Qualifying Results: 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500

Kyle Busch won the pole for the 68th Annual Daytona 500 during qualifying on Wednesday night at Daytona International Speedway.

Busch was fastest in both rounds of NASCAR Cup Series qualifying, securing his spot at the front of the field for the green flag in "The Great American Race" on Sunday, February 15. He will be joined on the front row by Chase Briscoe.

For the rest of the field, their starting positions will be determined in Thursday's America 250 Duels. However, two "Open" competitors guaranteed they will be part of Sunday's field.

Corey Heim secured his first-career Daytona 500 start with a qualifying lap time of 49.138 seconds in the opening qualifying round. That advanced him to the second round of qualifying and guaranteed his spot in the field piloting the No. 67 for 23XI Racing.

Justin Allgaier was the second Open entry driver to secure his place in the field with a qualifying lap time of 49.201 seconds. It marks the second straight year Allgaier will take part in the Daytona 500 driving the No. 40 for JR Motorsports.

Jimmie Johnson, who will be using the Open Exemption Provisional, is also ensured a spot in the Daytona 500 field. For the remaining Open competitors, they'll battle to earn a spot on the grid in Thursday's qualifying races.

Noah Gragson initially clocked in with a lap time of 49.504 seconds. However, his effort was disallowed as Gragson placed his left hand over the window net during his run for an aerodynamic advantage. NASCAR instituted a rule ahead of the 2026 season forcing drivers to keep both hands on the steering wheel during qualifying efforts.

The America 250 Duels begin at 7 p.m. ET on Thursday, with coverage on FS1, the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

-Photo credit: Ricky Martinez/Racing America

Daytona 500 Qualifying Results

Round Two

Round One