Preliminary entry lists have been released for this weekend’s NASCAR national series races on the road course at Daytona International Speedway.
As part of a schedule change last December, NASCAR moved the Cup and Xfinity Series races scheduled for Feb. 27-28 at Auto Club Speedway, as well as the Camping World Truck Series race scheduled for Feb. 19 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, to the Daytona road course.
In a statement, the sanctioning body cited “challenges resulting from the ongoing pandemic and the need for significant advance planning” for the adjustment.
No practice or qualifying sessions will be held.
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Sunday’s race will be the first of seven points Cup races on road courses this season.
All three NASCAR national series made their debut on the 3.61-mile Daytona road course last August. Chase Elliott won the Cup race on his way to winning the 2020 Cup title. It was his third of four consecutive road course victories, a streak he’ll put on the line Sunday.
Finishing 10th in last year’s race was Michael McDowell, who won the Daytona 500.
Among the entries is Kaulig Racing’s AJ Allmendinger, who is making his first Cup appearance since the 2018 season finale. Allmendinger is running a full Xfinity schedule for Kaulig this season.
Click here for the Cup entry list.
Super Start Batteries 188 at Daytona, presented by O’Reilly (5 p.m. ET Saturday, FS1/MRN)
Reigning Xfinity Series champion Austin Cindric will look to open the season with back-to-back Daytona wins after claiming Saturday’s race on the Daytona oval. He finished 15th in his Cup debut at the Daytona 500.
Cindric won on the road course last August on his way to the Xfinity title. The victory was his fifth in a six-race stretch.
Click here for the Xfinity entry list.
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Sheldon Creed held off Brett Moffitt in overtime to win last August’s Truck race on the Daytona road course.
Creed, who went on to win the 2020 Truck title, was a contender for the win in Friday’s season opener on the oval before finishing sixth behind winner Ben Rhodes.