NASCAR to Start 2023 Cup Series Season with Daytona 500 Sunday

Harrison Burton flipping in 2022 Daytona 500 02-20-22
Harrison Burton flipping in 2022 Daytona 500 02-20-22 (Photo credit: YouTube)

The 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season will start with the Daytona 500 this Sunday, February 19th. It will start like last year, but many drivers hope it will end differently.

Just like last year, Alex Bowman and Kyle Larson have earned the chance to start the race on the front row. In fact, Alex is making his sixth consecutive front row start in the Daytona 500, a NASCAR Record.

However, last year Alex and many other drivers had their dreams of winning NASCAR’s biggest race when they were involved in accidents on the track. Harrison Burton most notably when his #21 Wood Brothers Ford flipped during a crash (pictured above).

While the fans enjoy a good crash that everybody walks away from, the drivers are hoping for a different outcome this year.

Here is the data the drivers will be dealing with in the Daytona 500.

Daytona International Speedway Track Data
Race #: 1 of 36 (February 19, 2023)
Track Size: 2.5 miles
Banking/Corners: 31 degrees
Banking/Straights: 3 degrees
Banking/Tri-Oval: 18 degrees

Daytona 500 Race Data
Total Race Length: 500 miles (200 laps)
Stage 1 Length: 162.5 miles (65 laps)
Stage 2 Length: 162.5 miles (65 laps)
Final Stage Length: 175 miles (70 laps)

Here are the active drivers that have won in the Daytona 500.

Denny Hamlin3 Wins2016, 2019, 2020
Jimmie Johnson2 Wins2006, 2013
Austin Cindric1 Win2022
Michael McDowell1 Win2021
Austin Dillon1 Win2018
Joey Logano1 Win2015
Kevin Harvick1 Win2007

We will find out who will crash and who will win in the 65th Running of the Daytona 500 Sunday, February 19th starting at 1:30 p.m. central time (2:30 p.m. eastern time) from Daytona International Speedway.

By: Buck Stevens

Buck Stevens