Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Daytona 500 start time, TV/Radio, starting lineup and more

59th Annual DAYTONA 500

DAYTONA BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 26: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M’s Toyota, races mduring the 59th Annual DAYTONA 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 26, 2017 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)

Getty Images

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series officially begins its 2018 season today with the 60th Daytona 500.

Alex Bowman will start from the pole and Denny Hamlin starts second.

Danica Patrick starts 28th in her final NASCAR start.

Here’s all the information you need before the race.

(All times are Eastern)

START: Dale Earnhardt Jr., the 2004 and 2014 Daytona 500 winner, will give the command to start engines at 2:53 p.m. The green flag is scheduled to wave at 3:05 p.m.

DISTANCE: The race is scheduled for 200 laps (500 miles) around the 2.5-mile speedway.

STAGES: Stage 1 ends on Lap 60. Stage 2 ends on Lap 120.

PRERACE SCHEDULE: Garage opens at 8 a.m. Driver/crew chief meeting is at 12:30 p.m. Driver introductions are at 2:14 p.m.

TV/RADIO: Fox will broadcast the race beginning at 2:30 p.m. Coverage begins at 1 p.m. Motor Racing Network’s radio broadcast begins at 1:30 p.m. and also can be heard at mrn.com. SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will have MRN’s broadcast.

FORECAST: wunderground.com calls for clear skies with a high of 73 degrees and no chance of rain at the start of the race.

LAST TIME: Kurt Busch won the 2017 Daytona 500 for his first victory at Daytona International Speedway. Last July, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. won the Coke Zero 400 for his first victory at Daytona.

STARTING LINEUP: Click here for the starting lineup.