Daytona 500 Qualifying 2021: TV Schedule, Live-Stream Info and Predictions

The 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season is just around the corner. The Daytona 500 is set for Sunday at Daytona International Speedway, but there's plenty of action that will be taking place throughout the week before the season-opening race.

Things will officially get started for the Cup Series Wednesday night, when Daytona 500 qualifying will be held under the lights for the first time. In past years, it's been held on the Sunday one week before the race, but that was changed this season.

However, qualifying will still only determine the front row for Sunday's starting lineup, with the two drivers who complete the fastest laps locking in their positions in first and second.

The rest of the lineup order will be determined in the Bluegreen Vacations Duels, a pair of 150-mile duel races on Thursday night that will set the rest of the 40-car field for Sunday.

Here's a look at the Cup Series schedule for Daytona 500 week, followed by a prediction for qualifying.

Daytona 500 Week Cup Series Schedule

Tuesday, Feb. 9

Busch Clash (exhibition race on road course), 7 p.m. ET, FS1 and Fox Sports app

Wednesday, Feb. 10

First practice, noon ET, FS1 and Fox Sports app

Qualifying, 7 p.m. ET, FS1 and Fox Sports app

Thursday, Feb. 11

Bluegreen Vacations Duels, 7 p.m. ET, FS1 and Fox Sports app

Saturday, Feb. 13

Second practice, 9:30 a.m. ET, FS2 and Fox Sports app

Final practice, noon ET, FS1 and Fox Sports app

Sunday, Feb. 14

Daytona 500, 2:30 p.m. ET, Fox and Fox Sports app

Qualifying Preview, Prediction

Although there's only been one Chevrolet to win the Daytona 500 over the past six years (Austin Dillon in 2018), the manufacturer has dominated qualifying for the race of late. The past eight Daytona 500 pole-sitters have been Chevrolet drivers, as well as 12 of the past 13.

Last year, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. had the fastest lap in qualifying, ending a run of five straight seasons in which a Hendrick Motorsports driver had earned pole position (Jeff Gordon in 2015, Chase Elliott in 2016 and 2017, Alex Bowman in 2018 and William Byron in 2019).

It's always helpful to start near the front of the field at Daytona. From 2012-19, each winner of the race had started 14th or better, and six of the eight started in the top 10. But it's not impossible to start near the back of the pack and still end up in Victory Lane, as Denny Hamlin proved last year by starting 21st and going on to win.

While only 40 drivers will advance to compete in the Daytona 500, there will be 44 on the entry list for the race. And although some are locked into making the race, others will be looking to earn a spot by either qualifying on the front row or with a strong finish in the duels.

One big change from past years is that seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson won't be in the field. He retired at the end of the 2020 season, so Hendrick Motorsports' four drivers will now be Elliott, Bowman, Byron and Kyle Larson.

Bowman, who drove the No. 88 car from 2018-20, is taking over the No. 48 car from Johnson. And he's been a strong qualifier at Daytona in recent years, earning the pole in 2018 and starting in second in both 2019 and 2020. So, he hasn't had his Daytona 500 starting position determined by a duel race since joining Hendrick.

It can be tough to predict what will happen during Daytona 500 qualifying, as each driver only gets one lap to try to get the fastest time. But Bowman is clearly great at doing so, considering his three-year streak of starting on the front row for the big race.

The prediction here is that the 27-year-old will keep that streak going with the new numbers on the sides of his car, as he will earn the pole position for the Daytona 500 for the second time in his career.

Bowman had a strong 2020 campaign, after making the playoffs and ending up sixth in the overall standings, the best finish of his career. He also notched his second career Cup Series victory, winning at Auto Club Speedway last March.

Now in the No. 48 car, the Tucson, Arizona native should build off his recent success in 2021, beginning with strong showings during the opening week of the season. He'll be starting second in the Busch Clash exhibition race on Tuesday, so he'll get some track time (although it will be on the road course) before qualifying.

Bowman will continue Chevy's recent Daytona 500 qualifying dominance, and he will lead the field to the green flag on Sunday.

Prediction: Bowman wins second career Daytona 500 pole