Daytona 500 2016: Complete Schedule, TV Info for NASCAR Opener
The NASCAR Sprint Cup season will start off with a bang Sunday in the form of the Daytona 500, as 40 of the best stock-car drivers in the world will vie to take the checkered flag and win what is arguably the most prestigious event in auto racing.
While winning the Daytona 500 is huge in terms of cementing a driver's place in history, it could also go a long way toward making the 2016 season a successful one since just a single victory will almost certainly be enough to clinch a spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup.
Daytona International Speedway is a fairly unpredictable track that has produced some unexpected winners in recent years, which should add even more intrigue to the 2016 edition of the Great American Race.
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Ahead of Sunday's huge, season-opening event, here is everything you need to know about when and where to watch the Daytona 500 along with a look at some top contenders to keep an eye on.
Where: Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida
When: Sunday, Feb. 21, at 1 p.m. ET
Watch: Fox
Daytona 500 Schedule
| Thursday, Feb. 18 | 12 p.m. ET | Practice | Fox Sports 1 |
| Thursday, Feb. 18 | 7 p.m. ET | Can-Am Duel #1 | Fox Sports 1 |
| Thursday, Feb. 18 | 9 p.m. ET | Can-Am Duel #2 | Fox Sports 1 |
| Friday, Feb. 19 | 12 p.m. ET | Practice | Fox Sports 1 |
| Friday, Feb. 19 | 2 p.m. ET | Practice | Fox Sports 1 |
| Saturday, Feb. 20 | 12:15 p.m. ET | Final Practice | Fox Sports 1 |
| Sunday, Feb. 21 | 1 p.m. ET | Daytona 500 | Fox |
Daytona 500 Entry List
| 24 | Chase Elliott (Won Pole) |
| 20 | Matt Kenseth (Qualified 2nd) |
| 1 | Jamie McMurray |
| 2 | Brad Keselowski |
| 3 | Austin Dillon |
| 4 | Kevin Harvick |
| 5 | Kasey Kahne |
| 6 | Trevor Bayne |
| 7 | Regan Smith |
| 10 | Danica Patrick |
| 11 | Denny Hamlin |
| 13 | Casey Mears |
| 14 | Brian Vickers |
| 15 | Clint Bowyer |
| 16 | Greg Biffle |
| 17 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. |
| 18 | Kyle Busch |
| 19 | Carl Edwards |
| 21 | Ryan Blaney |
| 22 | Joey Logano |
| 23 | David Ragan |
| 26 | Robert Richardson |
| 27 | Paul Menard |
| 30 | Josh Wise |
| 31 | Ryan Newman |
| 32 | Bobby Labonte |
| 34 | Chris Buescher |
| 35 | David Gilliland |
| 38 | Landon Cassill |
| 40 | Reed Sorenson |
| 41 | Kurt Busch |
| 42 | Kyle Larson |
| 43 | Aric Almirola |
| 44 | Brian Scott |
| 46 | Michael Annett |
| 47 | AJ Allmendinger |
| 48 | Jimmie Johnson |
| 59 | Michael McDowell |
| 78 | Martin Truex Jr. |
| 83 | Michael Waltrip |
| 88 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
| 93 | Matt DiBenedetto |
| 95 | Ty Dillon |
| 98 | Cole Whitt |
Breaking Down Top Contenders
Chase Elliott
Elliott enters the 2016 season with a great deal of pressure as he takes over the No. 24 car from legendary driver Jeff Gordon. If his Daytona 500 qualifying performance is any indication, though, he is very much up to the task.
The 2014 Xfinity Series champion took the pole and made history as the youngest driver ever to do so in the biggest race of the year, according to NASCAR on Twitter:
He also received a major endorsement from Gordon in the process, as the current NASCAR on Fox analyst tipped his cap to the son of former superstar driver Bill Elliott:
While most rookies are given some leeway in terms of easing in and becoming accustomed to life on the Sprint Cup circuit, Elliott may not have that luxury.
As the new driver of the No. 24 car, the son of a racing legend and a former Xfinity Series champion, many expect Elliott to be a top contender right away.
It seems as though Elliott is already embracing that notion, as he believes the No. 24 machine is good enough to vie for a victory Sunday, per ESPN.com's Bob Pockrass:
"I know we have one of the best cars down here, and definitely the entire Hendrick Motorsports team has been fast. The Hendrick shop has done a great job. I know we have a car capable of winning. I certainly think I have a lot to learn from a drafting standpoint, a lot of aspects, just kind of getting used to things, getting around other cars.
I know our car is capable of winning; I just need to learn what to do behind the wheel.
"
Starting from the pole is a good omen for Elliott in terms of how fast his car is, but it doesn't necessarily give him a huge advantage over the field since other strong cars can move through the field pretty quickly.
For Elliott, it will come down to avoiding big wrecks and working well with teammates Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne.
If he can do that, then he has a legitimate opportunity to begin his full-time Sprint Cup career perfectly by taking the checkered flag at Daytona.
Matt Kenseth
Kenseth is always among the top contenders when he takes the track with 36 career victories to his credit, and that promises to be the case in the Daytona 500, as he will start second outside of Elliott.
The 43-year-old veteran just missed out on the pole, but he is in fine position to make a run at his third career Daytona 500 victory after previously entering Victory Lane in 2009 and 2012.
Kenseth seems to be somewhat of an all-or-nothing driver when it comes to Daytona International Speedway, as he has registered 14 top-10 finishes in 32 starts, including five instances in which he did not finish the race.
There is often nothing a driver can do to avoid getting swept up into an accident, but if Kenseth has luck on his side in that regard, then he figures to be a force to be reckoned with Sunday.
According to Dave Kallmann of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Kenseth believes everyone involved with the No. 20 team has given him a chance to be competitive in the Daytona 500:
"It's obviously 100% team qualifying effort, so everybody in the aero department did a great job and the guys at TRD (Toyota Racing Development) are giving us some power and Jason (Ratcliff, crew chief) and all those guys massaging on this Dollar General Camry… It's pretty neat to be second and be locked on the front row, so hopefully we'll have a trouble free week down here and start the 500 up there.
"
Kenseth's 2015 season ended in disappointment, as a wreck with Joey Logano essentially eliminated him early in the Chase for the Sprint Cup, but he has an opportunity to put that behind him in a big way.
Winning early in the season eases a lot of pressure in terms of qualifying for the Chase, and there is little doubt that Kenseth is among those who have the best chance to start the 2016 campaign in ideal fashion.
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Among those in the Daytona 500 field, nobody has enjoyed as much success as Earnhardt, who also happens to be the reigning Daytona 500 winner.
His average finish of 12.7 at Daytona International Speedway is the best among active drivers, and his four wins at Daytona is better than anyone else who will take the green flag Sunday.
Earnhardt has performed well in practice thus far, and he barely missed out on starting in the front row, as he finished third during qualifying. That relegated him to the Can-Am Duel, which is something that the 41-year-old veteran was somewhat disappointed by:
Despite missing out on a top-two spot, there is little doubt that Earnhardt has a great car, and he certainly has the type of experience that should give him a leg up on most of the competition.
Also, with Gordon now out of the picture, there is even more of an onus on Earnhardt to be a flag bearer for Hendrick Motorsports along with Jimmie Johnson, and winning the Daytona 500 for the second straight year would go a long way toward accomplishing that.
Earnhardt is also still in search of his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points title, and while there will be plenty of work to do on that front even if he wins Sunday, taking the checkered flag at the Daytona 500 would give him a chance to relax and race without much pressure for much of the 2016 schedule.
Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.
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