Daytona 500 Starting Lineup: Kyle Busch on Pole, Briscoe Joins Him on Front Row
The starting grid for the 68th Daytona 500 is set after Wednesday qualifying and Thursday's Duels. Kyle Busch captured the pole for the Great American Race, and Chase Briscoe will join him on the front row when the field drops the green flag Sunday at 1: 30 p. m. ET. The Duels, won by Joey Logano and Chase Elliott, finalized the remainder of the 41-car lineup.
Pole winner, front row and Duel victors
Kyle Busch earned his first Daytona 500 pole with a fast qualifying run that put him at the point for the start. Chase Briscoe will roll off beside him to form a veteran front row. Thursday night's pair of 150-mile Duel races determined starting slots for drivers who did not have locked-in spots from single-car qualifying. Joey Logano and Chase Elliott each won their Duel races, scoring valuable track position for Sunday.
Top starting positions (selected)
Below are the top 15 starters for the 2026 Daytona 500. The full field will line up for at least 200 laps around Daytona International Speedway.
- Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet (pole)
- Chase Briscoe, No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
- Joey Logano, Duel winner
- Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
- Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
- Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
- Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
- Brad Keselowski, No. 6 Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford
- Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
- John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42 Legacy Motor Club Toyota
- Christopher Bell, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
- Shane van Gisbergen, No. 97 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
- Josh Berry, No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford
- Daniel Suarez, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
- Additional starters fill out positions 16 through 41 after the Duels
Field notes and storylines to watch
The 41-car field includes a mix of seasoned champions and rising contenders. Seven-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson is among the starters, adding another layer of intrigue. Thursday's Duels were decisive: four drivers and their teams failed to make the final field and left the speedway, while the rest locked in starting spots and began final preparations for Sunday.
Track position is at a premium at Daytona, and the Duels often reveal which teams are dialed in on drafting setups and pit strategy. With Busch on the pole, look for teams to jockey for position early as the long pack racing characteristic of superspeedway events takes shape. Duel winners Logano and Elliott each bring momentum into the weekend, but history at Daytona shows that the race can turn in an instant—late cautions, big drafts and pit-cycle gambits can reshuffle the order quickly.
Sunday's race will be a test of patience, precision and timing. Teams will balance aggression with the need to avoid the multi-car incidents that often decide the outcome. With the front row set and Duel results shaping the field, the stage is set for what figures to be a high-stakes season opener.
