Here’s the rewritten version of the content:
2025 Daytona 500
Sunday, February 16th: Broadcast on FOX and ET at 1:30pm, with the race starting at 2pm
NASCAR decided to advance the green flag to 2pm ET, roughly an hour earlier than originally planned, due to potential weather concerns on Sunday.
At the start, Chase Briscoe and Austin Cindric will be on the front row, followed closely by Bubba Wallace and Erik Jones in the second row. Wallace secured his first duel qualifying win on Thursday night, while Cindric edged out Jones on the final lap when a warning flag appeared in the second duel. Briscoe and Cindric earned their front-row positions thanks to qualifying speeds during Wednesday night’s session.
Past Cup Series champions and current part-time drivers Martin Truex Jr. and Jimmie Johnson secured two of the four open spots available to non-chartered teams based on speed in Wednesday’s qualifying. Justin Allgaier made the field in his first duel, giving Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s team a Cup Series start, while Corey LaJoy claimed the final transfer spot during his second duel race.
The race will feature 41 cars instead of the usual 40 due to a new interim system introduced by NASCAR before the season. Four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves is starting 41st after crashing in the duel race, marking his debut in the Cup Series.
Other key insights ahead of Sunday’s race:
Hendrick Motorsports Aims for Double-Digit Wins
A victory at this Daytona 500 would make Hendrick Motorsports the most successful team in the race’s history. The team tied with Petty Enterprises at nine Daytona 500 wins in 2024 when William Byron claimed the checkered flag. This win was Hendrick’s first in ten years since Jimmy Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. clinched wins in 2013 and 2014.
Hendrick’s cars showed strong performance in Thursday’s qualifying rounds, despite crashes involving Alex Bowman and Kyle Larson. It’s expected that multiple Hendrick cars will be competitive at the front during the race. Byron expressed his excitement and confidence in the team’s readiness for the race week.
Denny Hamlin Looks to Tie Cale Yarborough’s Record
Denny Hamlin is the only full-time driver in the 2025 field who has previously won the Daytona 500, bringing three wins from 2016, 2019, and 2020. He has been one of the top performers at Daytona and Talladega over the past decade but noted changes in car aerodynamics may impact draft-style racing strategies.
Hamlin commented on how new car designs limit drafting ability, making it harder for drivers to move from the back to the front during races. If Hamlin clinches a fourth win, he would tie Cale Yarborough for second-most Daytona 500 victories behind Richard Petty’s seven.
Ryan Blaney and Kyle Busch Lead Betting Favorites
Among the top five betting favorites, three drivers have never won the Daytona 500 before. Ryan Blaney and Kyle Busch are each +1200 favorites, just ahead of Joey Logano at +1400, alongside Hamlin and Brad Keselowski. Logano is chasing his second Daytona 500 win, having first won ten years ago.
Busch, competing in his 20th Daytona 500, seeks his first victory, aware that Dale Earnhardt also won his only Daytona 500 in his 20th start. Keselowski, near 2021 form, crashed in the final laps last year while competing strongly.
Will the Race Exceed 500 Miles?
Recent trends suggest a high likelihood the Daytona 500 will extend beyond its scheduled 500 miles. Five of the last seven races have gone past the planned distance due to late crashes. In fact, the 2021 race stretched to 530 miles, making it the longest in history.
Given the current car era’s high crash rate—each race seeing at least eight crashes—it’s very probable a significant wreck could emerge late in this race. Joey Logano highlighted the unpredictable nature of the finish, emphasizing the importance of positioning when the final laps come.
Weather Could Play a Role
The Daytona 500 has faced rain delays in three of the past five seasons, including finishes postponed to Monday in 2020 and 2024, and a Sunday night finish in 2021. This year’s forecast shows a 60% chance of rain on race day. Because of this, NASCAR moved the start time up from 3:11pm to 2pm ET to avoid weather disruptions.
2025 Daytona 500 Starting Lineup
The lineup is subject to change due to crashes in duel qualifying races. The current starting positions are:
- Chase Briscoe
- Austin Cindric
- Bubba Wallace
- Erik Jones
- William Byron
- Chris Buescher
- Ty Dillon
- Denny Hamlin
- Ross Chastain
- Joey Logano
- Tyler Reddick
- Corey LaJoie
- General AJ Allmendinger
- Todd Gilliland
- Austin Dillon
- Ryan Blaney
- Chase Elliott
- John Hunter Nemechek
- Justin Allgaier
- Christopher Bell
- Kyle Busch
- Kyle Larson
- Ty Gibbs
- Riley Herbst
- Michael McDowell
- Shane van Gisbergen
- Ryan Preece
- Cole Custer
- Josh Berry
- Daniel Hemric
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
- Noah Gragson
- Carson Hocevar
- Brad Keselowski
- Justin Haley
- Daniel Suarez
- Zane Smith
- Alex Bowman
- Martin Truex Jr.
- Jimmie Johnson
- Helio Castroneves
Fan Take: The 2025 Daytona 500 promises a thrilling blend of seasoned champions and rising stars, with historic milestones on the line for teams like Hendrick Motorsports and drivers like Denny Hamlin. This race not only tests skill and strategy but also underscores NASCAR’s evolving racing dynamics, making it a must-watch event that could set the tone for the season ahead.
