The 2026 Daytona 500 is scheduled to start at 1:30 p.m. Eastern Time on Sunday, February 15, 2026.

Quick Scoop

  • Race day: Sunday, February 15, 2026.
  • Green flag / start time: 1:30 p.m. ET (local time in Daytona Beach, Florida).
  • Event: 68th running of the Daytona 500, opening race of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season.
  • Venue: Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Florida.

A bit of context

Fans sometimes remember that recent editions have also targeted an early- afternoon start window in the U.S. to maximize TV audiences and daylight, and 2026 continues that pattern with a mid‑day start on Presidents’ Day weekend. If you’re watching from outside the Eastern Time Zone, you’ll want to convert 1:30 p.m. ET to your local time (for example, 10:30 a.m. PT in the western U.S.).

“The Great American Race” traditionally anchors NASCAR’s Speedweek, with several days of qualifying, duels, and support races leading into Sunday’s main event.

TL;DR

  • The 2026 Daytona 500 starts at 1:30 p.m. ET on February 15, 2026 , at Daytona International Speedway.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.