Late Thursday night, NASCAR altered the confirmed 41-car starting order for the 2026 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway by disqualifying one driver’s finish from the America 250 Florida Duel races. This unexpected action affected the Daytona 500 2026 lineup after the initial results seemed settled following the qualifying duels.
Anthony Alfredo of Beard Motorsports, competing in the non-chartered category, had secured his place in the prestigious 68th running of the 200-lap race held on the high-banked 2.5-mile oval in Daytona Beach, Florida. Alfredo finished 18th in the second Duel race, narrowly beating the drivers he needed to surpass to qualify for the race.
However, NASCAR invalidated Alfredo’s result after officials discovered that his No. 62 Chevrolet had a loose cooling hose and an improperly attached driver cooling hose. This technical violation resulted in Alfredo losing his qualification spot, which he originally held 38th place for the Daytona 500.
Following the disqualification, B.J. McLeod of Live Fast Motorsports, who finished 19th, was elevated into the 38th starting position for the Daytona 500. This marks McLeod’s first time qualifying for the race since 2023. Despite this change, the remainder of the lineup stayed the same, although several drivers confirmed recent switches to backup cars, which will require them to start from the rear on race day.
Updated Starting Positions for the Daytona 500 2026
1 – Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
2 – Chase Briscoe, No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
3 – Joey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske Ford
4 – Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
5 – Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Team Penske Ford
6 – Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
7 – Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
8 – Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
9 – Brad Keselowski, No. 6 RFK Racing Ford
10 – Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
11 – John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42 Legacy Motor Club Toyota
12 – Christopher Bell, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
13 – Shane van Gisbergen, No. 97 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
14 – Josh Berry, No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford
15 – Daniel Suarez, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
16 – Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet
17 – Casey Mears, No. 66 Garage 66 Ford
18 – Todd Gilliland, No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford
19 – Ryan Preece, No. 60 RFK Racing Ford
20 – Ty Gibbs, No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
21 – Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
22 – Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
23 – Cole Custer, No. 41 Haas Factory Team Chevrolet
24 – Erik Jones, No. 43 Legacy Motor Club Toyota
25 – Noah Gragson, No. 4 Front Row Motorsports Ford
26 – Tyler Reddick, No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota
27 – Bubba Wallace, No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota
28 – Riley Herbst, No. 35 23XI Racing Toyota
29 – Corey Heim, No. 67 23XI Racing Toyota
30 – Zane Smith, No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford
31 – Jimmie Johnson, No. 84 Legacy Motor Club Toyota
32 – Connor Zilisch, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
33 – Cody Ware, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet
34 – Ty Dillon, No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
35 – A.J. Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
36 – Austin Cindric, No. 2 Team Penske Ford
37 – Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
38 – B.J. McLeod, No. 78 Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet
39 – William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
40 – Justin Allgaier, No. 40 JR Motorsports Chevrolet
41 – Chris Buescher, No. 17 RFK Racing Ford
Drivers Who Did Not Make the Field
Several drivers failed to secure qualification for the Daytona 500 following the Duel races, including Anthony Alfredo of Beard Motorsports, J.J. Yeley from NY Racing Team, Chandler Smith representing Front Row Motorsports, and Corey LaJoie with RFK Racing. Alfredo’s disqualification ultimately prevented his inclusion in the starting lineup.
Impact of Disqualification and What to Expect on Race Day
This late disqualification has notably shifted the driving field for the Daytona 500, one of NASCAR’s most significant and widely watched races. B.J. McLeod’s inclusion restores the balance in the lineup, but the rules requiring drivers who switch to backup cars to start from the rear could shuffle starting positions further once the race day grid forms.
The Daytona 500 promises to deliver intense competition among top-tier drivers including Kyle Busch, Chase Briscoe, and Joey Logano, among others. Fans should anticipate strategic racing and unexpected developments, especially with the starting order still partially fluid due to car changes.
The race will be broadcast live on Fox this Sunday, February 15, at 2:00 p.m. ET from Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, offering viewers the full spectacle of the season’s opening event. This disqualification incident underscores NASCAR’s strict technical regulations and their impact on the final lineup of the Daytona 500.
