And the festival atmosphere that usually permeates race events will be muted. More:Daytona 500 attendance is limited. GREEN FLAG IN THE #NextEra250 but immediately were under caution @NASCAR_Trucks | #SpeedweeksbyAdventHealth pic.twitter.com/tjFytThWKH. ET and can also be watched on the Fox Sports app. Speedway officials have said they are limiting attendance to about 30,000 fans in the stands and a few thousand more in the infield. Sanitizer and handwashing stations will be everywhere, along with yellow-shirted workers ready to wipe down high-touch surfaces. 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. Here's what it means for Volusia tourism. 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. 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. 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. There is much buzz in the garage about Ross Chastain, whom you know from his Hail Melon move at Martinsville Speedway last fall, although he hasn't made a lot of noise during Speedweek other than announcing a big contract extension with Trackhouse Racing. The NASCAR Cup Series will open its 73rd season on Valentine's Day 2021 with the 63rd running of the Daytona 500 . Daytona International Speedway president Chip Wile over the weekend . -- McGee, Aric Almirola to win (+3500): Almirola probably feels overdue. Of course, there is risk. Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe. Gov. Kyle Busch, who started on the pole, led 84 of 134 laps to win Friday nights NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Those with a participating TV provider can also watch online and on smart devices using the FOX Sports app. DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- It is time for the 65th running of the Daytona 500, NASCAR's biggest event on its biggest stage, kicking off what many believe could be one of the sport's biggest seasons. Obviously, the track authorities will try everything in their power to ensure a safe environment for all. Also, Frankie Muniz is at the World Center of Racing. or redistributed. The 2020 Daytona 500 was the last held without capacity restrictions. He isn't racing in the 500 but in Saturday's ARCA (think Class AA baseball) event. Hendrick Motorsports has had lots of speed in the Daytona 500, but hasn't had a winner since 2014. Atlanta Motor Speedway has not released an official update on limited seating, but General Manager Brandon Hutchison said in a video released in December that the track expects to host fans in a "limited, socially distanced capacity" for the Cup race on March 21. 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. 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 . Daytona 500 fully sold out; race attendance could reach 150,000. In other news, Costco's March 2023 coupon book contains deals on clothing, food, and more. 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. But this year will once again prove what fans already know: It is never boring. 2023 Daytona 500 loop data Previous race results Next race results Previous at this track. Daytona track president said yesterday no capacity limits the protocols will be same as they were in August must wear a mask if indoors. The race to open the 2021 NASCAR season is scheduled for Feb. 14. The speedway has stopped selling grandstand tickets, but said that a limited number of premium-seating options remain available for purchase. The Daytona stands hold 101,500 spectators, per the Speedway website, but a specific capacity cap was not provided. Face coverings are required no excuses, though enforcement will be problematic in the infield. He was scheduled to undergo surgery Friday night. "The Great American Race will once again have the aura and atmosphere that fans have come to know and love. Next: The series is back in action March 18 at Atlanta Motor Speedway (2 p.m. Attendance at the 2021 Daytona 500 won by Michael McDowell was limited to 30%. Austin Hill won at Daytona. Attendance at the 2021 Daytona 500 won by Michael McDowell was limited to 30%. 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. Kyle Larson: 19 career wins, 0-for-9 in Daytona 500. Tickets are on sale for the Cup race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, where seating was last estimated at fewer than 80,000 seats. 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. That's because while NASCAR is back, so is COVID-19. Kyle Busch (180.156) qualified 11th. More:DAYTONA SPEEDWEEKS: NASCAR motors on with one eye on road, another on the radar. A lot of us here are hoping that maybe we'll get another surprising visit before the weekend is up -- Frankie's TV dad, Bryan Cranston. Busch looked great in his Thursday night Duel 150 before he was wrecked out by contact with Daniel Suarez. -- 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. Here's what it . Daytona already revealed last month that the 101,000-seat grandstand was sold out, in what many in the industry said . 84 Chevy of Legacy MC (Motor Club), after purchasing Richard Petty's team. The only F1 driver to win the Daytona 500 was Mario Andretti in 1967 11 years before he claimed the world title in 1978. 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. The only real indication will come after the Busch Clash race at the LA Coliseum. Christian Eckes finished third, giving him finishes of sixth or better in the first two races of the season. Many NASCAR Hall of Famers have been unable to take home the trophy at the fabled Daytona 500 in Florida. NASCAR Cup Series race number 1 of 37 Sunday, February 19, 2023 at Daytona . That's because while NASCAR is back, so is COVID-19. That race will be the first racing scenario that the Next Gen cars face, so the pecking order will probably be determined around that time. Your login session has expired. Best finish: 2nd, 2016 Or perhaps you are currently reading this while dressed in your Chase Elliott pajamas and tucked into your Jimmie Johnson bed sheets. The speedway holds101,500 spectators, but officials announced in December there would be limited fans. Kyle Larson is also listed in that group, but we're not counting him. "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. All rights reserved. According to Yahoo! Its all in the name of social distancing, something Speedway officials say they intend to enforce. He was fastest in practice on Thursday. The victory is Buschs 63rd in the Truck Series and his fourth series win at his hometown track. But how many fans are in attendance at the superspeedway in 2022 for the Daytona 500? Elliotts streak of consecutive Cup starts ends at 254 races. 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. -- Symmes, Daytona 500 cheat sheet: Everything you need to know. Admittedly, we are going into this race blind. Denny Hamlin can make history!" 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. Who had a bad race:John Hunter Nemechek and Hailie Deegan were involved in a crash on the final lap of the second stage. 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. 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." . Daytona 500 attendance is limited. #BuschLightPole | #DAYTONA500 pic.twitter.com/3hcaul572y. Like everything else, Daytona Speedweeks and the Great American Race are different this year. 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. #DAYTONA500 | @NASCAR pic.twitter.com/c0yrKB7ptt, Daytona International Speedway (@DISupdates) December 2, 2020. According to the track president, there will be no capacity limits in terms of the seating arrangement. 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. Daytona 500 Weekend Schedule Released Find Out the Practice, Qualifying and 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. All rights reserved. Kyle Busch: 60 career wins, 0-for-17 in Daytona 500. The 2022 Daytona 500 kicks off the new NASCAR Cup season, but how many fans are at the superspeedway? Jimmie Johnson returned to the Cup Series for Legacy Motor Club in this race. Daytona International Speedway was repaved after a literal pothole showed up in the middle of the track during the 2010 Daytona 500, which was still using the asphalt that NASCAR founder Bill France laid down in 1959. Others have found success, but only a dozen have won it twice, and these drivers who have surpassed that record are the masters of the Great American Race. 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. NASCARs most famous race takes place today as the Daytona 500 opens the 2022 Cup Series season. That includes a fifth-place run in the 2019 Daytona 500, followed up by a win two years later. Elliott has finished in the top 10 in four of the past five races at the track, including a pair of runner-ups, and he's been a staple at the front of the field. The all-new seventh generation NASCAR Cup Series car was tested at Daytona International Speedway this week. As part of NASCAR's schedule realignment, the race at Homestead was pushed back one week to Feb. 28, and the track announced that it would host a limited number of fans. Fans are able to place ticket deposits online, but an announcement should be forthcoming from the speedway regarding seating. Elsewhere, the 1997 F1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve will start his first Daytona 500. 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. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. More:Speedway, NASCAR find ways to boost Daytona economy during COVID pandemic. Legal Statement. Are there any limits on the number of fans allowed to attend? All Rights Reserved. Best finish: 7th, 2016 and 2019 Policies can be found in the track's "Notice of Risk and Policies" document. Feb 14, 2021; Daytona Beach, Florida, USA; NASCAR Cup Series drivers Denny Hamlin (11), Kyle Busch (18), Martin Truex Jr. (19) and Bubba Wallace (23) during the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. The Daytona 500 attendance ranged from 100,000 to 150,000 fans in the recent years before COVID-19. A frequent concern from NASCAR drivers throughout the 2020 season was that the lack of fans in attendance for most races did a number on the atmosphere that they usually experience on race day. That includes the Busch Clash on Feb. 9, Daytona 500 qualifying on Feb. 10, qualifying races on Feb. 11, truck race on Feb. 12 and the Xfinty and ARCA races on Feb. 13. ET Sunday, Feb. 14,. 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. The track did not host fans for its last Cup race in September and no update has been provided on whether entry will be limited for the race on March 7. While some NASCAR events have struggled in recent years to attract fans, the Daytona 500 is not among them. (David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images). He'll run a part-time schedule this season as a driver/owner, behind the wheel of the No. Coliseum in 2022. Bubba Wallace has made five Daytona 500 starts and finished second twice, and the first of his two career Cup Series wins came at Talladega, Daytona's sister superspeedway, in 2021. (The 1960 race, the second 500, had an official attendance of 38,775.) Xfinity teams must use the same car this weekend as they raced at Auto Club Speedway or start at the rear of the field. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. . Jonathan Ferrey/Stringer/Getty Images. Sports, the event is the third most-attended sporting event in the country, trailing just the Indianapolis 500 and Brickyard 400. It will also be interesting to see who will draw first blood in the 2022 season and challenge for the title. 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. In 2018, he was a half lap from winning before being spun by eventual winner Austin Dillon. Earlier this week, Daytona International Speedway announced the 2022 Daytona 500 was a sell-out. "We're extremely happy to have our spring date moved back into March," LVMS president Chris Powell said in a statement at the time of NASCAR's 2021 schedule release. . Gary Gastelu is Fox News Digital's automotive editor. Market data provided by Factset. The 2021 Daytona 500 had just 30,000 in attendance due to COVID-19 restrictions in place at the time. On Sunday, he should have the equipment -- and the motivation -- to capture his biggest win yet. While he was still spinning, Rowdy radioed to his new RCR team, "That was a Daytona 500-winning car.". 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. Michael McDowell enters the race as defending winner after the fiery last lap crash in 2021. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Grandstand. 2023 www.news-journalonline.com. With the new variant plaguing the world, there are concerns about Daytona International Speedways attendance. The 2021 Daytona 500 is expected to have about 30,000 fans in attendance at the Feb. 14 race. Or you might think he's a superstar. In the last five years, Denny Hamlin has won three times, including two in a row. Last year, he finished fifth. 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. The 2021 Daytona 500 was run under health and safety rules that limited attendance to 30,000. . Two years ago, Almirola had a car strong enough to win one of the 150-mile duels, but his 500 ended in heartbreak when he was taken out in a crash on Lap 15. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: nascar | pageType: stories | We hope they enjoy the race on TV. Virus or no, the racing will be every bit as good, a dazzling display of skill, speed and no small amount of luck, with dramatic lead changes and big questions: Which contenders will make it to the finish line, and how many multi-car pileups will there be? The track also announced that tickets remained on sale for other events during Speedweeks. Race Timings for NASCAR Cup, Truck, Xfinity and ARCA Series, Full Spectrum Services LLP 2022 | All Rights Reserved. During the playoffs last year that was expanded to ten minutes, which was too long. 9 car this weekend. 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,. Yes, Malcolm! 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. The 2021 Daytona 500 is expected to have about 30,000 fans in attendance at the Feb. 14 race. From the pageantry of our pre-race festivities to the rumble of 40 engines roaring around the high banks, it's the biggest stage in motorsports.". Cup Series drivers will practice and qualify Saturday before the Xfinity Series races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. The next Cup race is scheduled for March 14.