NASCAR starting positions are set for Daytona International Speedway
On Sunday, the stars of the NASCAR Cup Series will unload in Daytona Beach, Florida. The 2.5-mile oval of Daytona International Speedway is set to host the biggest stock car race of the year, the famed Daytona 500.
View the 2021 Daytona 500 starting lineup below.
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It took a qualifying session and two qualifying races to complete the starting grid for Sunday’s Daytoan 500 event.
On Wednesday, the 44 car field lined up for qualifying. Alex Bowman and William Byron were the two fastest cars in the single-car and single lap runs. After the session, they locked out the front row for Sunday’s race.
Qualifying also set the lineups for a pair of 60-lap races on Thursday. The field was cut in half and thrown into the pair of night races.
Duel at Daytona (Qualifying Races)
Only the front row is locked after qualifying, for everyone else, their finish position in Thursday’s Duel at Daytona sets their starting position. The first of the two Duel races set the inside row of the Daytona 500, the second race completed the outside row.
Duel 1: Aric Almirola drove to the win. He’ll now start 3rd in the Daytona 500, right behind Alex Bowman.
Note: Alex Bowman suffered from mechanical issues in Duel 1 on Thursday. If the team elects to change engines, he’ll be forced to start at the tail of the field inside of on the pole for Sunday.
Ryan Preece and Austin Cindric are the open cars to advance out of Duel 1. Ty Dillon and Timmy Hill are the open cars that failed to advance and will be heading home, missing the Daytona 500 starting field.
Related: Daytona Duel Results – Race 1 on February 11, 2021 (NASCAR Cup Series)
Duel 2: Austin Dillon drove to victory lane in the second Duel at Daytona. He had a push from Kevin Harvick that catapulted him passed three Toyotas in the final lap of the race to take the win.
Note: William Byron was involved in a crash with 4 laps to go in Duel 2. If the team goes to a backup car, Byron will be starting at the rear instead of the front row.
David Ragan and Kaz Grala are the open cars to advance out of Duel 2. Noah Gragson abd Garrett Smothley are the open cars that failed to advance following a crash and will be heading home, missing the Daytona 500 starting grid.
Related: Daytona Duel Results – Race 2 on February 11, 2021 (NASCAR Cup Series)
Daytona 500
Starting Lineup
February 14, 2021
Pos | Driver
1. Alex Bowman
2. William Byron
3. Aric Almirola
4. Austin Dillon
5. Christopher Bell
6. Bubba Wallace
7. Ryan Newman
8. Kevin Harvick
9. Joey Logano
10. Kyle Busch
11. Ryan Preece
12. Chase Elliott
13. Kyle Larson
14. Ryan Blaney
15. Daniel Suarez
16. Corey LaJoie
17. Michael McDowell
18. David Ragan
19. Jamie McMurray
20. Kurt Busch
21. Ricky Stenhouse Jr
22. Chris Buescher
23. Matt DiBenedetto
24. Brad Keselowski
25. Denny Hamlin
26. Martin Truex Jr
27. Cole Custer
28. Joey Gase
29. Tyler Reddick
30. Chase Briscoe
31. Erik Jones
32. Derrike Cope
33. Quin Houff
34. Ross Chastain
35. Cody Ware
36. Anthony Alfredo
37. Josh Bilicki
38. BJ McLeod
39. Austin Cindric
40. Kaz Grala
Related: Daytona 500 TV schedule from February 2021 (NASCAR Week)
