Qualifying canceled at Daytona; Blaney (Cup), Zilisch (Xfinity) start up front

Connor Zilisch will lead the field to green Saturday evening for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Wawa 250 Powered By Coca-Cola at Daytona International Speedway.

Qualifying for the final race of the regular season was canceled due to lightning in the area and the lineup was set by a performance metric. The metric is based on the previous race finish by owner (70%) and current owner points position (30%).

NASCAR Xfinity Series Qualifying at Daytona – Top 10

Zilisch is currently recovering from surgery due to a fractured collarbone. He has stated that he will probably drop to the back of the field at the time of the first caution. Parker Kligerman is on standby to substitute for Zilisch and finish the race.

Sam Mayer will start second, followed by Sammy Smith, Austin Hill, Justin Allgaier, Carson Kvapil, Brandon Jones, Harrison Burton, Christian Eckes and Jesse Love to round out the top 10.

NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying at Daytona – Top 10

Cup Series qualifying at Daytona was also canceled and Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney was awarded the pole position for Saturday’s Coke Zero Sugar 400.

Alex Bowman will start beside Blaney on the front row. Kyle Larson, Joey Logano and Austin Cindric will complete the top five. Denny Hamlin, Austin Dillon, William Byron, Chase Briscoe and Brad Keselowski will round out the top 10.

Race Information:

NASCAR Xfinity Series Wawa 250 Powered By Coca-Cola
Start time: Friday, 7:30 p.m. ET
Stages 30/60/100 Laps = 250 Miles
Purse: $9,797,935
CW/MRN/SiriusXM

NASCAR Cup Series Coke Zero Sugar 400
Start time: Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET
Stages 35/95/160 Laps = 400 Miles
Purse: $9,797,935
Peacock/NBC/HBO Max/MRN/SiriusXM

Are you a die-hard NASCAR fan? Follow every lap, every pit stop, every storyline? We're looking for fellow enthusiasts to share insights, race recaps, hot takes, or behind-the-scenes knowledge with our readers. Click Here to apply!

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of SpeedwayMedia.com

Angie Campbell
Angie Campbell
A native of Charlotte, NC, Angela (Angie) was first introduced to racing by her father. An avid fan of NASCAR, she found a way to combine her love of racing with her passion for writing. Angie is also an award-winning member of the National Motorsports Press Association. Follow her on Twitter @angiecampbell_ for the latest NASCAR news and feature stories.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

SM SPEEDWAY SHOTS

Latest articles

Christian Eckes NCTS Homestead-Miami Speedway Preview

Christian Eckes is chasing that elusive victory to end 2026 in noteworthy fashion.

The Championship Race at Homestead-Miami Speedway Outlook and Picks

The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Homestead-Miami Speedway this weekend for the Championship Race on Sunday, November 8, at 3 p.m. ET on NBC.

2026 Niece Motorsports NCTS Race Preview: Homestead-Miami Speedway

NCTS Starts: 23; Wins: 1 (Carson Hocevar, 2023); Top-Fives: 4; Top-10s: 7.

Mason Massey NCTS Homestead-Miami Speedway Preview

Mason Massey will return to the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) with McAnally Hilgemann Racing (MHR) this Friday night at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Best New Zealand Online Casinos