The Xfinity race is scheduled to take the green flag at 4:49 p.m. Even with low attendance, this will be the largest American sporting event since the coronavirus seized control of our lives, with people in attendance from across the country. "Hey, I think this track surface has really developed a lot of character!" That includes the Busch Clash on Feb. 9, Daytona 500 qualifying on Feb. 10, qualifying races on Feb. 11, truck race on Feb. 12 and the Xfinty and ARCA races on Feb. 13. Attendance at the 2021 Daytona 500 won by Michael McDowell was limited to 30%. "What an incredible way to begin Speedweeks Presented By AdventHealth by announcing that we have completely sold out of the NASCAR Cup Series season-opening DAYTONA 500," Daytona International Speedway President Frank Kelleher said in a release. The all-new seventh generation NASCAR Cup Series car was tested at Daytona International Speedway this week. The only F1 driver to win the Daytona 500 was Mario Andretti in 1967 11 years before he claimed the world title in 1978. Daytona International Speedway announced that the 2021 Daytona 500 will be run with a limited crowd because of the ongoing novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. NASCAR today is announcing that Daytona Int'l Speedway is completely sold out for this weekend's Daytona 500, which could see as many as 150,000 people on site. The fundamentals havent changed: The drivers are every bit as daring; the cars are just as fast. . The COVID-19 pandemic has led to empty stadiums and arenas throughout the sports world, while the 2020 NASCAR season featured many races without fans. Joining them will be Conor Daly, whom you know from IndyCar and also his fourth-place finish in the 30th season of The Amazing Race. Best finish: 7th, 2016 and 2019 What Nascar track holds the most fans? In 2018, he was a half lap from winning before being spun by eventual winner Austin Dillon. From 1995-2020, U.S. television ratings for the Daytona 500 have been the highest for any auto race of the year, surpassing the traditional leader, the Indianapolis 500 which in turn greatly surpasses the Daytona 500 in in-track attendance and international viewing; however, in 2021 the Indianapolis 500 surpassed the Daytona 500 in TV ratings . All rights reserved. I agree to receive the "CBS Sports HQ Newsletter" and marketing communications, updates, special offers (including partner offers), and other information from CBS Sports and the Paramount family of companies. During the playoffs last year that was expanded to ten minutes, which was too long. Like everything else, Daytona Speedweeks and the Great American Race are different this year. Grandstand tickets for the Daytona 500 run from around $100 to $400, but a variety of multi-day and experience packages are also offered. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. While the International Speedway Corporation does not release the official attendance figures, an estimated 250,000 fans attend the Daytona 500 each February. The Daytona 500 will be broadcast on FOX Sunday, Feb. 20 starting at 2:30 p.m. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. By: . Last year, he finished fifth. Daytona International Speedway president Chip Wile over the weekend . If you missed the news, Johnson is back in NASCAR on a part-time basis this season. All rights reserved. GREEN FLAG IN THE #NextEra250 but immediately were under caution @NASCAR_Trucks | #SpeedweeksbyAdventHealth pic.twitter.com/tjFytThWKH. Elliott suffered an injury to his left leg while snowboarding Friday in Colorado, the team stated. Admittedly, we are going into this race blind. This year the Camaro has a flatter front face, and during the Duel 150s, it looked like it was already playing much nicer with others. However, fan attendance is still limited for the Cup race Feb 21. Finally, McDowells 2021 win also proved that some other teams could be dark horses for the win. Josh Berry (182.168) qualified fifth. Policies can be found in the track's "Notice of Risk and Policies" document. 2021 Daytona 500 to have limited fans in attendance NASCAR will begin its 2021 season the way it ended 2020 - with limited fans in attendance. Legal Statement. Daytona 500 Weekend Schedule Released Find Out the Practice, Qualifying and Virus or no, the racing will be every bit as good, a dazzling display of skill, speed and no small amount of luck, with dramatic lead changes and big questions: Which contenders will make it to the finish line, and how many multi-car pileups will there be? Hendrick Motorsports has had lots . More:DAYTONA SPEEDWEEKS: NASCAR motors on with one eye on road, another on the radar. They're gonna have to pack it up!" The 2021 Daytona 500 was run under health and safety rules that limited attendance to 30,000. or redistributed. Chase Elliott will not compete this weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway due to a leg injury, Hendrick Motorsports announced Friday night. That amounts to just over 21,000 people at a facility that can seat over 101,500. You're in @TravisPastrana! "Hey! NASCAR's season unofficially kicks off with the exhibition Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum, which is being run on a temporary quarter-mile track that's been built inside the L.A. 2023 www.news-journalonline.com. That's because while NASCAR is back, so is COVID-19. It means the Floridian oval is at capacity which is about 123,500 seats in the grandstand on the front-stretch. Deegan could not continue and finished 32nd. 2021's Daytona 500: One-third of the crowds, all the excitement. Chases health is our primary concern, said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports in a statement from the team. Or you might think he's a superstar. The 2020 Daytona 500 was the last held without capacity restrictions. Richard Petty owns a series-best seven Daytona 500 wins,. Face coverings are required no excuses, though enforcement will be problematic in the infield. "It's going to be the largest sporting event that happens in the United States since COVID hit . It is one of two Cup Series races held yearly at Daytona, with the second - a 400-mile event - as the regular-season finale in 2021. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Las Vegas Xfinity starting lineup: Chandler Smith wins pole, announced that the 2021 Daytona 500 will be run with a limited crowd, 1:35 2:20 p.m. Cup practice (FS2, switches to FS1 at 2 p.m.), 4:30 p.m. Xfinity race (200 laps, 300 miles; FS1, Performance Racing Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). He'll run a part-time schedule this season as a driver/owner, behind the wheel of the No. The compromise this season is going to seven minutes. Best finish: 3rd, 2014 The seven-time Cup champion has been in victory lane at Daytona seven times, including a pair of Daytona 500 victories (2006 and 2013). When the Next Gen car was rolled out one year ago, the real character in each different make -- Chevy, Toyota and Ford -- was found in their nose piece designs. Daytona 500 fully sold out; race attendance could reach 150,000. 84 Chevy of Legacy MC (Motor Club), after purchasing Richard Petty's team. The new design includes composite bodywork that better resembles the production models the cars represent, plus larger wheels and tires, a fully independent suspension system and five-speed sequential transmission. Perhaps you are one of those people. He finished second in the Daytona 500 in 2017 and 2020 and won the 400-miler in August 2021. But attendance will be less than a third of normal which could make it the smallest official crowd in the races history. It's his only career victory, and he backed that up with a seventh-place finish one year ago. The 2021 Daytona 500 is expected to have about 30,000 fans in attendance at the Feb. 14 race. The track seats 55,000 people total in the grandstand. Race day traffic will still be race day traffic. NASCAR Cup Series race number 1 of 37 Sunday, February 19, 2023 at Daytona . Gary Gastelu is Fox News Digital's automotive editor. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: nascar | pageType: stories | Daytona International Speedway was repaved after a literal pothole showed up in the middle of the track during the 2010 Daytona 500, which was still using the asphalt that NASCAR founder Bill France laid down in 1959. Attendance at the 2021 Daytona 500 won by Michael McDowell was limited to 30%. The Daytona 500 will run with limited fan in attendance, Daytona International Speedway announced Wednesday. The race is the third of the season for the Xfinity Series. It took seven-time Cup Series champion Dale Earnhardt, Sr. 20 years to win, and is also where he tragically lost his life only three years later. Market data provided by Factset. Of course, he has our full support, and well provide any resources he needs. Mac spends countless hours in the Ford simulator and watching film paired with onboard data, for no reason other than to win one race, the Daytona 500. The Daytona International Speedway previously announced that all the grandstand tickets for the Sunday, Feb. 20 event were spoken for, but that now includes RV camping, fanzone and hospitality admissions. Best finish: 2nd, 2019 (The 1960 race, the second 500, had an official attendance of 38,775.) This year's edition of the Daytona 500 is of particular interest to NASCAR fans as it marks the official competitive debut of the all-new Next Gen Cup Series car, which was first used in the exhibition Clash at the Coliseum in the L.A. Memorial Coliseum on Feb. 6 that was won by Joey Logano. Reigning series champion Zane Smith, who won the season opener at Daytona, finished second. The 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season is steadily approaching. Dhruv George is a senior Motorsports author for EssentiallySports, having That amounts to just over 21,000 people at a. NASCAR has yet to publicly announce the expected Daytona 500 attendance for Sunday's race but the 2019 event held at the track's road course on Aug. 16 saw an estimated 10,000 people attend, as per the Daytona Beach Journal. DAYTONA SPEEDWEEKS: NASCAR motors on with one eye on road, another on the radar. The 63rd running of the Daytona 500 is scheduled for Feb. 14. I have no idea if she is a car person, but she did graduate from El Camino Real High School. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. "It's going to be the largest sporting event that happens in the United States since COVID hit,", Fans at the Daytona 500 will mostly stay spread out in the grandstand, while all in attendance would also require. This was the longest Daytona 500 in history going 530 miles. 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Best finish: 2nd, 2016 Feb 14, 2021; Daytona Beach, Florida, USA; NASCAR Cup Series drivers Denny Hamlin (11), Kyle Busch (18), Martin Truex Jr. (19) and Bubba Wallace (23) during the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. This year's event, like most sporting events, will see a limited attendance due to the. The 2021 Daytona 500 will have fans in attendance; how many remains to be determined. Hes spoken with several members of our team and is understandably disappointed to miss time in the car. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe. Among them will be defending champion Kyle Larson leading the Hendrick Motorsports charge. Daytona International Speedway announced that the 2021 Daytona 500 will be run with a limited crowd because of the ongoing novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Look for Elliott to emerge as the organization's best chance on Sunday. Market data provided by Factset. The track also confirmed that a re-seating process for fans who already have bought tickets will take place to ensure social distancing between groups. "While we won't be able to have a capacity crowd here in February, we are excited that we can host the Daytona 500 with those in attendance, as well as for the millions who will tune in . According to Yahoo! Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. . Bowman was in first grade. 50 to honor his 50-0 record in the ring. Bristol Motor Speedway announced that the track had reached its socially-distanced grandstand capacity for its dirt race on March 28. Brad Keselowski is behind the wheel of a Ford, a widely accepted advantage, and finished fourth in his Duel 150. 2023 www.news-journalonline.com. ET on FS1). (Chris Graythen/Getty Images), "Our sport is as captivating as ever and we are riding some great momentum from the 2021 season, and the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum. Daytona track president said yesterday no capacity limits the protocols will be same as they were in August must wear a mask if indoors. We are so thankful to the fans who have reserved their place in what will be yet another history-making event at The World Center of Racing. -- Mike Clay, Michael McDowell to finish top five (+400): If you are a casual NASCAR fan, someone who only watches the Daytona 500, then you've probably never heard of the guy they call McDriver. We hope they enjoy the race on TV. Tyler Reddick (179.683) qualified 15th. The NASCAR season-opening Clash race will be held on a temporary track built in the L.A. They may not know the difference between a lug nut and a walnut. or redistributed. we are excited that we can host the Daytona 500 with those in attendance, as well as for the millions who will tune in live on FOX." . Jake Garcia was the top-finishing rookie, placing 10th. Feel free to print it out, keep a cheat sheet in your pocket and randomly blurt out fact and figures to impress your friends as you watch the Great American Race. He was fastest in practice on Thursday. DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- It is time for the 65th running of the Daytona 500, NASCAR's biggest event on its biggest stage, kicking off what many believe could be one of the sport's biggest seasons. Kyle Busch: 60 career wins, 0-for-17 in Daytona 500. We feel as though we have the perfect dates for both of our NASCAR Cup Series events.". Are there any restrictions on the crowd numbers? In the 2021 Daytona 500, he ran inside the top 15 for 99.5% of the laps run and nearly snuck by Michael McDowell for the win when chaos erupted on the last lap. After the race at the LA Coliseum, there is the official season-opening race, the iconic Daytona 500. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Xavier Institute of Communications. His track record in this sport and at this track speaks for itself, so even without the backing of Hendrick Motorsports, Johnson is an intriguing play at 40-1. The Daytona 500 will be the first official race to feature the Next Gen Cup Series cars that debuted at the exhibition Clash at the Coliseum. Many fans have sensibly decided to stay home. Elsewhere, the 1997 F1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve will start his first Daytona 500. The 2021 event was held with capacity restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic and only had about 30,000 fans in attendance, while this year's number will be well over 100,000. Almirola has two Cup wins on superspeedways and 13 combined top-10s at Daytona and Talladega, so he does have a track record of success. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, CHARLOTTE, N.C. Almost all of NASCAR's earliest races in 2021 will run with limited fans. Elsewhere, the 1997 F1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve will start his first Daytona 500. Sports, the event is the third most-attended sporting event in the country, trailing just the Indianapolis 500 and Brickyard 400. He will be joined on the front row by Justin Allgaier (182.778 mph). Speedway, NASCAR find ways to boost Daytona economy during COVID pandemic, Fact check: Image does not show Tampa mayor violating Super Bowl mask mandate, How to watch the 2021 Daytona 500 on TV, live stream, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. -- McGee, Aric Almirola to win (+3500): Almirola probably feels overdue. Much like Sunday's Super Bowl, though, we are well aware that many people will tune into this weekend's Super Bowl of Stock Car Racing who won't watch another race this year. (David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images). Earlier this week, Daytona International Speedway announced the 2022 Daytona 500 was a sell-out. driver Pierre Gasly and Moto2 rider Tony Arbolino. The next Cup race is scheduled for March 14. Date, start time, TV schedule for race & qualifying. Hendrick Motorsports has scheduled a press conference for 12 p.m. Elliott finished second last weekend at Auto Club Speedway. Brett Moffitt (182.211) qualified fourth. The Daytona 500 is many things. "The Daytona 500 is one of the greatest spectacles in all of sports, and fans from all over the world converge in Daytona Beach to be a part of motorsport's biggest day," Daytona International Speedway President Chip Wile saidin a statement. Tickets are still available for events taking place earlier in the week, which include qualifying, practice and Xfinity Series, Truck Series and ARCA series races. Bubba Wallace has made five Daytona 500 starts and finished second twice, and the first of his two career Cup Series wins came at Talladega, Daytona's sister superspeedway, in 2021. (David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images). 9 car this weekend. Daytona International Speedway announced in December that attendance would be limited for NASCAR's main event on Feb. 14 and all Speedweeks races that precede the 500, including the Clash,. ", The Daytona 500 will be the first official race to feature the Next Gen Cup Series cars that debuted at the exhibition Clash at the Coliseum.