NASCAR’s 2022 season officially kicks off this week at Daytona International Speedway, where the stock car racing series will hold its 64th annual Daytona 500 on Sunday.
Cup Series stars debuted the sport’s Next Gen car during the Clash exhibition race at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Feb. 6, but NASCAR will return to its traditional format and venue for Daytona Speedweeks.
Here are the events you don’t want to miss this week and how to watch. All times are Eastern.
Daytona 500
Headlining race week is the Daytona 500, NASCAR’s season-opening Super Bowl. It will be the first time the Next Gen cars appear in competition at a superspeedway. The race is 200 laps (500 miles) and will feature a field of 40 cars, with four non-chartered competitors making the final show after qualifying and the Duels.
Time: Sunday, Feb. 20 at 2:30 p.m. on FOX/MRN/SiriusXM
Cup Series Qualifying at Daytona
The front row for the Daytona 500 will be determined through single-car qualifying. There will be two qualifying rounds this year, with the top-10 finishers from the first qualifying session advancing to a second round that will set the front row for the main race. The rest will run a Duel to determine their starting position. (NASCAR updated its rulebook this year to include a second qualifying round. This procedure will be used at superspeedway races at Daytona and Talladega throughout the season.)
Time:Wednesday, Feb. 16 at 8:05 p.m. on FS1/MRN/SiriusXM
Bluegreen Vacations Duels
The Duels help set the remainder of the Daytona 500 starting order after the front row is determined through qualifying. The Duels also finalize the open entrants that will make the Daytona 500 (36 chartered cars are guaranteed entry). The best-finishing open team in each Duel will qualify for the race. The remaining two slots will go to the open teams with the best qualifying times that didn’t make it based on the Duels.
For the Daytona 500, Duel 1 cars line up on the inside row and Duel 2 cars line up on the outside row, each in their finishing order.
Time:Thursday, Feb. 17 at 7 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. on FS1/MRN/SiriusXM
Xfinity Race at Daytona
The “Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. 300” race returns to open the Xfinity Series season. NASCAR’s next generation of stars will compete in the 120-lap (300 mile) race following Xfinity practice and qualifying ahead of the race.
Time: Saturday, Feb. 19 at 5 p.m. on FS1, MRN, SiriusXM
Trucks Race at Daytona
NASCAR’s Truck Series race will take place under the lights on Friday night following a day of track activity. The NextEra Energy 250 race is 100 laps (250 miles) and will run after the series’ qualifying earlier that day.
Time: Friday, Feb. 18 at 7:30 p.m. on FS1, MRN, SiriusXM
ARCA Race at Daytona
NASCAR’s ARCA Menards Series race, the Lucas Oil 200, features more of NASCAR’s up-and-comers, and runs ahead of Saturday’s Xfinity Series race.
Time: Saturday, Feb. 19 at 1:30 p.m. on FS1, MRN
Full NASCAR 2022 Speedweeks schedule
Tuesday, Feb. 15
— Cup practice (5:05 p.m.)
— Cup practice (6:35 p.m.)
Wednesday, Feb. 16
— Cup qualifying (8:05 p.m.)
Thursday, Feb. 17
— ARCA practice (4 p.m.)
— Trucks practice (5 p.m.)
— Cup Duels 1 and 2 (7 p.m. and 8:45 p.m.)
Friday, Feb. 18
— ARCA qualifying (1:30 p.m.)
— Trucks qualifying (3 p.m.)
— Xfinity practice (4:35 p.m.)
— Cup practice (6 p.m.)
—Trucks race (7:30 p.m.)
Saturday, Feb. 19
— Cup practice (10:30 a.m.)
— Xfinity qualifying (11:35 a.m.)
— ARCA race (1:30 p.m.)
— Xfinity race (5 p.m.)
Sunday, Feb. 20
— Daytona 500 (2:30 p.m.)
