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NASCAR Daytona 500 entry list, which drivers have been added, how many cars will qualify

Les GrossmanBy No Comments4 Mins Read
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THE NASCAR Cup Series the season officially begins with the Daytona 500 on February 15 at Daytona International Speedwaywith 40 places available.

Currently, 42 entries have been announced or confirmed and a few more rumored. Jimmy Johnsonin the no. 84 of the Legacy Motor Club, has the provisional open exemption and would be the 41st car in the field if it does not qualify in time via qualifying or during the Daytona Duels.

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The 36 approved registrations are locked in the race.

William Byron is the back-to-back defending champion and would be the first driver to win the 500m three years in a row with victory in 2026.

Here’s what we know about the 2026 Daytona 500 entry list:

NEW CHASE, LIKE THE OLD CHASE: NASCAR Returns to Chase Format: How the 2026 Playoffs Will Play Out

Preliminary entry list for the Daytona 500, who will try to qualify for the biggest race in NASCAR?

The official entry list won’t be released by NASCAR until closer to Speedweeks, but here’s what we know so far.

The initial list includes these full-time drivers as well as these other announced open and non-charter registrations:

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  1. Ross Chastain, Trackhouse Racing’s No. 1 Chevrolet

  2. Austin Cindric, No. 2 of the Penske Ford team

  3. Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

  4. Noah Gragson, No. 4 Motorsport Ford on the front row

  5. Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

  6. Brad Keselowski, No. 6 Keselowski Racing Ford Roush Fenway

  7. Daniel Suarez, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

  8. Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

  9. Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

  10. Ty Dillon, No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

  11. Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

  12. Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford No. 12

  13. AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

  14. Chris Buescher, No. 17 Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford

  15. Chase Briscoe, No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

  16. Christopher Bell, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

  17. Josh Berry, No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford

  18. Joey Logano, #22 Team Penske Ford

  19. Bubba Wallace, No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota

  20. William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

  21. Todd Gilliland, No. 34 Motorsport Ford in front row

  22. Riley Herbst, No. 35 Toyota 23XI Racing

  23. Chandler Smith, No. 36 Front Row Motorsports Ford (open, non-charter) (announced by team)

  24. Zane Smith, No. 38 Motorsport Ford on the front row

  25. Justin Allgaier, No. 40 JR Motorsports Chevrolet (open, non-charter) (announced by team)

  26. Cole Custer, No. 41 Haas Factory Chevrolet

  27. John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42 Legacy Motor Club Toyota

  28. Erik Jones, No. 43 Legacy Motor Club Toyota

  29. Tyler Reddick, No. 45 Toyota 23XI Racing

  30. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 HYAK Motorsports Chevrolet

  31. Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

  32. Cody Ware, #51 Rick Ware Racing Ford

  33. Ty Gibbs, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota #54

  34. Ryan Preece, No. 60 RFK Racing Ford

  35. Anthony Alfredo, No. 62 Beard Motorsports Chevrolet (open, non-charter) (announced by team)

  36. Casey Mears, No. 66 Chevrolet Garage (open, no rental) (per interview with owner on SiriusXM)

  37. Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

  38. Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

  39. Jimmie Johnson, No. 84 Legacy Motor Club Toyota (open, non-charter, provisional OEM eligible) (announced by team)

  40. Connor Zilisch, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

  41. Shane van Gisbergen, No. 97 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

  42. Corey Lajoie, Ford RFK Racing n°99 (open, non-charter) (announced by the team)

There could be 2-3 additional entries announced before the week of the Daytona 500. The #44 NY Racing Team entry and the #78 LiveFast entry have been reported as expected cars, but have not yet been officially announced. 23XI Racing could also add a fourth participation.

Daytona 500 Qualifying Format, Explained: How NASCAR Fills the Daytona 500 Field

Wednesday’s single-seater qualifying session

  • Single-car qualifying on the Wednesday before the Daytona 500 places the front row.

  • The two fastest open cars in qualifying will be included in the field, if they do not finish on top in Thursday’s head-to-head race.

Thursday’s 150-mile qualifying races

  • Two 150-mile qualifying races will prepare the field for the Daytona 500 on Thursday, February 12. The first duel will determine the order of the inside lane behind the pole sitter, while the second duel will determine the order of the outside lane. (For example, the winner of Duel #1 will start third, the winner of Duel #2 will start fourth, etc.)

  • The 36 charter teams are locked into the field, leaving four spots in the 40-car field for open entries. The highest ranked open car in each duel will enter the field. If the highest-placed car is one of the two that entered the field in time during qualifying on Wednesday, February 11, the next highest-placed open car will enter the field.

  • The added interim open bye can add a 41st car to the field, with Jimmie Johnson and the No. 84 Legacy Motor Club being the only OEP-eligible team for the 500. Johnson will be the 41st car in the field only if it does not qualify on time or via the dual races.

This article was originally published on Nashville Tennessean: NASCAR Daytona 500 entry list, how many cars will attempt to qualify

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