from the pole position alongside Hendrick Motorsports teammate Alex Bowman’s No. 48 Chevrolet – leading a field of 40 cars that includes six past Daytona 500 winners, eight former series champions and even a past Formula One world champion in NASCAR’s newest generation of race cars.

The Chevrolets, Fords and Toyotas – aptly referred to as the Next Gen cars – will feature different technical modifications and aesthetic enhancements – from the sequential shifter and 670 horsepower to single center-lock wheel nuts, rearview camera mirror and car numbers now placed behind the front wheels.

The response for the new cars and the sport, in general, has already benefitted from a successful debut at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum two weeks ago. The non-points Busch Light Clash was a nearly sold-out show with some estimates that 70 percent of the crowd were first-time NASCAR race attendees.

The diehards and first-timers paying attention this week at the sold-out annual season-opener at Daytona are expected to be treated to a highly competitive race.

Although Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolets have won the pole position in seven of the last eight Daytona races, the multi-championship organization hasn’t won a Daytona 500 since Dale Earnhardt Jr. did so in 2014. The last time a Daytona 500 pole sitter won the race was 22-years ago when Dale Jarrett won the 2000 edition. Hendrick’s former champion driver-turned-team executive Jeff Gordon won from pole in 1999.

More often, this race has come down to the final thrilling laps. That was certainly the case last February when Front Row Motorsports driver Michael McDowell earned his career first NASCAR win taking the checkered flag by inches – credited with leading only the last lap. That scenario has played out frequently in recent years with race winners Austin Dillon (2018) and veteran Kurt Busch (2017) also capturing the win leading only the final lap.

There is only one multi-time winner in Sunday’s race – three-time Daytona 500 champion Denny Hamlin, who drives the No. 11 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing.

Adding to the drama in 2022 are several new team/driver combinations. Busch is now driving a second car for the second-year 23XI Racing Toyota team owned by Hamlin and NBA legend Michael Jordan. His former teammate at Chip Ganassi Racing, Ross Chastain has similarly joined a new team. He’ll team with Daniel Suarez in the No. 1 Chevrolet fielded by TrackHouse Racing, which is co-owned by former driver Justin Marks and musical superstar Pitbull.

Former series champion Brad Keselowski has expanded his presence in the sport and now co-owns the Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing two-car team. His involvement with the RFK team – as owner and driver of the No. 6 Ford – has already resulted in two trophies. Keselowski (Duel 1) and Chris Buescher (Duel 2) helped RFK Racing to a sweep of Thursday’s Daytona qualifying races the first time a team accomplished a the feat since 2015.

Kaulig Racing added to its championship-caliber NASCAR Xfinity Series program with a full-time NASCAR Cup Series car driven by Justin Haley in 2022 and a second car that will be shared by three drivers. Erik Jones – a former summer race winner at Daytona – will team with Ty Dillon in the newly formed Petty GMS Motorsports organization.

And first-year NASCAR Cup Series drivers – former NASCAR Xfinity Series champion Austin Cindric (Team Penske) and second-generation NASCAR drivers Harrison Burton (Wood Brothers Racing) and Todd Gilliland (Front Row Motorsports) will compete for top rookie honors.

Cindric has the top starting position (fifth) among rookies. The defending Daytona 500 winner McDowell will start sixth after an impressive run in Thursday’s qualifying race. And the 2015 Daytona 500 winner Logano will drop to the rear and have to go to a back-up No. 22 Team Penske Ford after an accident in his qualifying race.

Former Formula One champion and 1995 Indy 500 champion Jacques Villeneuve, 50, and current Xfinity Series title contender Noah Gragson raced their way into the Daytona 500 starting field in qualifying. It will be the first start in this race for both and Gragson’s first Cup start.

Kaz Grala qualified for the Daytona 500 starting field with a dramatic last-lap pass to claim an “open” position available to non-chartered teams based on their Duel race result. Greg Biffle, 52, a former NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and Xfinity Series champion and perennial Cup Series title contender from 2003 -2016, earned the other 500 position with his finish in the second Duel.

Overall, the qualifying races were run with rave reviews. And the car manufacturers said they have high expectations for Sunday’s race.

As is customary just prior to the season-opening Daytona 500, executives from all three NASCAR manufacturers – Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota – spoke to the media on Friday. All reported being greatly satisfied with the racing to date at Daytona, yet cautioning there is a lot to be learned about the cars and the way they race. Inventory counts remain conservative but all three makes expect that to be changing in the upcoming months.

“For the next few weeks we’ll have to be mindful and make good decisions,” Toyota Racing Development’s David Wilson said. “What we can’t do is ask a driver once he pulls that visor down to mitigate his performance based on concerns about parts. That’s not racing.”

They also pointed to pit strategy as playing a greater role in the race. That was certainly the case in the qualifying races with the Ford contingent taking only two tires on its pit stop to get back out on track in front of the Chevrolets, which all serviced four tires on their pit stop.

“On the surface, I don’t envision 40 cars lined up three by three heading to the finish line. I just don’t think that’s going to happen,” Wilson said. “There’s the potential for more cars to go a lap down or two, but strategy, communication, teamwork are going to be absolutely critical to whomever wins that race on Sunday afternoon.”

Posted on February 18, 2022February 18, 2022 by Staff Report

Reigning Daytona 500 champion Michael McDowell was the fastest man in Daytona Beach, earning the top spot in third practice for Sunday’s Daytona 500 (2:30 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Ford Performance drivers took up the first six spots in the 50-minute session. McDowell’s No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford was followed up by teammate and NASCAR Cup Series rookie Todd Gilliland in the No. 38 Ford.

David Ragan finished third in the No. 15 Rick Ware Racing Ford. Chris Buescher and Brad Keselowski rounded out the top five after both drivers swept the Bluegreen Vacations Duel qualifying races for Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing on Thursday night.

Cody Ware, Bubba Wallace, Chase Briscoe, Aric Almirola and Noah Gragson finished out the top 10.

Wallace and other Toyota counterparts, including Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr., paced a handful of laps before taking it to the garage for the evening. During FS1’s broadcast, Wallace indicated that the No. 23 23XI Racing team are done with their practice efforts despite the final practice session scheduled for Saturday morning (10:30 a.m. ET, FS2, coverage moves to FS1 at 11 a.m. ET). Kurt Busch, Wallace’s teammate, also noted that he and the No. 45 team would elect to forgo the last session.

Hendrick Motorsports drivers, including Busch Light pole sitter Kyle Larson, front row starter Alex Bowman, Chase Elliott and William Byron took advantage of the time on track, drafting with each other until the conclusion of the session.

2022 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway (⏰ 2:30 p.m. ET | 📺 FOX | 📻 MRN, SiriusXM)