NASCAR starts their season this weekend at Daytona International Speedway. All three series race at the 2.5 mile track. The Camping World Truck Series will run the Next era Energy Resources 250 on Friday evening, the Nationwide Series will run the Drive4COPD 300 on Saturday and the Sprint Cup cars will finish the weekend with the Daytona 500 on Sunday.
Austin Dillon had the fastest lap during Sprint Cup qualifying and will start on the pole for the Daytona 500.
SPRINT CUP: Daytona 500 Lineup
Below you will find the Daytona race weekend schedule, including the race start time, practice and qualifying times, tv info, and weather at the track if you are headed out to see the races this weekend.
Weekend Schedule:
All times are local to track, (ET)
Friday, February 21
11:30 a.m.-12:55 p.m. ET NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice TV: FOX Sports 1
1:05 p.m. ET NASCAR Nationwide Series Coors Light Pole qualifying Kwasniewski on pole, QUALIFYING RESULTS
2:30-3:55 p.m. ET NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice TV: FOX Sports 1
4:05 p.m. ET NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Keystone Light Pole qualifying TV: FOX Sports 1
7:30 p.m. ET NextEra Energy Resources 250 (100 laps, 250 miles) WINNER: Kyle Busch, FULL RESULTS
Saturday, February 22
10:30 a.m.-12:00 ET NASCAR Sprint Cup Series final practice TV: FOX Sports 1
1:15 p.m. ET Nationwide Series Race – DRIVE4COPD 300 (120 laps, 300 miles) WINNER: Regan Smith, FULL RESULTS
Sunday, February 23
1:00 p.m. ET, Sprint Cup Series Daytona 500 (200 laps, 500 miles) WINNER: Dale Earnhardt Jr, FULL RESULTS
Sprint Cup Info:
Command to start engines: Actor Chris Evans
Honorary Starter/Wave Green Flag: Actor Gary Sinise
Honorary Race Official: Paralympic athlete Blake “American Blade Runner” Leeper
National Anthem: Aloe Blacc
Flyover: U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds
Last time:
Sprint Cup: Jimmie Johnson
Nationwide: Tony Stewart
Truck Series: Johnny Sauter
Weather:
Friday’s temperatures will be in the low 80’s but a heavy thunderstorm could threaten the afternoon practice and qualifying sessions. If it rains, it will most likely happen around the 3:00 pm/ET hour. Storms could once again threaten the Truck series race with rain most likely between 7:00 pm/ET and 10:00 pm/ET. Chance of rain is 50%.
Saturday will see temperatures in the mid 70’s. Rain is in the forecast but the biggest chance of it comes towards the late evening hours when there will be no track activity. Rain chance during the Nationwide race is around 25%.
For the Daytona 500, temperatures will be in the high 70’s. There is a 25% chance of rain around the start of the race that increases to 50% by late evening. The highest chance of rain would be between the 8:00 pm/ET and 10:00 pm/ET hours. To sum it up, bring a poncho but hope you won’t need it.
