Weekend schedule for Daytona

The NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series head to Daytona International Speedway. It’s the last regular-season race for the Cup Series before the Playoffs begin. There are 15 drivers locked in with only one available spot.

The regular-season champion will also be crowned after the race, with Kyle Larson and Denny Hamlin as the top contenders vying for the title.

This weekend the Camping World Truck Series enjoys a week off from competition.

All times are Eastern.

Friday, August 27

7:10 p.m.: Xfinity Series Driver Intros
*7:30 p.m.: Xfinity Series Wawa 250
Stages 30/60/100 Lap = 250 Miles
Pole: AJ Allmendinger
NBCSN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio/MRN

*The Xfinity race was postponed after completing only 19 laps Friday night due to rain and lightning in the area. It is scheduled to resume Saturday at 12:30 p.m. ET. It will be broadcast on NBCSN with radio coverage on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Saturday, August 28

6:50 p.m.: Cup Series Driver Intros
7 p.m.: Cup Series Coke Zero Sugar 400
Stages 50/100/160 Laps = 400 Miles
Pole: Kyle Larson
NBC/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio/MRN

NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Clinch Scenarios for Daytona:

Already Clinched:

The following 15 drivers have clinched a spot in the 16-driver postseason field – Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, William Byron, Chase Elliott, Martin Truex Jr., Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski, Alex Bowman, Kurt Busch, Christopher Bell, Michael McDowell, Aric Almirola.

Can Clinch Via Points:

If there is a repeat winner or a win by a driver who cannot advance to the Playoffs, the following drivers could clinch by being ahead of the 4th winless driver in the standings. The same point requirements listed below would hold true if a new win comes from Denny Hamlin or Kevin Harvick.

Tyler Reddick would clinch with 31 points.
Austin Dillon could only clinch with help.

Can Clinch Via Win:

The following drivers can clinch on their win alone – Tyler Reddick, Austin Dillon, Matt DiBenedetto, Chris Buescher, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ross Chastain, Darrell Wallace Jr., Chase Briscoe, Erik Jones, Daniel Suarez, Ryan Newman, Ryan Preece, Cole Custer, Anthony Alfredo and Corey LaJoie.

Can Clinch Regular Season Championship:

Additionally, the Regular Season Championship can be clinched by Kyle Larson with 32 points. Denny Hamlin could only clinch with help.

NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoff Clinch Scenarios for Daytona:

Already Clinched:

Five drivers have clinched a spot in the Playoffs including Austin Cindric, AJ Allmendinger, Justin Allgaier, Jeb Burton and Myatt Snider, leaving five available positions.

Can Clinch via Points:

If there is a repeat winner or a win by a driver who cannot advance to the Playoffs, the following drivers could clinch by being 166 points above the fifth winless driver in the standings. The same point requirements listed below would hold true if a new win comes from Daniel Hemric, Harrison Burton, Justin Haley or Noah Gragson.

Daniel Hemric: would clinch with 44 points
Harrison Burton: could only clinch with help
Justin Haley: could only clinch with help

Can Clinch Via Win:

The following drivers can clinch with a win – Daniel Hemric, Harrison Burton, Justin Haley, Noah Gragson, Brandon Jones, Jeremy Clements, Riley Herbst, Brandon Brown, Ryan Sieg, Tommy Joe Martins, Alex Labbe, Landon Cassill, Josh Williams.

Statistical info provided by NASCAR

Daytona International Speedway
Season Race #: 26 of 36 (08-28-21)
Track Size: 2.5-mile
Banking/Turns: 31 degrees
Banking/Straights: 3 degrees
Banking/Tri-Oval: 18 degrees
Frontstretch Length:  3,800 feet
Backstretch Length:  3,000 feet
Race Length: 160 laps / 400 miles
Stage 1 & 2 Length: 50 laps (each)
Final Stage Length: 60 laps

Daytona International Speedway Qualifying Data

Track qualifying record (July race): Cale Yarborough, Ford (203.519 mph, 44.222 secs) on 07-02-86.
2020 pole winner: Metric qualifying, Kevin Harvick started from the pole.

• Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch lead all active series drivers in Daytona starts with 40 each.
• Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch lead all active series drivers in July Daytona starts with 20 each.
• William Byron leads all active drivers in the series in average starting position at Daytona with a 10.857 in seven total starts.
• Ryan Blaney also leads the series in average starting position in the Summer races at Daytona with a 10.400 in six starts.
• Eight of the 62 NASCAR Cup Series Daytona pole winners are active this weekend.  Chase Elliott (3), Alex Bowman (2), Ricky Stenhouse Jr (1), William Byron (1), Austin Dillon (1), Kyle Busch (1), Martin Truex Jr (1), and Kevin Harvick (1).
• Chase Elliott leads all active series drivers in poles at Daytona with three (Feb. 2016, Feb. 2017, and July 2018).
• The youngest series Daytona pole winner is Chase Elliott (February 21, 2016 – 20 years, 2 months, 24 days).
• Hendrick Motorsports leads all organizations in Summer race poles at Daytona in the NASCAR Cup Series with seven: Darrell Waltrip (7/2/88), Greg sacks (7/7/90), Jeff Gordon (7/6/96 and 7/3/04), Mark Martin (7/2/11), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (7/1/17), Chase Elliott (7/7/2018).
• Eight different manufacturers have won the pole for the Summer race at Daytona, led by Chevrolet (22), and followed by Ford (13), Pontiac (six), Dodge (five), Mercury (five), Oldsmobile (three), Toyota (one) and Buick (one).

Daytona International Speedway Race Data

Track race record (July race): Bobby Allison, Mercury (173.473 mph, 02:18:21) on 07-04-80.
2020 race winner: William Byron, Chevrolet (153.766 mph, 02:39:59) on 08-29-20.

• 14 of the 67 NASCAR Cup Series Daytona winners are active this weekend; seven of the 14 have won during the Summer event.  Denny Hamlin (3), Kevin Harvick (2), Michael McDowell (1), William Byron (1), Justin Haley (1), Erik Jones (1), Austin Dillon (1), Ricky Stenhouse Jr (1), Kurt Busch (1), Brad Keselowski (1), Joey Logano (1), Aric Almirola (1), Kyle Busch (1) and Ryan Newman (1).
• Denny Hamlin (Feb. 2016, Feb. 2019, Feb. 2020) leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in Daytona wins with three.
• The youngest Daytona Summer race winner: Justin Haley (07/07/2019 – 20 years, 2 months, 9 days); all-time track record – Trevor Bayne (02/20/2011 – 20 years, 0 months, 1 day).
• Nine of the 62 summer Daytona International Speedway races (14.5%) in the NASCAR Cup Series have been won from the pole or first starting position.
• The first starting position is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners (nine) than any other starting position in the July race at Daytona International Speedway.
• Martin Truex Jr. leads the series among active drivers with the most NASCAR Cup Series starts at Daytona without visiting Victory Lane at 32; followed by Landon Cassill with 15 and Kyle Larson with 14.
• The Wood Brothers and Hendrick Motorsports are toed for the most wins at Daytona in the NASCAR Cup Series with 15 victories each; both have done it with seven different winning drivers.
• Kyle Busch leads all active drivers in runner-up finishes in the summer race at Daytona with three (2006, ’07, ’16).

From OddsChecker:

Denny Hamlin is the early favorite to walk away with a victory from the Coke Zero Sugar 400. In fact, he’s the only driver given odds better than +1100 odds.  Hamlin is given +750 odds, or an implied 11.8% chance to win the race. He’s followed by Kyle Larson at +1100, or an implied 8.3% chance to win. Last year’s winner William Byron is tied for third at +1200, with a 7.7% implied chance of victory. 

Bettors’ favorite to win the NASCAR Spring Cup series, with 50% of the bet over the last month, Chase Elliot is also tied for 3rd at +1200. 

Coke Zero Sugar 400 Winner Odds by OddsChecker