The countdown is well and truly on to the Daytona 500 with the entry list for this weekend’s 2026 edition now officially announced.
Forty-five of the best stock car racing drivers on the planet will descend on Florida this weekend for The Great American Race.
William Byron bids for a threepeat after epic Cup Series victories at Daytona in 2024 and 2025, but a stellar lineup will hope to end his win streak in this showpiece event at two.
Kyle Larson begins the defense of his second Cup Series championship title, won in epic circumstances in Phoenix last November. Denny Hamlin meanwhile, fresh off an agonizing near miss that day, begins another attempt to finally win it all.
DAYTONA 500 ODDS: Favorites and long shots for Great American Race
Daytona 500 entry list for 2026
We have an entry list of 45 drivers confirmed for this weekend in Florida. But only 41 of those drivers will make it to the start line on Sunday. There are eight drivers competing for four open spots.
The entry list includes Brad Keselowski, who has been passed fit to race after breaking a leg in a freak accident late last year.
The 45 drivers bidding to take part on Sunday is as follows:
| Car No. | Driver | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ross Chastain | Trackhouse Racing |
| 2 | Austin Cindric | Team Penske |
| 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing |
| 4 | Noah Gragson | Front Row Motorsports |
| 5 | Kyle Larson | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 6 | Brad Keselowski | RFK Racing |
| 7 | Daniel Suarez | Spire Motorsports |
| 8 | Kyle Busch | Richard Childress Racing |
| 9 | Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 10 | Ty Dillon | Kaulig Racing |
| 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 12 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske |
| 16 | Anthony Allmendinger | Kaulig Racing |
| 17 | Chris Buescher | RFK Racing |
| 19 | Chase Briscoe | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 20 | Christopher Bell | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 21 | Josh Berry | Wood Brothers Racing |
| 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske |
| 23 | Bubba Wallace | 23XI Racing |
| 24 | William Byron | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 34 | Todd Gilliland | Front Row Motorsports |
| 35 | Riley Herbst | 23XI Racing |
| 36 | Chandler Smith (i) | Front Row Motorsports |
| 38 | Zane Smith | Front Row Motorsports |
| 40 | Justin Allgaier (i) | JR Motorsports |
| 41 | Cole Custer | Haas Factory Team |
| 42 | John Hunter Nemecheck | Legacy Motor Club |
| 43 | Erik Jones | Legacy Motor Club |
| 44 | JJ Yeley (i) | NY Racing Team |
| 45 | Tyler Reddick | 23XI Racing |
| 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr | Hyak Motorsports |
| 48 | Alex Bowman | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 51 | Cody Ware | Rick Ware Racing |
| 54 | Ty Gibbs | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 60 | Ryan Preece | RFK Racing |
| 62 | Anthony Alfredo (i) | Beard Motorsports |
| 66 | Casey Mears | Garage 66 |
| 67 | Corey Heim (i) | 23XI Open |
| 71 | Michael McDowell | Spire Motorsports |
| 77 | Carson Hocevar | Spire Motorsports |
| 78 | BJ McLeod | Live Fast Motorsports |
| 84 | Jimmie Johnson | Legacy Motor Club |
| 88 | Connor Zilisch | Trackhouse Racing |
| 97 | Shane van Gisbergen | Trackhouse Racing |
| 99 | Corey LaJoie | RFK Racing |
(i) Denotes driver is ineligible for championship points.
When is the Daytona 500 in 2026
The big race takes place on Sunday February 15, with the action set to get under way at 2.30pm Eastern.
Watch the Daytona 500 live
Okay so the Great American Race will air on FOX in 2026. That is your viewing option, NASCAR fans. You can check out the full Cup Series TV schedule for 2026 right here.
CUP SERIES SCHEDULE: Full list of races and dates for 2026
