The New Viewers Guide to the Daytona 500

Welcome to the 2021 Daytona 500. After a 98 day offseason, your patience has been rewarded. It’s time to go racing.

For returning viewers, you know that this year is shaping up to be an exciting one; with Fox Sports hyping it as potentially the best season ever. After Ryan Newman’s incredible flip at the conclusion of last year’s race, expectations are high for the biggest stock car race in the world.

For those of you who are new to the sport, let me be the first to say welcome; and we hope you enjoy your stay. NASCAR can be a difficult sport to understand in your first viewing; but know that you’re in for one of the most exciting races you can ask for. You may have a lot of questions along the way, like who to root for, what the flags mean or anything else that may come to mind. So here is a comprehensive guide to the 63rd running of the Great American Race.

Why Daytona?

What is it about this track or this race that’s such a big deal? NASCAR and Daytona go together as well as peanut butter and jelly. Ever since the beginning of NASCAR in 1949, the historic Daytona Beach course was a staple of the series; and when the 2.5 mile superspeedway was built in 1959, it naturally became the biggest race of them all. The history of this race is something that is matched by few in the sports world. Simply put… football has the Super Bowl. Hockey gives out the Stanley Cup. In NASCAR, they fight for the Daytona 500.

Stages

Each race is divided into three stages. Today, those stages are 65–65–70 laps. What does this mean? At laps 65 and 130, a green and white checkered flag will be displayed followed by a caution. The top 10 drivers at the stage break will earn points for their efforts. 10th place gets one point, then each driver ahead earns an additional point, as the leader earns 10 points, plus a playoff point; which leads us to the next section.

The Playoffs

Wait, why are we talking about playoffs in the first race of the season? Well, NASCAR has a pretty clear-cut rule for the Playoffs: win and you’re in. There are 16 playoff drivers, made up of winners from the season and then the highest in points that make up 16. So, if 11 drivers win races, then the five highest drivers in points without a win will make the playoffs. After the first 26 races, the playoffs drivers will all be set at 2000 points, with drivers earning five bonus points for race wins and a single point for stage wins. On top of this, the points leader at the end of the regular season earns 15 bonus points. From there, there are three rounds with three races. Much like the regular season, if a driver wins, they advance to the next round. After each round, the bottom four drivers get eliminated. After the three rounds are complete, there are four drivers left, with one race remaining. That last race, points don’t matter. The highest finisher out of the four will be the Champion. If you’re overwhelmed, I understand. Let’s go into the next topic.

The Yellow Line Rule

One of the most controversial rules that NASCAR has is the yellow line rule. In an attempt to prevent injuries, NASCAR made it illegal to pass someone while having any part of your car below the yellow line at Daytona and Talladega Superspeedway. Doing so results in a pass through penalty, where a driver has to drive through pit road without stopping in their pit stall. Along with this, any driver to force another driver to go below the line will likewise be subject to a pass through penalty. While this rule was put in place to prevent accidents, a number of major accidents have occurred as a direct result. The one accident that everyone goes back to is when Carl Edwards was flipped into the catch fence at the end of the 2009 Spring Talladega race. Brad Keselowski tried to pass Edwards for the win, but Edwards tried to block him, leading him all the way to the yellow line where Keselowski spun Edwards and ended up taking the win. Like it or not, the rule is here to stay as of now.

The Charter System

To make it in NASCAR, you need to pay up. In 2016, NASCAR tried to help the teams out by developing the charter system. Teams with charters are guaranteed a minimum payout every race. The biggest benefit for charters is that the teams who have one are automatically locked into every race. However, they are held to a minimum standard of performance where they can lose their charter if they slip below this. 36 teams hold charters, which means that only four non-chartered teams qualify for a 40 car field.

Sponsorship means Everything

The sponsors are there for more than just making the cars look cool. Sponsors and endorsements are the lifesaver of teams and drivers alike. There’s a reason teams with big name sponsors like M&M’s, Napa, Busch and FedEx are at the front of the field. The more money a company has, the more they can pay teams for sponsorship. Good teams are good because they’re able to garner a lot of sponsorship money and use it to better their cars. That’s why drivers will step out of their comfort zones to help promote their sponsors. Without them, they’re out of a ride. There’s been plenty of good drivers that didn’t get their chance because they didn’t have the sponsorship money. After all, why take a chance on an unproven driver with no sponsorship money when there is another young driver bringing in way more money? It’s just the nature of the beast.

The Three National Divisions

While the Cup Series competes for the biggest prize, NASCAR has two other national touring series: the Xfinity Series and the Camping World Truck Series. Both series have the same rules and playoff systems as the Cup Series; but that’s not to say they don’t have their differences. The Truck Series, which is quite literally big pickup trucks racing at over 170 MPH, is typically seen as the first big step in a young driver’s journey to the Cup Series. Think of it as the equivalent of AA Baseball. They race 23 times a year, with races about half the length of the Cup Series. Once a driver either shows promise or has money to spend, they usually get promoted to the Xfinity Series. The Xfinity series is a 33 race slugfest with a lot of hungry drivers trying to attract Cup Series rides. While waiting for their big chance, it’s not uncommon for drivers to take one-off races to see how they fare at the next level. Look for Xfinity stars Noah Gragson in the 62, along with defending series champion Austin Cindric in the 33 to be right in the middle trying to make something happen.

The Draft

Daytona International Speedway is a 2.5 mile tri-oval. What does that mean? There will be speeds well over 200 MPH during the race. To slow down the cars, NASCAR has implemented tapered spacers in the engines to prevent injuries as much as possible. This leads to cars going full throttle essentially the whole race. With every car going as fast as they can go by themselves, it’s almost impossible for a car to pass on its own; so what they do is draft. The draft is a freight train of cars in a single file line, where they use their air off of each other to increase their speed. While the draft can basically be a free for all, drivers typically try to work with their teammates; which leads to the next point.

NASCAR is a Team Sport

While NASCAR may not appear as such, it is absolutely a team sport. To start with, the three manufacturers, Toyota, Ford and Chevrolet, that share resources and parts. Within those manufacturers are individual teams of one-to-four cars. These teams have shops in the Charlotte, North Carolina, area and build their cars and share resources. Many teams specialize in developing younger drivers and having the veterans help teach and develop them into Cup caliber drivers. Teams like the Toyota-backed Joe Gibbs Racing and the Fords of Team Penske have Xfinity Series programs along with their Cup teams to ensure that their prospects have a place to continue racing.

Broadcast Booth

So now you know most of the ins-and-outs of NASCAR; but now let’s talk about the men that will bring the race to you. Play-by-play man Mike Joy is as good as it gets in any professional sport. Being with Fox Sports since they first started NASCAR coverage in 2001, Joy is covering his 44th Daytona 500, including one of the most iconic calls in NASCAR history: Dale Earnhardt’s victory in the 1998 running, his 20th try to win the event. Joining Joy in the booth is legendary driver Jeff Gordon, ever heard of him? If not, he’s one of the greatest drivers in history, winning 93 times and four championships in his remarkable career. He had no time finding a second career, as he hung up his fire suit after 2015 and replaced it with a regular suit at the start of 2016. Another former driver is following in his footsteps; as Clint Bowyer is fresh off retirement as a driver and is calling his first race. While he didn’t have the success Gordon had, Bowyer’s 10 wins and 2012 runner-up points finish meant he was no slouch. On top of that, Bowyer is one of the most outspoken, colorful personalities in the sport, and will surely add some funny commentary. Gordon and Bowyer also have quite the history. After several run-ins in the 2012 season, Gordon deliberately took Bowyer out in the second-to-last race of the season, eliminating him from title contention. What ensued was one of the wildest brawls in NASCAR history. While bygones have been bygones, don’t be surprised to hear the incident get mentioned a time or two.

Okay, so now we’ve gone over some key terms and facts about the sport. That’s good; but there’s a problem: who are you going to root for? Let’s go over some of the main contenders.

Chase Elliott

Napa sure does know how. The 25 year old is coming off of his first career championship, driving the two races of his life to narrowly take the crown. Son of Hall of Famer Bill Elliott, Elliott is the most popular driver in the sport, a title his father received 16 times. Elliott is a personable driver, great with sponsors and can drive the wheels off of his no. 9 Napa Chevrolet. Hendrick Motorsports is usually stout at Daytona, so expectations are high for their premier driver.

Kevin Harvick

Kevin Harvick was NASCAR’s equivalent to the 73–9 Golden State Warriors. He won nine times and had an incredible 7.3 average finish; only to miss out on the championship and end up fifth in the standings. The no. 4 Busch Ford is one of the most potent cars in NASCAR; and Harvick is looking for his second Daytona 500, after winning in 2007. Harvick, the man who had the impossible task of replacing Dale Earnhardt after his fatal crash in the 2001 Daytona 500, has been close in recent years. A second Harley J. Earl trophy would help further cement the legacy of the 2014 Champion.

Denny Hamlin

If you like gambling, this is the guy you should have money on. Denny Hamlin has won three of the last five Daytona 500s, including the last two. Hamlin is an incredible superspeedway racer, having also won at Talladega last year; and is coming off the two best years of his Hall of Fame worthy career. While a fourth Daytona 500 would tie him for second all time, what Hamlin truly needs to complete his resumé is a Championship. Right now, the driver of the no. 11 FedEx Toyota is considered potentially the greatest NASCAR driver without a title; the 44 time race-winner should strike before time runs out.

Kyle Busch

It seems odd that a driver whose sponsor is M&M’s is so polarizing; but such is the case with Kyle Busch. Simply put, there are very few people who are passionate about their career as Busch. Busch will race anything with an engine; being the all time leader in wins across the Cup, Xfinity and Truck Series with a combined 213 victories. Did I mention that he’s only 35? Along with this success comes hate; and he is the most controversial driver out there; fans either love him to death or despise him. Regardless, the driver of the no. 18 Toyota is as gifted as anyone who has ever strapped into a race car, with two Cup Championships to his name. All that is missing in his career is a Daytona 500 win. He came second in 2019, and is in his 17th try. Luck may be shifting in his favor; as he was the benefactor of a crazy finish in the Busch Clash on Tuesday, stealing the win. Is this the year for Rowdy to grab the race that eludes him?

Alex Bowman

Talk about having big shoes to fill. Bowman, entering his fourth season at Hendrick Motorsports, is the man tabbed to replace the departing Jimmie Johnson in the famed 48 car. Johnson, a seven-time NASCAR champion, is leaving NASCAR for a new challenge in the world of IndyCar. Bowman is a solid choice to replace him. A true rags-to-riches story, Bowman took every ride he could get for underfunded teams. Then, after Dale Earnhardt Jr. stepped away from the 88 car due to Concussion-like symptoms, Bowman got the call of a lifetime from Rick Hendrick. Bowman drove 10 of the final 18 races, scoring three top-tens highlighted by winning the Pole and leading 194 laps at his home track of Phoenix. After waiting in the wings for a year, Bowman got the 88 full-time in 2018 after Earnhardt Jr.’s retirement. In the three years, Bowman made the playoffs each year, won two races and became a fan-favorite. Bowman is on a one-year deal, so the pressure is on for him to deliver early. Pressure has never gotten the best of him before; time to see if he will rise to the challenge once again.

Bubba Wallace

You all know about Bubba Wallace. We all know about all that happened last year, especially with the alleged noose at Talladega. NASCAR is in full support of Wallace, and is excited for the prospect of himself and his new team. Wallace has six wins in the Truck Series to his credit; and has shown promise at superspeedways. 23XI Racing is the most highly anticipated race team in a very long time; such is the case when Michael Jordan is your team owner. Time will tell if the 23 DoorDash Toyota can deliver a strong performance.

Kyle Larson

We all know the story, during a Twitch stream in April, Larson used a racial slur, leading to his suspension from NASCAR, losing all his sponsors and getting fired from Chip Ganassi Racing. During the summer, he did community work trying to right his wrongs, and also dirt racing; putting together one of the most legendary seasons in dirt racing history. Larson is getting a second shot that many could never earn, taking over the no. five car at Hendrick Motorsports. The reason for this is simple: he is one of the most talented race car drivers on the planet. He gets everything out of every car he straps into, stealing the show everywhere he races. His talent is unquestionable; the question comes with his draw to sponsors. Sponsors, as mentioned earlier, are the be-all and end-all in NASCAR. Larson currently has NationsGuard and HendrickCars, both owned by Hendrick. If he succeeds early-on, he’ll have a much better chance at getting a bigger company to take a chance on him. Who doesn’t love a good redemption story?

So there are some of the key terms and drivers to remember for your viewing pleasure. And since this is my piece, why don’t I give you my prediction on who is going to take the checkered flag? I’m going to go with Bowman. He is a solid superspeedway racer, and thrives under pressure. Enjoy the race, ladies and gentlemen.