Daytona 500: the starting grid for the 2021 edition

A little over four months after the last race, the Nascar launches its 2021 season. As usual, the latter opens with the 500 miles of the Daytona oval in Florida.

Uncompromising in qualifying, Hendrick Motorsports locked the first row of the starting grid for this 63rd edition of the Daytona 500. Alex Bowman took pole, his second after that of 2018, ahead of his teammate William Byron.

Winner of the Duels, Aric Almirola (Stewart-Haas Racing) and Austin Dillon (Richard Childress Racing) will start from the second row. For his first with 23XI, Michael Jordan's team, Bubba Wallace will start 6th behind Christopher Bell (Joe Gibbs Racing).

Reigning champion, Chase Elliott (Hendrick Motorsports) is only 12th, just ahead of his new teammate and last representative of the team, Kyle Larson.

Triple winner of the Daytona 500, including the last two editions, Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing) will start from 25th place this Sunday. He will have to pull out all the stops to achieve a historic hat-trick on the Florida oval.

The starting grid

1. Alex Bowman No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
2. William Byron No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
3. Aric Almirola No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
4. Austin Dillon No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
5. Christopher Bell No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
6. Bubba Wallace No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota
7. Ryan Newman No. 6 Roush Fenway Racing Ford
8. Kevin Harvick No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
9. Joey Logano No. 22 Team Penske Ford
10. Kyle Busch No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Ford
11. Ryan Preece No. 37 JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet
12. Chase Elliott No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
13. Kyle Larson No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
14. Ryan Blaney No. 12 Team Penske Ford
15. Daniel Suarez No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet
16. Corey LaJoie No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
17. Michael McDowell No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford
18. David Ragan No. 36 Front Row Motorsports Ford
19. Jamie McMurray No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
20. Kurt Busch No. 1 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet
21. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. No. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet
22. Chris Buescher No. 17 Roush Fenway Racing Ford
23. Matt DiBenedetto No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford
24. Brad Keselowski No. 2 Team Penske Ford
25. Denny Hamlin No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
26. Martin Truex Jr. No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
27. Cole Custer No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
28. Joey Gase No. 53 Rick Ware Racing Ford
29. Tyler Reddick No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
30. Chase Briscoe No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
31. Erik Jones No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet
32. Derrike Cope #15 Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet
33. Quin Houff No. 00 StarCom Racing Chevrolet
34. Ross Chastain No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet
35. Cody Ware No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet
36. Anthony Alfredo No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford
37. Josh Bilicki No. 52 Rick Ware Racing Ford
38. BJ McLeod No. 78 Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet
39. Austin Cindric No. 33 Team Penske Ford
40. Kaz Grala N°16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet