NASCAR Cup Series: Full qualifying order revealed for Daytona race

As a lifelong NASCAR enthusiast who has seen more than my fair share of heart-stopping races at Daytona International Speedway, I can confidently say that this weekend’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 is shaping up to be an absolute thriller! The unpredictability of the superspeedway combined with the high stakes of determining the playoff field makes for a recipe that’s sure to keep us on the edge of our seats.

Since 2020, Daytona International Speedway has been hosting the culmination of the NASCAR Cup Series regular season. But, in the year 2024, it won’t continue to do so as its traditional slot on Independence Day weekend will no longer apply.

On Saturday night, the Coke Zero Sugar 400 serves as the second to last race of the 26-race regular season, yet its outcome may significantly influence the composition of the 16-driver playoff group.

At the 4-corner, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) Daytona Beach oval with its high banks in Florida, one of the sport’s most unstable tracks, the possibility of an underdog winner from outside the provisional playoff bracket becomes much higher than in many other races scheduled throughout the year.

Beyond any possible additional champions in the last two races of the regular season at Daytona and Darlington Raceway, a minimum of two drivers have already secured a place in the postseason based on their points. This means that Saturday’s race is bound to be intensely exciting from start to finish, as the stages progress and points are accumulated.

At Daytona, which is a superspeedway, they won’t employ group qualifying. However, the four-factor system that NASCAR has been using since 2020 was still applied to establish the qualifying lineup. The details of this formula are explained in more depth here.

The top 10 quickest drivers from the initial qualifying session will progress to compete for the best starting spot, known as the pole position.

NASCAR at Daytona: Full qualifying order

1. Joey Gase (No. 44), NY Racing Team Chevrolet

Tune in this coming Saturday evening as Daytona International Speedway plays host to the Coke Zero Sugar 400 race! Coverage starts on NBC at 7:00 p.m. ET. To make sure you catch all the action, sign up now for a free trial of FuboTV and don’t miss out!

2024-08-22 17:32