Michael McDowell pulls off a stunner with last-lap Daytona 500 victory: In a stunning upset at the end of an action-filled, rain-interrupted Daytona 500, Front Row Motorsports driver Michael McDowell claimed his first NASCAR Cup Series victory after charging into the lead during a brutal multicar wreck in Turn 3 on the final lap. “I can’t believe it,” McDowell said. “I’ve got to thank God. So many years of just grinding it out, hoping for an opportunity like this. I’ve got to thank (team owner) Bob Jenkins for giving me this opportunity. I’m so thankful. “What a great way to get a first victory—in the Daytona 500!”[Read More](2-15-2021)

#34-Michael McDowell won the Daytona 500 NASCAR Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway. The win is his first career Cup win.
#-9-Elliott finished 2nd followed by #3-Dillon,#4-Harvick, #11-Hamlin,#37-Preece, #42-Chastain, #77-McMurray, #7-LaJoie, and #5-Larson.
The race ended under caution after an accident on the final lap. Logano took the lead with 25 laps remaining in the race, but #2-Keselowski was making a move for the lead with McDowell following.  McDowell got into the back of Keselowski, pushing him into Logano.  Keselowski and Logano spun out, collecting several other cars. McDowell was leading at the time the caution came out. It was the only lap he led on the night.
#11-Hamlin dominated much of the race, winning both Stage 1 & 2 and leading 98 of 200 laps. However, he got shuffled out of the lead with 25 laps remaining and could never get back to the front.
The “Big One” on lap 14 collected 16 cars including pole sitter #48-Bowman, as well as #19-Truex, Jr., #21-DiBenedetto, #10-Almirola, #12-Blaney, #24-Byron, #6-Newman, #20-Bell, #1-Busch, #99-Suarez, #43-Jones, #77-McMurray, #8-Reddick, #17-Buscher, #36-Ragan, #38-Alfredo. The wreck started after contact between Bell and Almriola sent Almirola spinning at the front of the field. Only Truex, Reddick, Kurt Busch, Byron and McMurray were able to continue.
While under caution for the accident, the race was red flagged for lightning in the area. Rain then moved in and the race was delayed by nearly 6 hours.
There were 22 lead changes among 13 drivers and 7 cautions for 40 yellow flag laps.
The average speed of the race was: 144.416mph.
See race details at: Race Results, Drivers Points Standings, Owners Points Standings, Cumulative Report, Penalty Report.

Race Fast Facts – Daytona:
Michael McDowell won the 63rd Annual DAYTONA 500, his first victory in 358 NASCAR Cup Series races.
This is his first victory and first top-10 finish in 2021.
This is his first victory and seventh top-10 finish in 20 races at Daytona International Speedway.
Chase Elliott (second) posted his second top-10 finish in 11 races at Daytona International Speedway.
Austin Dillon (third) posted his eighth top-10 finish in 16 races at Daytona International Speedway.
Chase Briscoe (19th) was the highest finishing rookie.
Eight drivers posted their first career NASCAR Cup Series victory with a win in the Daytona 500 – Tiny Lund (1963), Mario Andretti (1967), Pete Hamilton (1970), Derrike Cope (1990), Sterling Marlin (1994),
Michael Waltrip (2001), Trevor Bayne (2011) and Michael McDowell (2021). Three other drivers posted their career-first victory in (points-paying) qualifying races at Daytona: Johnny Rutherford (1963), Bobby Isaac (1964) and Earl Balmer (1966).
McDowell’s 358 starts are the second-most in series history by a driver before their first win; behind Michael Waltrip with 463 starts before his first win in the 2001 Daytona 500.
This crew chief Drew Blickensderfer’s second win in the Daytona 500 – 2009 Matt Kenseth, 2021 Michael McDowell.
This is Front Row Motorsport’s first win the Daytona 500.
This is Ford’s 16th victory in the Daytona 500.(NASCAR)(2-14-2021)

Cup Series Playoff Standings after Daytona:
1) #34-Michael McDowell [1 win], 46 points
2) #3-Austin Dillon, 58
3) #11-Denny Hamlin, 52
4) #4-Kevin Harvick, 50
5) #9-Chase Elliott, 48
6) #37-Ryan Preece 46
7) #5-Kyle Larson, 41
8) #23-Bubba Wallace, 41
9) #22-Joey Logano, 40
10) #20-Christopher Bell, 35
11) #42-Ross Chastain, 32
12) #7-Corey LaJoie, 32
13) #18-Kyle Busch, 32
14) #77-Jamie McMurray, 30
15) #41-Cole Custer, 27
16) #2-Brad Keselowski, 25
See the Drivers Points Standings and Owners Points Standings.

Cars to the rear: #2-Keselowski (backup car), #14-Briscoe (backup car), #16-Grala (backup car), #19-Truex (radiator/oil cooler change), #23-Wallace (failed pre-race twice), #24-Byron (backup car), #38-Alfredo (backup car) #41-Custer (backup car), #42-Chastain (backup car), #43-Jones (engine change)

Pit Stall Selections: The selections of pit stalls for the Daytona 500 NASCAR Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway have been made.
Pole winner #48-Bowman chose pit stall 1.
Outside pole sitter #24-Byron took the 19th stall, with an opening in front of it.
See all pit choices on Pit Stall chart.(2-12-2021)

Final Cup practice for the Daytona 500 has been canceled because of rain.

Second practice for the Daytona 500 NASCAR Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway was cut short after just 3 minutes because of rain. The top 5 were:
#2-Keselowski 196.395
#18-Busch 195.435
#23-Wallace 195.312
#11-Hamlin 195.308
#19-Truex, Jr. 195.299
27 drivers made it on track before practice was canceled.
See the speeds on the Second Practice speeds page.(2-13-2021)

Field set for Daytona 500: With the conclusion of the Bluegreen Vacations Duels, the lineup is set for Sunday’s Daytona 500 NASCAR Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway.
#48-Bowman and #24-Byron earned the front row based on their qualifying speeds Wednesday night.
The rest of the top 10: #10-Almirola, #3-Dillon, #20-Bell, #23-Wallace, #6-Newman, #4-Harvick, #22-Logano, and #18-Busch.
After the front row, the odd numbered starting positions were based on the finishes in Duel 1, the even number positions were based on Duel 2 finishing spots.
Open teams that made the race: #16-Grala, #33-Cindric, #36-Ragan, #37-Preece.
Drivers that did not make the race: #13-Smithley, #62-Gragson, #66-Hill, #96-Dillon.
See the full field on the Daytona 500 Starting Lineup page.

#3-Austin Dillon won the Bluegreen Vacations Duel 2 for the Daytona 500 NASCAR Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway. He took the lead from #23-Wallace coming off of turn 4 to win by .05 second.
#23-Wallace finished second, followed by #4-Harvick, #18-Busch, #9-Elliott, #12-Blaney, #7-LaJoie, #36-Ragan, #1-Busch, and #17-Buescher.
The race ended in overtime after a multi-car accident brought out the caution with 3 laps remaining. Duel Pole sitter #24-Byron was caught in the accident and will go to a backup for Sunday’s race.
The start of the race was delayed by nearly 3 hours after it rained at the track just before the planned start.
#36-Ragan was the top finishing open car and will race Sunday.
#16-Grala, #13-Smithley, and #62-Gragson were the lowest finishing open drivers. #16-Grala will make the Daytona 500 based on his qualifying speed.
There were 2 cautions for 8 laps and 14 lead changes among 6 leaders.
See complete results on the Duel #2 race results page.(2-12-2021)

#10-Aric Almirola won the Bluegreen Vacations Duel 1 for the Daytona 500 NASCAR Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway.
#20-Bell finished second, followed by #6-Newman, #22-Logano, #37-Preece, #96-Dillon, #5-Larson, #99-Suarez, #34-McDowell, and #77-McMurray.
Pole sitter #48-Bowman battled an engine issue during the race and finished 20th.
#37-Preece was the top finishing open car and will race Sunday.
#96-Dillon, #33-Cindric and #66-Hill were the lower finishing open drivers. #33-Cindric will make the Daytona 500 based on his qualifying speed.
There were no cautions and 9 lead changes among 5 leaders.
See complete results on the Duel #1 race results page.(2-11-2021)

Duel Races Pit stall selections

Alex Bowman and William Byron qualify on the front row of the 2021 Daytona 500: Alex Bowman swapped car numbers for the 2021 season – from 88 to 48 – but has certainly retained his Daytona magic, earning the pole position for Sunday’s Daytona 500 (2:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), giving the Hendrick Motorsports driver a record fourth consecutive front row start in the NASCAR Cup Series season-opener. Bowman, 27, went out late in the qualifying order (38th of 44 drivers) Wednesday night – the first night-time pole qualifying session in race history – but his Chevrolet handily set the pace with a lap of 191.261 mph (47.056 secs.), taking the top-spot from Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron by more than a quarter-second.[Read More](2-10-2021)

#48-Alex Bowman won the Busch pole for the Daytona 500 NASCAR Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway with speed of 191.261mph, for his 2nd pole at Daytona and 3rd of his career.
Bowman won the Daytona 500 pole in 2018 and started 2nd in 2019 and 2020.
#24-William Byron will start the race in second.
The rest of the field will be set after the Duel races on Thursday night. Qualifying set the field for those races.
Bowman will start on the pole for the first duel, followed by #10-Almirola, #47-Stenhouse, #20-Bell, and #37-Preece.
Byron is the pole sitter for the second duel, followed by #23-Wallace, #4-Harvick, #3-Dillon, and #9-Elliott.
The fastest two open teams are guaranteed a starting position in the race based on their qualifying speeds: #37-Preece and #36-Ragan. Their starting spots will be determined by their finish in the Duels.
The top finishing open car in each Duel Thursday night will also make the race. The rest will not qualify.
See the Qualifying results, Duel #1 Starting Lineup and Duel #2 Starting Lineup page.(2-10-2021)

Daytona International Speedway – Qualifying Fast Facts:
Alex Bowman won the Pole Award for the 63rd Annual DAYTONA 500 with a lap of 47.056 seconds, 191.261 mph.
This is his third pole in 190 NASCAR Cup Series races.
Hendrick Motorsports has won 14 Daytona 500 poles, the series most: Ken Schrader (1988, 1989, 1990), Jeff Gordon (1999, 2015), Jimmie Johnson (2002, 2008), Mark Martin (2010), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2011), Chase Elliott (2016, 2017), Alex Bowman (2018, 2021), William Byron (2019).
This is his second pole in ten races at Daytona International Speedway.
William Byron (second) posted his fourth top-10 start in seven races at Daytona International Speedway.
Aric Almirola (third) posted his fourth top-10 start at Daytona International Speedway.
Alex Bowman becomes the first driver to sit on the Daytona 500 front row four consecutive seasons (2018-2021).
(NASCAR Statistics)(2-10-2021)

Daytona 500 Drivers and Cars pictures

Daytona 500 Paint Schemes

First practice for the Daytona 500 NASCAR Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway is over, after 50 scheduled minutes. The top-five:
#23-Wallace 199.746
#19-Truex, Jr. 199.693
#11-Hamlin 199.689
#18-Busch 199.627
#20-Bell 199.622
Slowest: #51-Ware, 177.092
Most laps run: #20-Bell, 22 laps.
Best 10 consecutive lap avg (of 11 drivers): #23-Wallace 198.131.
See the fastest speeds, best 10 consecutive lap average, laps run on the First Practice speeds page.(2-10-2021)

Qualifying Order

The entry List for the Daytona 500 NASCAR Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway is posted, 44 teams/drivers [for 40 spots] are listed.
The teams that do not have a charter and must qualify: #13-Smithley, #16-Grala, #33-Cindric, #36-Ragan, #37-Preece, #62-Gragson, #66-Hill, #96-TDillon.
Since 44 cars are entered, 4 drivers will miss race.
See the full entry list on the Daytona 500 Entry List page.

Daytona 500 qualifying process (see the bottom of the page)

Crew Rosters

Goodyear Tire Notes

2021 Daytona 500 TandemDraft Stats