The Daytona 500, the most anticipated and biggest race of the year, took place on Sunday, February 15, marking the beginning of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season. The event, held at Daytona International Speedway, featured a total of 41 entries and lasted for three hours, 23 minutes, and 56 seconds. The 68th running of the Daytona 500 was filled with excitement, with 66 lead changes among multiple drivers and five caution flags.
The highlight of the race was Tyler Reddick’s victory in the #45 Toyota for 23XI Racing. Reddick, who had not led any laps during the race, made a winning move on the final lap, overtaking Chase Elliott and Zane Smith to claim the checkered flag. This victory was Reddick’s ninth in the NASCAR Cup Series and ended a 38-race winless streak for the 30-year-old California native.
Following Reddick, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. finished in second place, with Joey Logano, Chase Elliott, and Brad Keselowski rounding out the top five. The defending Daytona 500 winner, William Byron, and the defending NASCAR Cup Series champion, Kyle Larson, finished 12th and 16th, respectively.
Here are the final results of the 2026 Daytona 500:
1. Tyler Reddick
2. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
3. Joey Logano
4. Chase Elliott
5. Brad Keselowski
6. Zane Smith
7. Chris Buescher
8. Riley Herbst
9. Josh Berry
10. Bubba Wallace
(Complete results of all 41 entries are listed above)
Fans can look forward to the next race at Atlanta’s EchoPark Speedway on February 22, 2026. Stay tuned for more thrilling NASCAR action as the season progresses.
The article was edited by Yash Soni to ensure accuracy and quality. Thank you for reading.
