The Ultimate Daytona Race Weekend Guide to the Coke Zero Sugar 400 and Beyond

When NASCAR fans hear the name “Daytona,” they don’t just think of a race. They think of a legacy. The thrill, the grit, and the pure adrenaline of watching cars hurtle toward the iconic checkered flag on that 2.5-mile tri-oval is unparalleled. Home to the 31-degree banking turns that have defined high-speed drama for decades, Daytona is not just a racetrack. It’s a cathedral of NASCAR racing.

The 2025 NASCAR season’s summer finale at Daytona International Speedway promises to deliver every ounce of that drama. The Coke Zero Sugar 400 stands as the 26th and final race of the regular season, a last shot for many drivers to snag a spot in the Playoffs. Scheduled for August 23, with the green flag dropping at 7:30 p.m. ET, motorsport fans will witness 160 laps of heart-pounding action.

The Legacy and Layout That Define Daytona

Since its first race in 1959, Daytona has been NASCAR’s stage for speed and strategy. Starting with Fireball Roberts taking the inaugural victory, Daytona’s asphalt has seen legends born and rivalries forged. David Pearson’s five wins in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 cement his name among Daytona greats, while modern racers aim to etch their chapters into the track’s storied history.

The tri-oval layout, with turns banked steeply and challenging at 31 degrees, tests even the most seasoned drivers. At Daytona, there is no margin for error. With speeds stretching limits and the pack racing tighter than ever, one small mistake can ripple through the field. For drivers, it’s not just about horsepower but precision, patience, and nerves of steel.

2025 Coke Zero Sugar 400 Weekend Schedule

Friday, August 22, 2025

• 3 p.m. ET – NASCAR Xfinity Series Qualifying
• 5:05 p.m. ET – NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying
• 7:30 p.m. ET – Wawa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola

Saturday, August 23, 2025

• 7:30 p.m. ET – Coke Zero Sugar 400

Coke Zero Sugar 400: Entry List (Cup Series)

• 1. Ross Chastain, No. 1 (Trackhouse Racing, Chevrolet)
• 2. Austin Cindric, No. 2 (Team Penske, Ford)
• 3. Austin Dillon, No. 3 (Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet)
• 4. Noah Gragson, No. 4 (Front Row Motorsports, Ford)
• 5. Kyle Larson, No. 5 (Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 6. Brad Keselowski, No. 6 (RFK Racing, Ford)
• 7. Justin Haley, No. 7 (Spire Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 8. Kyle Busch, No. 8 (Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet)
• 9. Chase Elliott, No. 9 (Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 10. Ty Dillon, No. 10 (Kaulig Racing, Chevrolet)
• 11. Denny Hamlin, No. 11 (Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota)
• 12. Ryan Blaney, No. 12 (Team Penske, Ford)
• 13. A.J. Allmendinger, No. 16 (Kaulig Racing, Chevrolet)
• 14. Chris Buescher, No. 17 (RFK Racing, Ford)
• 15. Chase Briscoe, No. 19 (Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota)
• 16. Christopher Bell, No. 20 (Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota)
• 17. Josh Berry, No. 21 (Wood Brothers Racing, Ford)
• 18. Joey Logano, No. 22 (Team Penske, Chevrolet)
• 19. Bubba Wallace, No. 23 (23XI Racing, Toyota)
• 20. William Byron, No. 24 (Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 21. Austin Hill, No. 33 (Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet)
• 22. Todd Gilliland, No. 34 (Front Row Motorsports, Ford)
• 23. Riley Herbst, No. 35 (23XI Racing, Toyota)
• 24. Zane Smith, No. 38 (Front Row Motorsports, Ford)
• 25. Cole Custer, No. 41 (Haas Factory Team, Ford)
• 26. John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42 (Legacy Motor Club, Toyota)
• 27. Erik Jones, No. 43 (Legacy Motor Club, Toyota)
• 28. Joey Gase, No. 44 (NY Racing Team)
• 29. Tyler Reddick, No. 45 (23XI Racing, Toyota)
• 30. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. No. 47 (HYAK Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 31. Alex Bowman, No. 48 (Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 32. Cody Ware, No. 51 (Rick Ware Racing, Ford)
• 33. Ty Gibbs, No. 54 (Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota)
• 34. Ryan Preece, No. 60 (RFK Racing, Ford)
• 35. Casey Mears, No. 66 (Garage 66, Ford)
• 36. Michael McDowell, No. 71 (Spire Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 37. Carson Hocevar, No. 77 (Spire Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 38. B.J. McLeod, No. 78 (Live Fast Motorsports)
• 39. Shane Van Gisbergen, No. 88 (Trackhouse Racing, Chevrolet)
• 40. Daniel Suarez, No. 99 (Trackhouse Racing, Chevrolet

Wawa 250 Powered by Coca Cola: Entry List (Xfinity Series)

(i) indicates drivers ineligible for earning playoff points

• 1. Sheldon Creed, No. 00 (Haas Factory Team, Ford)
• 2. Carson Kvapil, No. 1 (JR Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 3. Jesse Love, No. 2 (Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet)
• 4. Parker Retzlaff, No. 4 (Alpha Prime Racing, Chevrolet)
• 5. Caesar Bacarella, No. 5 (Alpha Prime Racing, Chevrolet)
• 6. Justin Allgaier, No. 7 (JR Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 7. Patrick Emerling (i), No. 7 (SS Green Light Racing, Chevrolet)
• 8. Sammy Smith, No. 8 (Jr Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 9. Daniel Dye, No. 10 (Kaulig Racing, Chevrolet)
• 10. Justin Haley (i), No. 11 (Kaulig Racing, Chevrolet)
• 11. Garrett Smithley, No 14 (SS GreenLight Racing, Chevrolet)
• 12. Christian Eckes, No. 16 (Kaulig  Racing, Chevrolet)
• 13. William Sawalich, No. 18 (Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota)
• 14. Aric Almirola, No. 19 (Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota)
• 15. Brandon Jones, No. 20 (Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota)
• 16. Austin Hill, No. 21 (Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet)
• 17. Harrison Burton, No. 25 (AM Racing, Ford)
• 18. Dean Thompson, No. 26 (Sam Hunt Racing, Toyota)
• 19. Jeb Burton, No. 27 (Jordan Anderson Racing, Chevrolet)
• 20. Kyle Sieg, No. 28 (RSS Racing, Ford)
• 21. Blaine Perkins, No. 31 (Jordan Anderson Racing, Chevrolet)
• 22. Rajah Caruth (i), No. 32 (Jordan Anderson Racing, Chevrolet)
• 23. Mason Maggio, No. 35 (Joe Gase Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 24. Ryan Sieg, No. 39 (RSS Racing, Ford)
• 25. Sam Mayer, No 41 (Haas Factory Team)
• 26. Anthony Alfredo, No. 42 (Young’s Motorsports)
• 27. Brennan Poole, No. 44 (Alpha Prime Racing, Chevrolet)
• 28. Josh Williams, No. 45 (Alpha Prime Racing, Chevrolet)
• 29. Nick Sanchez, No. 48 (Big Machine Racing, Chevrolet)
• 30. Jeremy Clements, No. 51 (Jeremy Clements Racing, Chevrolet)
• 31. Joey Gase, No. 53 (Joey Gase Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 32. Taylor Gray, No. 54 (Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota)
• 33. Leland Honeyman, No. 70 (Cope Family Racing, Chevrolet)
• 34. Ryan Ellis, No. 71 (DGM Racing X JIM, Chevrolet)
• 35. Connor Zilisch, No. 88 (JR Motorsports, Chevrolet0
• 36. Josh Bilicki, No. 91 (DGM Racing X JIM)
• 37. Natalie Decker, No. 91 (DGM Racing X JIM)
• 38. Matt DiBenedetto, No.99 (Viking Motorsports, Chevrolet)

A Race Like No Other

The Coke Zero Sugar 400 isn’t just a race. It’s a fight to the bitter end. The stakes are towering, as this race will finalize the 16-driver playoff lineup. For some, it’s “win and you’re in.” For others, it’s about saving their season from slipping away. Defending champion Harrison Burton, now full-time in the Xfinity Series, won’t be on the Cup grid this year.

His absence leaves the door wide open for someone else to take the Daytona spotlight. Will it be a wily veteran who knows every bump and line of this track? Or could a rookie risk it all and grab glory under the Florida lights? Daytona flips the script every year. That unpredictability, that sheer uncertainty in those final laps, is why fans keep coming back.

Why Daytona Always Stands Apart

The Coke Zero Sugar 400 doesn’t just attract motorsports enthusiasts. It demands their attention. There’s the roar of the engines, the neon lights reflecting off the cars under a humid Florida evening, and the drama of the superspeedway where anything can happen.

This is a race built on the backs of legends, with names like Earnhardt and Yarborough echoing within its turns. And yet, this isn’t just about nostalgia. It’s about what’s next. Daytona challenges the future of NASCAR every year, blending tradition with innovation as the sport and its drivers evolve.

Get Your Seat on the Edge

For fans, there’s nothing like watching the Coke Zero Sugar 400 live. From the grandstands, where you hear and feel every gear change, to the hospitality suites offering panoramic views, Daytona is not a bucket list item. It’s a must-experience event. And for those glued to their screens, the NBC broadcast delivers wall-to-wall coverage of what’s guaranteed to be a spectacular evening of Cup Series action.

This August, Daytona will once again prove why it’s the crown jewel of NASCAR’s regular season. Whether you’re rooting for your favorite driver to fight their way into playoff contention or you’re there for the thrill of watching it all unfold, one thing is sure. Under the lights at Daytona, the only predictable thing is greatness and that’s exactly what the Coke Zero Sugar 400 is set to deliver.