The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season gets under way for real today (Sunday February 15) as the iconic Daytona 500 takes center stage down in Florida.
This afternoon (1.30pm ET, FOX), an all-star cast will do battle in what is the sport’s unquestioned crown jewel at Daytona International Speedway.
William Byron stands on the brink of an incredible threepeat after winning in 2024 and 2025, but the 28-year-old Hendrick Motorsports star is not even the favorite.
The market is headed by 2023 Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney at +1100, and he is closely followed by three-time champion Joey Logano on +1200. Then comes Denny Hamlin and pole sitter Kyle Busch on +1400.
We have Chase Elliott on +1600 with defending champion Byron +1800 along with Cup Series king Kyle Larson.
There will be much excitement about the fulltime Cup Series debut year for teen Trackhouse sensation Connor Zilisch, and he is currently trading at +4500. Fellow Cup Series phenom Carson Hocevar is a +3000 shot.
Seven-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson delivered an epic performance to finish third in 2025, and he will start at odds of +8000 as he returns again in the No. 84 Carvana Toyota for Legacy Motor Club.
CUP SERIES SCHEDULE: Race dates, times and TV for the 2026 season
Latest Daytona 500 Odds for 2026
| Driver | Odds |
|---|---|
| Ryan Blaney | +1200 |
| Joey Logano | +1200 |
| Denny Hamlin | +1400 |
| Kyle Busch | +1400 |
| Chase Elliott | +1600 |
| William Byron | +1800 |
| Austin Cindric | +2000 |
| Kyle Larson | +2000 |
| Brad Keselowski | +2000 |
| Christopher Bell | +2200 |
| Chase Briscoe | +2200 |
| Chase Briscoe | +2200 |
| Bubba Wallace | +2800 |
| Alex Bowman | +2800 |
| Ryan Preece | +2800 |
| Chris Buescher | +3000 |
| Carson Hocevar | +3000 |
| Tyler Reddick | +4000 |
| Ross Chastain | +4000 |
| Ricky Stenhouse Jr | +4000 |
| Josh Berry | +4000 |
| Connor Zilisch | +4500 |
| Erik Jones | +4500 |
| Ty Gibbs | +4500 |
Daytona 500 date, start time and how to watch live
The big race takes place at Daytona International Speedway today (Sunday February 15, 2026).
The new rescheduled start time is 1.30pm ET (brought forward one hour due to local weather forecasts) and the race will air live on FOX.
MEET THE DRIVERS: Profiles for all of the top 2026 NASCAR Cup Series stars
