Which Drivers Will Attempt to Make the 2026 Daytona 500 Field?

On Monday, NASCAR officially dropped the preliminary entry list for the NASCAR Cup Series season-opening event, the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Contained on the entry list are the 36 Chartered entries and one Open Exemption Provisional entry. These 37 cars are guaranteed to start in The Great American Race, while eight “Open” entries will fight for the remaining four slots in the starting grid for the race.

Here are the 36 Chartered drivers and teams that are locked into the field for the 2026 Daytona 500, but will battle for their starting spots in Daytona 500 qualifying on Wednesday, February 11, and America 250 Duel Qualifier Races on Thursday, February 12.

Open Exemption Provisional

Jimmie Johnson, a seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, is also guaranteed a starting spot in the 2026 Daytona 500 by way of the Open Exemption Provisional (OEP), which his No. 84 LEGACY MOTOR CLUB team applied for in the offseason for this event.

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Johnson, who drives an “Open” entry, will not have to worry about not making the field for the Daytona 500, but his No. 84 car will not score any points and will not receive any of the prize money for the event.

Open Entries Fighting For Final Four Spots in Field

This leaves eight drivers and teams to duke it out for the final four qualifying spots in the Daytona 500 field, and there is a mixture of youthful exuberance and established veterans in the group of “Open” entries that have yet to secure their spots in the field for the Daytona 500.

* made the field for the 2025 Daytona 500
** missed the field for the 2025 Daytona 500
+ will make first career attempt at Daytona 500 in 2026

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How does Daytona 500 qualifying work?

45 cars will vie for the 41 (field extended from 40 with Johnson’s OEP) spots in the Daytona 500 field. The pole position and second qualifying position will be secured in Wednesday’s Daytona 500 qualifying session, while the remainder of the field will be determined by finishing positions in Thursday’s Duel Qualifier races.

Drivers in the first of two Duels will secure the odd-numbered starting spots in the field, while the second Duel will have the even-numbered starting spots up for grabs.

New for this year, the two fastest “Open” cars in Daytona 500 qualifying automatically lock their positions in the Daytona 500 field, but unlike in previous seasons, those drivers will not compete for improved starting spots through the Duels.

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Previously, the two-fastest “Open” entries in Daytona 500 qualifying were guaranteed a starting spot in the Daytona 500 field regardless of where they finished in the Duels, but the finishing results of the Duels could change which “Open” entries would be able to take advantage of the two positions for fastest qualified “Open” entries.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com/onsi/racing-america as Which Drivers Will Attempt to Make the 2026 Daytona 500 Field?.