How to watch the Daytona 500 and what to watch for in 'The Great American Race'

William Byron will try to become the first driver in history to win the Daytona 500 three consecutive years when the 68th running of “The Great American Race” opens the NASCAR season on Sunday.

Byron won last year’s event in overtime after race leader Denny Hamlin got spun on the final lap, igniting a multicar crash. Byron ended up passing eight cars on the last lap to return to victory lane.

Can he make it three in a row? Four others — Richard Petty in 1975, Cale Yarborough in 1985, Sterling Marlin in 1996 and Hamlin in 2021 — came up short in threepeat bids at NASCAR’s signature race.

The field includes seven other previous Daytona 500 winners, most notably three-time winner Hamlin and seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson. Hamlin is trying to bounce back from a heartbreaking loss in the 2025 season finale and the December death of his father. Johnson, meanwhile, is again driving the No. 84 Toyota for his team, Legacy Motor Club.

This will be the first non-exhibition race since NASCAR and two teams — 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports — settled a federal antitrust lawsuit that threatened the series. The outcome guaranteed permanent charters for 36 teams.

The offseason also included the death of retired driver Greg Biffle, who was among seven people killed when his plane crashed in North Carolina just a week before Christmas.

The race will be aired on Fox. Mike Joy, Clint Bowyer and Kevin Harvick are in the booth. Larry McReynolds provides analysis. Jamie Little, Regan Smith and Josh Sims cover pit road. Fox Deportes, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio also offer live broadcasts, and the race will be streamed on the Fox One and the Fox Sports app.

The green flag drops shortly after 2:30 p.m. EST.

Kyle Busch earned his first Daytona 500 pole, landing the No. 1 starting position during qualifying Wednesday night. It came as he gets ready to start his 21st Daytona 500 and tries to end the longest current skid in the garage.

“We just got to get the job done so we can stop talking about it,” Busch said.

Chase Briscoe also will start on the front row.

Justin Allgaier and Corey Heim secured two of the four open spots during qualifying. Anthony Alfredo, Corey LaJoie, B.J. McLeod, Casey Mears, Chandler Smith and JJ Yeley will vie for the final two spots during 150-mile qualifying races Thursday.

Allgaier is driving for Dale Earnhardt Jr., whose famous father died 25 years ago following a last-lap crash at the Daytona 500.

Ryan Blaney is listed as the favorite (plus-1100), with Joey Logano and William Byron close behind at plus-1200, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.

The defending series champion is Kyle Larson. And keep an eye on 19-year-old driver Connor Zilisch, who won 10 races in the Xfinity Series last season and is considered a rising star.

Comedian Nate Bargatze will serve as the grand marshal and give the command for drivers to start their engines. Actor Kurt Russell is the honorary pace car driver, and country music singer Miranda Lambert will perform a pre-race concert.

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

FILE - Connor Zilisch smiles prior to a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, May 25, 2025, in Concord, N.C. (AP Photo/Matt Kelley, File)

FILE - Denny Hamlin smiles prior to a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Oct. 5, 2025, in Concord, N.C. (AP Photo/Matt Kelley, File)

FILE - Kyle Larson looks on prior to a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Darlington Raceway, Aug. 31, 2025, in Darlington, S.C. (AP Photo/Matt Kelley, File)

Driver William Byron works on the track during a NASCAR Daytona 500 practice, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, in Daytona, Fla. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Bam Adebayo had 27 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks and the short-handed Miami Heat beat the New Orleans Pelicans 123-111 on Wednesday night in the final game for both teams before the All-Star break.

Miami used only nine players, with Tyler Herro, Norman Powell, Pelle Larsson and Andrew Wiggins sidelined. Herro missed his 15th straight game.

Jaime Jaquez Jr. added 23 points, Kel’el Ware had 16 points and 12 rebounds and Simone Fontecchio scored 15 points. Eighth in the Eastern Conference, the Heat improved to 29-27. Miami has won 11 of its last 12 against New Orleans

Zion Williamson had 26 points for New Orleans. He has played a career-high 30 straight games and 40 of 56 this season. In his first six seasons, he played 214 of 472 games and never had more than 25 in a row.

Trey Murphy III added 19 points before leaving late in the third quarter because of soreness in his right shoulder. The Pelicans dropped to 15-41. They had won two in a row.

Ware hit a 3-pointer with 2:46 left in the third quarter to cap a 23-10 run that gave Miami a 92-76 lead. The Heat hit four 3s during that surge, one each by Kasparas Jakucionis, Fontecchio, Myron Gardner and Ware.

During that stretch, Jakucionis also hit three free throws after landing on Murphy’s foot on a missed 3 near sideline. Murphy was called for a flagrant foul.

Miami pushed the lead to 17 at 112-95 with 6:19 left in the fourth. After New Orleans cut it to 115-111 on Williamson’s putback, Fontecchio hit a 3 from the left corner with 54 seconds remaining to make it 118-111.

Miami led 58-55 at halftime. Adebayo had 15 points in the half.

Heat: At Atlanta on Friday, Feb. 20.

Pelicans: Host Milwaukee on Friday, Feb. 20.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) goes to the basket against Miami Heat guard Dru Smith (12) in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) passes around Miami Heat guard Davion Mitchell (45) in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) goes to the basket between New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) and center Derik Queen (22) in the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) shoots against New Orleans Pelicans center Derik Queen (22) and guard Jeremiah Fears (0) in the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) drives to the basket against New Orleans Pelicans center Derik Queen in the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra talk to players during a time out during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz Monday, Feb. 9, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)