Attendance at the 2021 Daytona 500 won by Michael McDowell was limited to 30%. Now, Hamlin will be aiming to win his fourth Daytona 500 but will face plenty of competition from several of his rivals. The Emmy winner will climb atop the flag stand and wave the green flag over the start of the race. He was scheduled to undergo surgery Friday night. Will Denny Hamlin become the first driver to win three 500s in a row? Fans who purchased tickets and plan to attend will be relocated to ensure socially distanced seating, or accounts will be credited if the track is unable to reseat them, per the track website. While some NASCAR events have struggled in recent years to attract fans, the Daytona 500 is not among them. Its all in the name of social distancing, something Speedway officials say they intend to enforce. Fans will be screened before entering the venue and required to wear face coverings and observe at least 6 feet of social distancing. Ty Majeski placed fifth, giving him finishes of sixth or better in the first two races of the season. After the race at the LA Coliseum, there is the official season-opening race, the iconic Daytona 500. "It's going to be the largest sporting event that happens in the United States since COVID hit,", Fans at the Daytona 500 will mostly stay spread out in the grandstand, while all in attendance would also require. Fans who have already bought tickets to the event will still be able to go, but there's a chance that their seating will be rearranged in order to comply with social distancing guidelines. Tyler Reddick (179.683) qualified 15th. Those with a participating TV provider can also watch online and on smart devices using the FOX Sports app. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. The 2021 event was held with capacity restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic and only had about 30,000 fans in attendance, while this year's number will be well over 100,000. we are excited that we can host the Daytona 500 with those in attendance, as well as for the millions who will tune in live on FOX." . Jonathan Ferrey/Stringer/Getty Images. "Hey! Elsewhere, the 1997 F1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve will start his first Daytona 500. You might also like: Daytona weather could be deciding factor in Daytona 500, Be the first one to comment on this story. Until then, all the teams and drivers are busy testing the cars and ironing out last-minute issues. at Grandstand tickets for the Daytona 500 run from around $100 to $400, but a variety of multi-day and experience packages were also offered. The track hosted roughly 22,000 fans for last year's All-Star Race and attendance appeared closer to its sold-out allotted 20% capacity (30,000 spectators) for the Cup race there in September. That amounts to just over 21,000 people at a facility that can seat over 101,500. The 2022 Daytona 500 is of particular significance as it will mark the official debut of the all-new seventh generation NASCAR Cup Series car, which was tested at the track this week. The Daytona International Speedway has announced that all grandstand seats and RV parking spots have been sold out ahead of the Feb. 20 race. (The 1960 race, the second 500, had an official attendance of 38,775.). Have something to tell us about this article? The compromise this season is going to seven minutes. Like everything else, Daytona Speedweeks and the Great American Race are different this year. Are there any limits on the number of fans allowed to attend? Among them will be defending champion Kyle Larson leading the Hendrick Motorsports charge. His track record in this sport and at this track speaks for itself, so even without the backing of Hendrick Motorsports, Johnson is an intriguing play at 40-1. The Daytona 500 consists of 200 laps on a 2.5-mile track. Will 2023 IndyCar season see a changing of the guard? Gary Gastelu is Fox News Digital's automotive editor. (Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images). Cup Series drivers will practice and qualify Saturday before the Xfinity Series races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Market data provided by Factset. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. They're gonna have to pack it up!" The Daytona 500 will be the first official race to feature the Next Gen Cup Series cars that debuted at the exhibition Clash at the Coliseum. Speedway officials have taken significant steps to ensure the sold-out race doesnt become a super-spreader event. Feel free to print it out, keep a cheat sheet in your pocket and randomly blurt out fact and figures to impress your friends as you watch the Great American Race. Of course, there is risk. In other news, Costco's March 2023 coupon book contains deals on clothing, food, and more. We hope to share another update later this weekend.. (David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images). Chase Elliott (leg) to miss Las Vegas Cup Series race, Top NASCAR experts reveal 2023 Pennzoil 400 picks, 2023 Pennzoil 400 predictions, odds, sims, picks, Legendary NASCAR expert reveals Pennzoil 400 picks, NASCAR Cup Series at Las Vegas: How to watch, picks, NASCAR changes package for short tracks, road courses. ", The Daytona 500 will be the first official race to feature the Next Gen Cup Series cars that debuted at the exhibition Clash at the Coliseum. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Gov. The superspeedway can hold over 101,000 people, which sets up the race to be the second-highest attended oval track racing event of the pandemic era behind last year's Indianapolis 500, which ran at 40% capacity with approximately 135,000 tickets sold. In its statement, the track did not specify how many fans will be allowed to attend the race, which is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 14. 50 to honor his 50-0 record in the ring. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. No matter how much you do or don't know about NASCAR, the following Daytona 500 preview is for everyone. According to the wise guys in the desert, the consensus top picks are three-time Daytona 500 champion Denny Hamlin (+1100 via Caesars), followed by a five-pack of drivers at +1200, including Ryan Blaney, who should have won this race a year ago, Joey Logano, who won the first of Thursday night's Duel 150s, Kyle Busch and Elliott. Richard Petty owns a series-best seven Daytona 500 wins,. If you missed the news, Johnson is back in NASCAR on a part-time basis this season. The exhibition race features around 20 of the top drivers. "While we won't be able to have a capacity crowd here in February, we are excited that we can host the Daytona 500 with those in attendance, as well as for the millions who will tune in . This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, "It's going to be the largest sporting event that happens in the United States since COVID hit . Daytona International Speedway, home to the Daytona 500, announced Wednesday that the "biggest event in all of motorsports" will play host to a limited number of fans when it rolls around in February. Speaking of the future NASCAR Hall of Famer Martin Truex Jr.: 31 career wins, 0-for-18 in Daytona 500. CHARLOTTE, N.C. Almost all of NASCAR's earliest races in 2021 will run with limited fans. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to empty stadiums and arenas throughout the sports world, while the 2020 NASCAR season featured many races without fans. ET Sunday, Feb. 14,. Johnson has been coaching his pal Travis Pastrana -- yes, the X Games and Nitro Circus demigod, who made it into his first Daytona 500. driver Pierre Gasly and Moto2 rider Tony Arbolino. According to Yahoo! If Hamlin wins his fourth Daytona 500, he will move out of a tie with three other drivers (Jarrett, Jeff Gordon and Bobby Allison) for third place on the all-time victories list and into a tie for second with Cale Yarborough. Best finish: 7th, 2016 and 2019 The Daytona 500 attendance in 2021 will be limited to just 21 percent of maximum capacity. GREEN FLAG IN THE #NextEra250 but immediately were under caution @NASCAR_Trucks | #SpeedweeksbyAdventHealth pic.twitter.com/tjFytThWKH. Yes, a pair of Hendrick Motorsports Chevys are on the front row, but in the garage, the buzz is about the Fords on race day. They may not know the difference between a lug nut and a walnut. All rights reserved. John Hunter Nemechek won last weekend at Auto Club Speedway. Legal Statement. Race Timings for NASCAR Cup, Truck, Xfinity and ARCA Series, Full Spectrum Services LLP 2022 | All Rights Reserved. Entry times for #NextEra250 race day Know what to bring with you for #SpeedweeksbyAdventHealth https://t.co/Xr2Z9LoFV3 pic.twitter.com/H5SGC3s7Ws. More:Dale Earnhardt, 20 years later: Share your memories, photos, videos of 'The Intimidator'. Information on ticketing and health and safety protocols can be found on the speedway website. It's true. Face coverings are required no excuses, though enforcement will be problematic in the infield. Best finish: 2nd, 2016 While we wont be able to have a capacity crowd here in February, we are excited that we can host the DAYTONA 500 with those in attendance, as well as for the millions who will tune in live on FOX. All rights reserved. Blaney and his Ford should have won this race a year ago and in 2018, when he led 118 laps. The next Cup race is scheduled for March 14. an estimated 25,000 fans at the Coke Zero Sugar 400, which also takes place at Daytona. There is a temptation to include Alex Bowman on this list, who has started a record six Daytona 500s from the front row, but the last driver to this race from the front row was pole sitter Dale Jarrett in 2000. This year's event, like most sporting events, will see a limited attendance due to the. There will reportedly be 22,000 fans at the Super Bowl on Feb. 7, but the Daytona 500 one week later could have even more watching in person. Brad Keselowski is behind the wheel of a Ford, a widely accepted advantage, and finished fourth in his Duel 150. 9 car this weekend. "While we won't be able to have a capacity crowd here in February, we are excited that we can host the Daytona 500 with those in attendance, as well as for the millions who will tune in live on Fox. (Chris Graythen/Getty Images), "Our sport is as captivating as ever and we are riding some great momentum from the 2021 season, and the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum. "The Daytona 500 is one of the greatest spectacles in all of sports, and fans from all over the world converge in Daytona Beach to be a part of motorsport's biggest day," Daytona International Speedway President Chip Wile saidin a statement. The Daytona 500 is one of the most historic races in NASCAR history. The Speedway said that the reseating process is underway and expects to have information sent to fans who previously purchased tickets this week. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. The 2021 DAYTONA 500 start time is 2:30 p.m. Here's what it means for Volusia tourism. According to the track president, there will be no capacity limits in terms of the seating arrangement. He graduated with a PG Diploma in Journalism from the We are so thankful to the fans who have reserved their place in what will be yet another history-making event at The World Center of Racing. He was fastest in practice on Thursday. Daytona 500 fully sold out; race attendance could reach 150,000. #BuschLightPole | #DAYTONA500 pic.twitter.com/3hcaul572y. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. All rights reserved. Its the race every driver dreams of winning, such is the prestige and history in being able to call yourself a Daytona 500 winner.. Who had a bad race:John Hunter Nemechek and Hailie Deegan were involved in a crash on the final lap of the second stage. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Some reconfiguring of NASCAR's original schedule last month moved the Daytona Road Course race to second in the order and bumped Auto Club Speedway from the lineup completely. Sports, the event is the third most-attended sporting event in the country, trailing just the Indianapolis 500 and Brickyard 400. Hendrick Motorsports has had lots of speed in the Daytona 500, but hasn't had a winner since 2014. or redistributed. The speedway has stopped selling grandstand tickets, but said that a limited number of premium-seating options remain available for purchase. Berry, who drives for JR Motorsports in the Xfinity Series, will be making his third career Cup start. Fans will have their temperatures takenand watch the race from pods separated by at least 6 feet. The all-new seventh generation NASCAR Cup Series car was tested at Daytona International Speedway this week. The Daytona 500 is one of the greatest spectacles in all of sports, and fans from all over the world converge in Daytona Beach to be a part of motorsports biggest day, track president Chip Wile said in the statement. Best finish: 3rd, 2014 Kyle Larson: 19 career wins, 0-for-9 in Daytona 500. In the 2021 Daytona 500, he ran inside the top 15 for 99.5% of the laps run and nearly snuck by Michael McDowell for the win when chaos erupted on the last lap. 2023 www.news-journalonline.com. Winds 20-30 mph. Coliseum on the weekend of Feb. 6. The race is the third of the season for the Xfinity Series. That amounts to just over 21,000 people at a. (David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images). Ben Rhodes placed third and was followed by Corey Heim and Ty Majeski. The Daytona 500 will run with limited fan in attendance, Daytona International Speedway announced Wednesday. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. NASCAR Cup Breaking news 2021 Daytona 500 to have limited fans in attendance NASCAR will begin its 2021 season the way it ended 2020 - with limited fans in attendance. -- McGee, Aric Almirola to win (+3500): Almirola probably feels overdue. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The track also announced that tickets remained on sale for other events during Speedweeks. Or perhaps you are currently reading this while dressed in your Chase Elliott pajamas and tucked into your Jimmie Johnson bed sheets. Are there any restrictions on the crowd numbers? Sanitizer and handwashing stations will be everywhere, along with yellow-shirted workers ready to wipe down high-touch surfaces. 2021's Daytona 500: One-third of the crowds, all the excitement. Perhaps you are one of those people. Elsewhere, the 1997 F1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve will start his first Daytona 500. Finally, McDowells 2021 win also proved that some other teams could be dark horses for the win. "Hey! While he was still spinning, Rowdy radioed to his new RCR team, "That was a Daytona 500-winning car.". Throughout 15 years in the Cup Series, McDowell has earned only seven top-five finishes and all but one of those have come at Daytona and Talladega. The 2020 Daytona 500 was the last held without capacity restrictions. Keep an eye on Daly's pit stall to catch a glimpse of Floyd Mayweather, who co-owns Daly's car, which is No. At Inter-Miami CF Stadium an hour north of the track, allotted attendance has hovered between 14% and 20% of the stadium's 18,000-seat capacity for soccer events in recent months. We know, however, that Daytona International Speedway won't be at full capacity for the 63rd running of NASCAR's iconic season-opening race, scheduled for February 14. The new design includes composite bodywork that better resembles the production models the cars represent, plus larger wheels and tires, a fully independent suspension system and five-speed sequential transmission. The forecast is uncertain, and everyone (including the recent former president of the United States) remembers the deluge that shut down last years race. All rights reserved. The Daytona 500 will be broadcast on FOX Sunday, Feb. 20 starting at 2:30 p.m. The leader is His Royal Fastness Richard Petty with seven. NASCAR's season unofficially kicks off with the exhibition Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum, which is being run on a temporary quarter-mile track that's been built inside the L.A. But in 2021, one of the season's biggest events will have the crowd those drivers so desperately craved -- to a certain degree, at least. #DAYTONA500 | @NASCAR pic.twitter.com/c0yrKB7ptt, Daytona International Speedway (@DISupdates) December 2, 2020. Chase Elliott will open up his NASCAR Cup Series championship title defense and Denny Hamlin will try to go back to back at the Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 14. This year's edition of the Daytona 500 is of particular interest to NASCAR fans as it marks the official competitive debut of the all-new Next Gen Cup Series car, which was first used in the exhibition Clash at the Coliseum in the L.A. Memorial Coliseum on Feb. 6 that was won by Joey Logano. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. -- Ryan McGee, Chase Elliott to win (+1200): Elliott has yet to break through at Daytona, but he has knocked on the door a lot -- especially lately. Xavier Institute of Communications. Daytona 500 to be held with 'limited' fans in 2021 because of COVID-19 pandemic, Dale Earnhardt, 20 years later: Share your memories, photos, videos of 'The Intimidator', Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Daytona International Speedway announced in December that attendance would be limited for NASCAR's main event on Feb. 14 and all Speedweeks races that precede the 500, including the Clash,. The 2020 Daytona 500 was the last held without capacity restrictions. He ran two races for Spire Motorsports in 2021. The race to open the 2021 NASCAR season is scheduled for Feb. 14. Legal Statement. On Sunday, he should have the equipment -- and the motivation -- to capture his biggest win yet. The fans at track and at home create the energy of The Great American Race. Saturday: Partly cloudy with a high of 65. Villeneuve, also the 1995 Indy 500 winner is the first F1 driver to tackle NASCAR's premier race since Juan Pablo Montoya and Scott Speed in 2013. Jake Garcia was the top-finishing rookie, placing 10th. 2021 Daytona 500 to have limited fans in attendance NASCAR will begin its 2021 season the way it ended 2020 - with limited fans in attendance. Safety policies include wearing masks in the facility except when seated, agreeing to undergo a health screening and temperature check and maintaining six feet of social distancing between parties. Michael McDowell enters the race as defending winner after the fiery last lap crash in 2021. The 2021 Daytona 500 was run under health and safety rules that limited attendance to 30,000. The only real indication will come after the Busch Clash race at the LA Coliseum. Hes spoken with several members of our team and is understandably disappointed to miss time in the car. Problem was that when the Chevys tried to team up in the aerodynamic draft, their cool-looking pointy noses acted like a cow catcher on a train and punted cars out of the way instead of pushing them. The 2021 Daytona 500 was run under health and safety rules that limited attendance to 30,000. NASCAR has also already reconfigured its schedule once. https://t.co/1q6T8SL1Zv, Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) January 13, 2022. Stroll to race in Bahrain after missing F1 testing, AlphaTauri denies talk of sale by Red Bull, Everything you need to know about F1's 2023 season, Bahrain rights group urges F1 drivers to speak up, Dale vs. Dale: A Daytona 500 the Jarretts, NASCAR won't forget, NASCAR's 2023 season will be a year of change, Harvick will leave incomparable legacy that goes beyond rookie year, his Hail Melon move at Martinsville Speedway last fall, announcing a big contract extension with Trackhouse Racing, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Senior writer for ESPN The Magazine and ESPN.com. Chandler Smith scored his first career Xfinity pole, posting the fastest lap in Friday nights Xfinity Series qualifying session at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Tickets are still available for events taking place earlier in the week, which include qualifying, practice and Xfinity Series, Truck Series and ARCA series races. That amounts to just over 21,000 people at a facility that can seat over 101,500. Reigning series champion Zane Smith, who won the season opener at Daytona, finished second. Best finish: 2nd, 2021, If it makes them feel any better, no one on this list is even close to the likes of Terry Labonte, who was 0-for-32, Ricky Rudd (0-for-29), Mark Martin (0-for-29) -- Labonte, Rusty Wallace and Tony Stewart are a combined 0-for-64. Michael McDowell enters the race as defending winner after the fiery last lap crash in 2021. Daytona International Speedway announced that the 2021 Daytona 500 will be run with a limited crowd because of the ongoing novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Coliseum in 2022. If you saw how Walter White whipped that RV around running from the police, perhaps he should enter a car in the ARCA race, too. Chase Elliott will not compete this weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway due to a leg injury, Hendrick Motorsports announced Friday night. "What an incredible way to begin Speedweeks Presented By AdventHealth by announcing that we have completely sold out of the NASCAR Cup Series season-opening DAYTONA 500," Daytona International Speedway President Frank Kelleher said in a release. Race day traffic will still be race day traffic. Tickets are on sale for the Cup race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, where seating was last estimated at fewer than 80,000 seats. The 2020 Daytona 500 was the last held without capacity restrictions. Daytona International Speedway, home to the Daytona. authored nearly 12000 articles spanning different sports like F1, NASCAR, It's his only career victory, and he backed that up with a seventh-place finish one year ago. However, Michael McDowell denied him a hat-trick in 2021. NASCAR's Damaged Vehicle Policy had previously stated that cars being worked on by teams on pit road had six minutes to get back on the racetrack or be eliminated. Austin Cindric, who shocked Wallace and the rest of the world by winning last year's Daytona 500 as a rookie, nearly won his Duel 150 on Thursday night and will start his 500 title defense from the third row. From 1995-2020, U.S. television ratings for the Daytona 500 have been the highest for any auto race of the year, surpassing the traditional leader, the Indianapolis 500 which in turn greatly surpasses the Daytona 500 in in-track attendance and international viewing; however, in 2021 the Indianapolis 500 surpassed the Daytona 500 in TV ratings . "Hey, I think this track surface has really developed a lot of character!" NASCAR has yet to publicly announce the expected Daytona 500 attendance for Sunday's race but the 2019 event held at the track's road course on Aug. 16 saw an estimated 10,000 people attend, as per the Daytona Beach Journal. The Daytona 500 attendance ranged from 100,000 to 150,000 fans in the recent years before COVID-19. The 2021 Daytona 500 was run under health and safety rules that limited attendance to 30,000. . ET and can also be watched on the Fox Sports app. More:Speedway, NASCAR find ways to boost Daytona economy during COVID pandemic. "Hey, that's seven minutes! -- Symmes, Daytona 500 cheat sheet: Everything you need to know. Tickets for the race are still available starting at $65.