The spectacle, tradition and high-speed drama of the Daytona 500 once again delivered as the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season roared to life at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday, Feb. 15. The 68th running of the Great American Race featured the usual blend of chaos and calculated strategy — and by night’s end, a new name was etched into history.
Tyler Reddick emerged from the pack of capture his first Daytona 500 victory, driving the No. 45 car into the iconic Victory Lane and securing the coveted Harley J. Earl trophy. In doing so, he dashed the championship-opening dreams of 40 other drivers who lined up on the grid hoping to start their season with a statement win.
Reddick now joins an exclusive club of 44 drivers who have conquered NASCAR’s crown jewel event.
2026 Daytona 500 final finishing order
Here is the complete finishing order from the 2026 Daytona 500:
Tyler Reddick, No. 45
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47
Joey Logano, No. 22
Chase Elliott, No. 9
Brad Keselowski, No. 6
Zane Smith, No. 38
Chris Buescher, No. 17
Riley Herbst, No. 35
Josh Berry, No. 21
Bubba Wallace, No. 23
Noah Gragson, No. 4
William Byron, No. 24
Daniel Suarez, No. 7
Ty Dillon, No. 10
Kyle Busch, No. 8
Kyle Larson, No. 5
Cody Ware, No. 51
AJ Allmendinger, No. 16
Carson Hocevar, No. 77
Ross Chastain, No. 1
Erik Jones, No. 43
Michael McDowell, No. 71
Ty Gibbs, No. 54
Cole Custer, No. 41
Ryan Preece, No. 60
John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42
Ryan Blaney, No. 12
Corey Heim, No. 67
Jimmie Johnson, No. 84
Shane van Gisbergen, No. 97
Denny Hamlin, No. 11
Casey Mears, No. 66
Connor Zilisch, No. 88
Austin Cindric, No. 2
Christopher Bell, No. 20
Chase Briscoe, No. 19
Austin Dillon, No. 3
Justin Allgaier, No. 40
Todd Gilliland, No. 34
Alex Bowman, No. 48
BJ McLeod, No. 78
A season set in motion
With the checkered flag waving at Daytona, the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series is officially underway. As Reddick celebrates a career-defining triumph, the rest of the field shifts focus to the long road ahead — a season where momentum, resilience and timing will define championship contenders.
The Daytona 500 has once again set the tone: unpredictable, electrifying and unforgettable.