Daytona 500 Qualifying Results: Busch Wins Pole, Full Starting Lineup

Daytona International Speedway bore witness to a familiar name atop the leaderboard Wednesday night, as Kyle Busch secured the pole position for the 2026 Daytona 500. It marks the first time in his 21 attempts that Busch will lead the field to green in “The Great American Race.” Chase Briscoe will start alongside him, mirroring their front-row placement from last year’s event.

The qualifying process unfolded in two stages. Single-car qualifying runs on Wednesday evening determined the initial 10 positions, with the fastest drivers advancing to a final round to battle for the pole. Busch’s blistering lap of 49.006 seconds edged out Briscoe by a mere 0.016 seconds, solidifying his starting spot.

Beyond the front row, qualifying also set the field for Thursday night’s Duels, a pair of 150-mile qualifying races that will determine the starting grid from third through 40th for Sunday’s main event. Drivers who qualified in odd positions participated in Duel 1, while those in even positions competed in Duel 2.

The Duels aren’t merely a formality. The finishing order of each race dictates the inside and outside rows for the Daytona 500, offering a significant advantage in track position. Points are awarded to the top 10 finishers in each Duel, contributing to the overall regular season standings – 10 points for first, nine for second, and so on.

The Road to the Front Row

Busch’s performance is a welcome sign for Richard Childress Racing, signaling a potential resurgence for the veteran driver. Briscoe, meanwhile, continues to demonstrate consistency, securing a prime starting position for the second consecutive year with Joe Gibbs Racing.

The qualifying session also provided opportunities for drivers without guaranteed starting spots – the “open” teams – to earn their way into the field. Corey Heim and Justin Allgaier successfully navigated the qualifying process, securing the top two open driver positions and locking themselves into the Daytona 500.

Daytona 500 Starting Order

Here’s the full starting lineup for the 2026 Daytona 500, as determined by Wednesday’s qualifying and Thursday’s Duel races:

1. Kyle Busch
2. Chase Briscoe
3. Joey Logano
4. Chase Elliott
5. Ryan Blaney
6. Carson Hocevar
7. Austin Dillon
8. Kyle Larson
9. Brad Keselowski
10. Michael McDowell
11. John Hunter Nemechek
12. Christopher Bell
13. Shane van Gisbergen
14. Josh Berry
15. Daniel Suarez
16. Ricky Stenhouse Jr
17. Casey Mears
18. Todd Gilliland
19. Ryan Preece
20. Ty Gibbs
21. Alex Bowman
22. Denny Hamlin
23. Cole Custer
24. Erik Jones
25. Noah Gragson
26. Tyler Reddick
27. Bubba Wallace
28. Riley Herbst
29. Corey Heim
30. Zane Smith
31. Jimmie Johnson
32. Connor Zilisch
33. Cody Ware
34. Ty Dillon
35. A.J. Allmendinger
36. Austin Cindric
37. Ross Chastain
38. Anthony Alfredo
39. William Byron
40. Justin Allgaier
41. Chris Buescher

Duel Results Shape the Grid

The Duel races themselves provided further drama and insight into potential race-day performance. Joey Logano emerged victorious in Duel 1, followed closely by Ryan Blaney and Austin Dillon. Chase Elliott took the checkered flag in Duel 2, with Carson Hocevar and Kyle Larson rounding out the top three.

These results will directly influence the starting positions from third through 40th, adding another layer of strategy and anticipation to the Daytona 500. The Duels also offered valuable track time for teams to fine-tune their setups and assess their cars’ performance in race conditions.

Duel 1 Lineup and Results

Lineup:

• Kyle Busch
• Ryan Preece
• Corey Heim
• Alex Bowman
• Chris Buescher
• Joey Logano
• Austin Dillon
• Corey LaJoie
• John Hunter Nemechek
• Brad Keselowski
• Ryan Blaney
• William Byron
• Cole Custer
• Cody Ware
• Jimmie Johnson
• Bubba Wallace
• AJ Allmendinger
• Ross Chastain
• Shane van Gisbergen
• Daniel Suarez
• Chandler Smith
• Casey Mears
• Noah Gragson

Results:

1. Joey Logano
2. Ryan Blaney
3. Austin Dillon
4. Brad Keselowski
5. John Hunter Nemechek
6. Shane van Gisbergen
7. Daniel Suarez
8. Casey Mears
9. Ryan Preece
10. Alex Bowman
11. Cole Custer
12. Noah Gragson
13. Bubba Wallace
14. Corey Heim
15. Jimmie Johnson
16. Chandler Smith
17. Cody Ware
18. Kyle Busch
19. Corey LaJoie
20. AJ Allmendinger
21. Ross Chastain
22. William Byron
23. Chris Buescher

Duel 2 Lineup and Results

Lineup:

• Chase Briscoe
• Denny Hamlin
• Kyle Larson
• Chase Elliott
• Ty Gibbs
• Christopher Bell
• Justin Allgaier
• Austin Cindric
• Zane Smith
• Michael McDowell
• Connor Zilisch
• Erik Jones
• Josh Berry
• Carson Hocevar
• Riley Herbst
• Todd Gilliland
• Anthony Alfredo
• Ty Dillon
• Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
• Tyler Reddick
• BJ McLeod
• J.J. Yeley

Results:

1. Chase Elliott
2. Carson Hocevar
3. Kyle Larson
4. Michael McDowell
5. Christopher Bell
6. Josh Berry
7. Ricky Stenhouse Jr
8. Todd Gilliland
9. Ty Gibbs
10. Denny Hamlin
11. Erik Jones
12. Tyler Reddick
13. Riley Herbst
14. Zane Smith
15. Connor Zilisch
16. Ty Dillon
17. Austin Cindric
18. Anthony Alfredo
19. BJ McLeod
20. Chase Briscoe
21. Justin Allgaier
22. J.J. Yeley

With the starting grid now set, all eyes turn to Sunday’s Daytona 500. Busch’s pole position provides a significant advantage, but the unpredictable nature of superspeedway racing ensures a thrilling and competitive event. The Duels offered a glimpse of the potential storylines, but the true test awaits in the 500-mile spectacle.