Despite NASCAR granting Jimmie Johnson and Legacy Motor Club an Open Exemption Provisional for the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season opener, the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway featured an expanded field of 41 cars instead of the usual 40. However, eight non-chartered teams competed fiercely for the final four qualifying positions in the 2026 Daytona 500 qualifying battles.
Wednesday night’s single-car qualifying session determined the two fastest drivers among those eight open entries, locking them into the 68th edition of the Great American Race. The event took place on the 2.5-mile high-banked oval in Daytona Beach, Florida, setting the stage for the remaining six drivers to compete over two 60-lap Duel races on Thursday night. The top finisher from each group of three drivers in these Duel events secured a spot for Sunday’s 200-lap main race.
Four drivers fail to secure Daytona 500 starting positions
Corey Heim of 23XI Racing and Justin Allgaier from JR Motorsports clinched their Daytona 500 spots after posting the fastest qualifying speeds Wednesday night. Casey Mears of Garage 66 earned his place by finishing eighth in the first Duel race, overcoming an early pit entry incident and a lap deficit by using the wavearound to regain the lead lap. Mears also avoided a multi-car pileup on the final lap, securing his entry into the race.
Front Row Motorsports’ Chandler Smith and RFK Racing’s Corey LaJoie finished 16th and 19th respectively in the Duel races and fell short of qualifying after involvement in late-race incidents. LaJoie had been well positioned to advance until a last-lap overtime collision dashed those chances. Mears’ success marked a significant milestone for Garage 66, an organization that had not qualified since 2020 and had endured seven consecutive unsuccessful attempts under owner Carl Long.
The second Duel race was ongoing at the time of reporting, with Anthony Alfredo of Beard Motorsports, B.J. McLeod from Live Fast Motorsports, and J.J. Yeley representing NY Racing Team vying for a single remaining spot in the Daytona 500. Two of these drivers will join Smith and LaJoie in missing the race.
Anticipation builds for the 68th running at Daytona
Fans are encouraged to watch the highly anticipated 2026 Daytona 500, set for Sunday, February 15, at 2:00 p.m. ET on Fox from Daytona International Speedway, often described as the World Center of Racing. Weather permitting, this iconic event promises intense competition as drivers aim to secure victory on the historic Florida oval. For those without access to traditional broadcasts, trial services such as FuboTV offer options to catch all the action live.
