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The NASCAR season will get started on Sunday, February 19. The 2023 Daytona 500 will kick off the race year. The Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida will host the event, which is going to start at 2:30 p.m. ET on Fox. Sunday is going to be a busy day, though, as there are ceremonial season kick-off events starting at 9:15 a.m. ET, but they won't be televised.
The Daytona 500 consists of the drivers completing 200 laps around the 2.5-mile circuit. Stages 1 and 2 are both 65 laps, with the Final Stage being 70. The race is expected to last a little more than three and a half hours. Last year’s race went into overtime by one lap, but Austin Cindric won in 3:31:53. The 2021 race dealt with a five-hour rain delay. Still, Michael McDowell eventually won in 3:27:44. The 2020 race went also went into overtime, with Denny Hamlin taking the checkered flag in 3:42:10 to become the fourth driver to win consecutive Daytona 500s.
Alex Bowman will start on the pole and will try to become the first driver since Dale Jarrett in 2000 to win the Daytona 500 after starting on the pole. Larson has the best odds to win at DraftKings Sportsbook at +1000. He is followed by Ryan Blaney (+1200), Joey Logano (+1200), Chase Elliott (+1200) and Hamlin (+1300).
Starting lineup
2023 Daytona 500 starting lineup
| Pos. | Driver | Car # |
|---|---|---|
| Pos. | Driver | Car # |
| 1 | Alex Bowman | 48 |
| 2 | Kyle Larson | 5 |
| 3 | Joey Logano | 22 |
| 4 | Aric Almirola | 10 |
| 5 | Christopher Bell | 20 |
| 6 | Austin Cindric | 2 |
| 7 | Ryan Blaney | 12 |
| 8 | Chase Elliott | 9 |
| 9 | Chris Buescher | 17 |
| 10 | Brad Keselowski | 6 |
| 11 | Michael McDowell | 34 |
| 12 | Corey LaJoie | 7 |
| 13 | Kevin Harvick | 4 |
| 14 | Todd Gilliland | 38 |
| 15 | Bubba Wallace | 23 |
| 16 | Martin Truex Jr. | 19 |
| 17 | Zane Smith | 36 |
| 18 | Denny Hamlin | 11 |
| 19 | Harrison Burton | 21 |
| 20 | Ryan Preece | 41 |
| 21 | William Byron | 24 |
| 22 | Noah Gregson | 42 |
| 23 | Ross Chastain | 1 |
| 24 | Daniel Suarez | 99 |
| 25 | Erik Jones | 43 |
| 26 | Tyler Reddick | 45 |
| 27 | Austin Dillon | 3 |
| 28 | Justin Haley | 31 |
| 29 | AJ Allmendinger | 16 |
| 30 | Chase Briscoe | 14 |
| 31 | Rickv Stenhouse Jr. | 47 |
| 32 | BJ McLeod | 78 |
| 33 | Ty Gibbs | 54 |
| 34 | Conor Daly | 50 |
| 35 | Cody Ware | 51 |
| 36 | Kyle Busch | 8 |
| 37 | Ty Dillon | 77 |
| 38 | Riley Herbst | 15 |
| 39 | Jimmie Johnson | 84 |
| 40 | Travis Pastrana | 67 |