Daytona Beach, United States
News Desk | Sports
The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series begins Sunday with the 68th running of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway in Florida, launching a new season shaped by competitive storylines, schedule milestones, and a revised championship format, according to NASCAR officials and race organizers. The race marks the first points event of the year and sets the tone for the months ahead.
Qualifying and preliminary races earlier in the week established the starting order, with Kyle Busch securing the pole position for the season opener. Duel qualifying races were won by Joey Logano and Chase Elliott, finalizing the lineup for what is widely considered stock-car racing’s premier event.
The broader season begins amid structural changes to NASCAR’s championship system. Officials confirmed the return of a cumulative-points postseason format known as “The Chase,” replacing the single-race title decider used in recent years and emphasizing consistency across the final 10 races.
Early competition across NASCAR’s national series has already produced notable results at Daytona. Chandler Smith captured the opening Craftsman Truck Series race following an overtime finish and a last-lap pass, while other support-series events and qualifying contests helped frame expectations for the Cup Series opener.
Analysts and racing models entering Sunday’s race projected strong performances from established contenders, including defending champion Kyle Larson, underscoring the competitive uncertainty typical of superspeedway racing.
Beyond Daytona, the 2026 calendar includes upcoming Cup Series races at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, and Phoenix Raceway in Arizona, before the season ultimately concludes with Championship Weekend scheduled for Nov. 6–8 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
The opening weeks of competition, combined with format changes and veteran storylines across the garage, position the Daytona 500 as both a symbolic and competitive starting point for the year. The story is developing.
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