Daytona 500 qualifying is exclusive, and completely different from each different race on the Cup Sequence schedule. It all the time delivers the drama, each within the battle for pole place, but additionally these making an attempt to make it into the sector.
Whereas the Indianapolis 500 has Bump Day and Quick 12, NASCAR has the Duels at Daytona. 4 drivers and groups might be despatched dwelling on Thursday night time as their desires of competing in NASCAR’s greatest race involves an finish, however how does all of it work?
Don’t fear, we’re right here to clarify…
2025 Daytona 500 pole sitter Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota with the crew
Photograph by: Sean Gardner / Getty Pictures
Who’s locked in: All 36 chartered groups that plan to compete full-time this season are locked into the Daytona 500. That leaves 4 open spots on the grid, which the open entries might be battling for over the following two days.
The forty first provisional: In a rule that has solely existed for a bit of over a 12 months (and has been tweaked a number of occasions), NASCAR additionally has an Open Exemption Provisional, or OEP, which fits to any world-class driver to make sure they’re a part of the sector. Final 12 months, four-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves relied on the OEP, whereas this 12 months, seven-time NASCAR Cup Sequence champion Jimmie Johnson will take it. That can add a forty first extra spot to the grid, so Johnson isn’t taking a beginning place from one of many different open entries.
What’s an open entry: Open entries are merely vehicles which might be part-time and uncharted, which implies they can’t be assured beginning spots. This 12 months, there are eight of these (excluding Johnson) vying for the ultimate 4 spots on the five hundred grid. You possibly can study extra about these particular person drivers and groups HERE.
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Qualifying format: On Wednesday, qualifying itself is simple and conventional, with every automotive going out individually with one flying lap across the 2.5-mile superspeedway. The ten quickest drivers in Spherical 1 will exit once more in a second spherical to combat for pole place. The entrance row is locked in after time trials, whereas the remainder of the qualifying positions are merely about setting the lineup for the Duel qualifying races to observe.
The primary two obtainable open spots: Additionally in Daytona 500 qualifying, the 2 quickest open entries throughout Wednesday time trials will mechanically lock themselves into the race, so single-lap pace might be vital for these eight entries not but locked in.
The Duel qualifying races: For the chartered groups, they’ve two objectives in these races: End as excessive as potential to make sure a greater place and a handful of factors, but additionally defend the automotive. A number of vehicles get wrecked in these high-intensity 60-lap, 150-mile sprints, so it is an actual hazard. The highest-ten finishers in every Duel race are awarded the identical quantity of factors as top-ten runners on the finish of phases all through the season, with the winner incomes ten factors. It then drops one level for every place till tenth-place will get one. These are the primary factors on supply for the 2026 season, and with the return of The Chase, they’re much more necessary.
Profitable a Duel race additionally ensures a driver a place on the second row for the Daytona 500 grid. Duel #1’s ending positions will determine the within row (P3), whereas Duel #2 decides the surface row (P4). However keep in mind, the entrance row is locked in and the 1-2 qualifiers from Wednesday will begin there irrespective of the place they end — except they wreck their vehicles and must go to a backup, in fact.
The Duels are an open driver’s ultimate probability to make the sector: Whereas many of the subject might be racing for a handful of factors and their ultimate beginning place, the remaining open entries might be preventing merely to make the present. They are going to be equally break up between the Duel races, and the top-finishing open entry from Duel #1 and Duel #2 will make the race. Moreover, NASCAR has made a slight change this 12 months. Beforehand, the drivers who locked in through qualifying may nonetheless race their method in, thus permitting the next-best qualifier to fall again on their time, however that’s not the case. It makes issues easier ultimately. There is just one route for many who aren’t quick sufficient on qualifying night time – beat the opposite open entries not but locked in via on an on-track battle within the appropriately named ‘Duel’ races at Daytona.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. celebrates with Justin Allgaier after qualifying for the 2025 Daytona 500
Now, how necessary is qualifying for the Daytona 500 once you’re among the many lucky drivers already locked in? In comparison with most different races, not that necessary within the grand scheme of issues. Nevertheless, pit stall choice and guaranteeing a transparent opening out and in of 1’s stall may very well be vital on Sunday. And beginning up entrance simply makes the job simpler, particularly if you would like factors in that opening stage.
However in actuality, the winner of this race can come from anyplace within the subject. The pole-sitter hasn’t gone on to win the Daytona 500 since Dale Jarrett did it in 2000, William Byron received it from fifth on the grid final 12 months, however he additionally received it from 18th on the grid in 2024. And searching on the 12 months earlier than that, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. got here from thirty first to win the 2023 season-opener.
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