The NASCAR Cup Series makes its way to the celebrated Daytona International Speedway for an exciting Saturday night race that could impact the playoffs.

With only two races left in the regular season before the playoffs start on September 8 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, twelve out of the sixteen playoff spots have been secured. This leaves four openings up for grabs for drivers who have yet to win this season. These drivers can either clinch a spot by winning at Daytona or during the next race at Darlington Raceway. Alternatively, they can accumulate enough points if they are close to qualifying based on the current standings.

Daytona is known for its unpredictability, so it’s not beyond possibility for an unforeseen winner, particularly one ranking low in the standings. Recent winners of the summer race at Daytona include Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Erik Jones, Justin Haley, Austin Dillon, and Chris Buescher.

Could we see another upset this Saturday night? Here’s everything you need to prepare for the Coke Zero Sugar 400:

What Time Does the NASCAR Cup Race at Daytona Start?

The Coke Zero Sugar 400 will begin at 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday at Daytona International Speedway located in Daytona Beach, Florida.

What TV Channel Will Broadcast the NASCAR Cup Race at Daytona?

The race will be shown live on NBC, which will commence its pre-race show at 7 p.m. ET.

Is There a Way to Live Stream the NASCAR Cup Race at Daytona?

You can stream the Coke Zero Sugar 400 live on the NBCSports website and via the NBC Sports app. It is also available for streaming on Fubo.

How Many Laps Will Be Run in the NASCAR Cup Race at Daytona?

The Coke Zero Sugar 400 consists of 160 laps on the 2.5-mile track, totaling 400 miles. The race is divided into three segments: Stage 1 will be 35 laps; Stage 2 will cover 60 laps; and Stage 3 will consist of 65 laps.

Who Recently Won NASCAR Cup Races at Daytona?

William Byron was victorious in the season-opening Daytona 500 on February 19, 2024, taking the lead with four laps to go before narrowly defeating his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Alex Bowman as a crash occurred just as Byron approached the final lap.

Additionally, on August 26, 2023, Chris Buescher won after an overtime finish, getting ahead of his Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing teammate and co-owner Brad Keselowski by a mere 0.098 seconds following a restart.

Which Drivers Have Already Qualified for the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs?

By winning during the regular season, drivers can secure their spots in the playoffs. Below are the twelve drivers who have at least one win this season, along with their respective totals of wins and points before the race at Daytona:

Kyle Larson 4 (782); William Byron 3 (728); Denny Hamlin 3 (711); Christopher Bell 3 (703); Tyler Reddick 2 (814); Ryan Blaney 2 (732); Chase Elliott 1 (804); Brad Keselowski 1 (677); Alex Bowman 1 (627); Joey Logano 1 (561); Daniel Suarez 1 (526); Austin Cindric 1 (460).

NOTE: Although Austin Dillon won the Richmond Raceway race on August 11, NASCAR revoked his automatic playoff spot three days later after investigating the final lap and communications from his team. Dillon collided with Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin on the last lap before crossing the finish line. This penalty was upheld by an appeals panel.

What is the Lineup for the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona?

(Car number shown in parentheses)

1. (34) Michael McDowell, Ford

2. (38) Todd Gilliland, Ford

3. (22) Joey Logano, Ford

4. (41) Ryan Preece, Ford

5. (4) Josh Berry, Ford

6. (14) Chase Briscoe, Ford

7. (24) William Byron, Chevrolet

8. (2) Austin Cindric, Ford

9. (5) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet

10. (9) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet

11. (8) Kyle Busch, Chevrolet

12. (6) Brad Keselowski, Ford

13. (17) Chris Buescher, Ford

14. (12) Ryan Blaney, Ford

15. (10) Noah Gragson, Ford

16. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet

17. (19) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota

18. (23) Bubba Wallace, Toyota

19. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota

20. (21) Harrison Burton, Ford

21. (48) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet

22. (99) Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet

23. (33) Austin Hill, Chevrolet

24. (1) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet

25. (45) Tyler Reddick, Toyota

26. (54) Ty Gibbs, Toyota

27. (20) Christopher Bell, Toyota

28. (31) Daniel Hemric, Chevrolet

29. (62) Parker Retzlaff, Chevrolet

30. (71) Zane Smith, Chevrolet

31. (42) John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota

32. (16) Shane Van Gisbergen, Chevrolet

33. (15) Cody Ware, Ford

34. (7) Corey LaJoie, Chevrolet

35. (47) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet

36. (51) Justin Haley, Ford

37. (77) Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet

38. (78) BJ McLeod, Chevrolet

39. (44) Joey Gase, Chevrolet

40. (43) Erik Jones, Toyota