The release of the 2026 Daytona 500 qualifying order marks the first moment of Speedweeks where the tone shifts from anticipation to evaluation. Teams have spent months preparing for this stretch, but the qualifying draw is the first time the sport gets a clear look at who will be dealing with favorable conditions and who will be fighting the racetrack as much as the stopwatch.

Daytona is one of the few tracks where the order itself can influence the outcome, and this year’s lineup sets up a session with clear winners and losers before a single lap is run. The garage area reacts to this list immediately. Crew chiefs adjust expectations.

Engineers tweak their approach. Drivers begin mentally preparing for the conditions they’ll face. The order isn’t just procedural. It’s strategic. It dictates who gets a stable track and who gets a surface that’s still evolving. For open teams, it determines whether Wednesday night is an opportunity or a threat.

Why the Order Matters at Daytona

Daytona qualifying is a unique challenge. It’s a single‑car run with no drafting help, no traffic, and no margin for error. The lap is simple in structure but demanding in execution. The car must be trimmed out for maximum speed without becoming unstable. The driver must maintain a precise line throughout the lap. And the conditions, temperature, humidity, and track rubber can swing the session by measurable amounts.

Early in the order, the track is typically warmer and less rubbered in. That means less grip and slower speeds. As the session progresses, the surface gains stability, and the air cools. That’s why the back half of the order is so valuable. Teams running late often get the best version of the racetrack.

For the open teams, this isn’t just about starting position. It’s about survival. A strong qualifying lap can lock them into the Daytona 500 on speed. A weak one forces them into the Duels with no safety net. The difference between those two outcomes can define their entire Speedweeks.

2026 Daytona 500 Qualifying Order

Open entries marked with \* must qualify on speed

Early Runners

1. Corey Heim\* — No. 67 Toyota
2. Justin Allgaier\* — No. 40 Chevrolet
3. Kaz Grala — No. 15 Ford
4. Todd Gilliland — No. 38 Ford
5. Harrison Burton — No. 21 Ford
6. Zane Smith — No. 71 Chevrolet
7. Carson Hocevar — No. 77 Chevrolet
8. Ryan Preece — No. 41 Ford
9. John Hunter Nemechek — No. 42 Toyota
10. Jimmie Johnson\* — No. 84 Toyota

Middle of the Order

11. Austin Dillon — No. 3 Chevrolet
12. Daniel Hemric — No. 31 Chevrolet
13. Noah Gragson — No. 10 Ford
14. Austin Cindric — No. 2 Ford
15. Erik Jones — No. 43 Toyota
16. Michael McDowell — No. 34 Ford
17. Tyler Reddick — No. 45 Toyota
18. Ty Gibbs — No. 54 Toyota
19. Joey Logano — No. 22 Ford
20. Brad Keselowski — No. 6 Ford
21. Chris Buescher — No. 17 Ford
22. Chase Briscoe — No. 14 Ford
23. Kyle Busch — No. 8 Chevrolet
24. Martin Truex Jr. — No. 19 Toyota
25. Kyle Larson — No. 5 Chevrolet
26. Bubba Wallace — No. 23 Toyota
27. Ross Chastain — No. 1 Chevrolet
28. Daniel Suárez — No. 99 Chevrolet
29. Chase Elliott — No. 9 Chevrolet
30. William Byron — No. 24 Chevrolet

Late Runners

31. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. — No. 47 Chevrolet
32. Ryan Blaney — No. 12 Ford
33. Christopher Bell — No. 20 Toyota
34. Alex Bowman — No. 48 Chevrolet
35. Justin Haley — No. 51 Ford
36. Anthony Alfredo\* — No. 62 Chevrolet
37. Casey Mears\* — No. 66 Ford
38. Corey LaJoie — No. 7 Chevrolet
39. Josh Berry — No. 4 Ford
40. Shane van Gisbergen — No. 97 Chevrolet
41. Connor Zilisch — No. 88 Chevrolet
42. A.J. Allmendinger — No. 16 Chevrolet
43. Ryan Newman\* — No. 39 Ford
44. Ty Dillon — No. 50 Chevrolet
45. Denny Hamlin — No. 11 Toyota

What the Order Reveals About the Session Ahead

The early group will face the least favorable conditions. The track won’t have much rubber down, and the surface will still be carrying the heat from the afternoon. Their laps will be clean, but the stopwatch won’t be generous. This group often ends up at the lower end of the speed spectrum, not because of performance issues, but because the track simply isn’t ready to deliver more.

The middle of the order is where the session typically stabilizes. The track has enough rubber to offer grip, but the air hasn’t cooled enough to produce the fastest laps. This group often produces the tightest cluster of speeds, not pole‑winning numbers, but competitive ones. These are the laps that help teams understand where they stack up relative to the field.

The late group is positioned to take advantage of the track’s best. Cooler air, a fully rubberized surface, and a clear target to chase. Drivers like Hamlin, Bowman, Bell, and Blaney are exactly the type who can capitalize on that window. If the conditions trend the way they usually do, the pole will almost certainly come from this section of the order.

This is also where the psychological element comes into play. Late‑draw teams know the bar they need to clear. They know whether the track is trending faster or slower. They know whether the pole is realistic or out of reach. That information shapes how aggressively they trim the car and how much risk they’re willing to take.

Cup Series: The Front‑Row Fight

The front row for the Daytona 500 is decided on Wednesday night, and it’s one of the few times all season where the field is separated by nothing but raw speed. No drafting help. No pit strategy. No traffic. Just a single lap that reflects months of offseason work. For the open teams, the stakes are higher.

Corey Heim and Justin Allgaier will be the first to run, which means they’ll be setting the baseline without knowing whether the track is fast or slow. Jimmie Johnson, rolling off 10th, faces a different kind of pressure. He’s a seven‑time champion, but he still has to earn his way into the race. His lap will determine whether Thursday becomes a manageable task or a fight for survival.

The chartered teams with late draws, Hendrick, Gibbs, Penske, are in the best position. Bowman has been one of the strongest Daytona qualifiers of the modern era. Hamlin understands how to maximize a single‑car run. Bell and Blaney are both capable of putting down a pole‑caliber lap. The order establishes a realistic scenario in which the final ten cars determine the front row.

O’Reilly Auto Parts and Craftsman Truck Series

The Cup Series gets the spotlight, but the support series face the same challenges with their own qualifying draws. Qualifying night doesn’t just shape the Cup Series grid, it sets the tone for the entire week across every garage on the property. Once the Cup cars finish their runs, teams in the other series closely analyze the data.

They look at how the track evolved, how quickly temperatures dropped, and how much the surface changed from the first car to the last. Although each series has its own aerodynamic package and tire combination, trends often carry over. Crew chiefs in Trucks and the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series pay attention to how aggressively teams trimmed their cars.

They also focused on how stable the surface remained toward the end of the session and whether the wind shifted at any point. Daytona is one of the few tracks where information gathered from one series can meaningfully influence decisions in another, and the Cup qualifying order becomes a reference point for everyone preparing to take their turn on the high banks.

Craftsman Truck Series

Friday afternoon qualifying means dealing with heat, inconsistent cloud cover, and a track that can change from one minute to the next. Trucks rely heavily on momentum, so even a small shift in temperature can move a driver several rows on the grid. Teams know this, and they often adjust their setups based solely on cloud patterns.

O’Reilly Auto Parts Series

Saturday-morning qualifying provides teams with a cooler, more predictable surface. At Daytona, starting up front is often the difference between controlling the race and getting caught in the mid‑pack turbulence that leads to trouble. The teams that qualify well here tend to avoid the chaos that defines the middle of the field.

What This Means for Speedweeks

The qualifying order is the first real indicator of who might control the early narrative of Speedweeks. For open teams like Casey Mears, Anthony Alfredo, and Corey Heim, Wednesday is their first major test. A strong lap gives them breathing room. A weak one forces them into the Duels with no margin for error.

For the chartered teams, this is the first chance to show who found real speed over the winter. Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, and Team Penske all have cars positioned late in the order, and that alone puts them in the conversation for the pole. The teams that qualify well here often carry that momentum into the Duels and into Sunday.

This session also gives the garage area its first real look at the offseason development race. Which teams found horsepower? Which teams improved their bodies? Which teams maximized the new rules package? Qualifying at Daytona doesn’t tell the whole story, but it reveals more than most people realize.

What’s Next

Daytona qualifying is straightforward in format but demanding in execution. One lap can set the tone for an entire week. The 2026 order gives us a clear picture of who will benefit from favorable conditions and who will have to fight for every inch.

Whether it’s a rookie like Connor Zilisch making his first attempt at the high banks or a veteran like Brad Keselowski trying to reassert himself, Wednesday night will tell us a lot about who came prepared. The path to the Daytona 500 starts here with a single lap that carries more weight than it appears.