The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series is nearing the end of its regular season with the second-to-last race taking place at the Daytona International Speedway. The Coke Zero Sugar 400 marks the season’s first Saturday night event.

Leading the Cup Series standings, Tyler Reddick clinched victory last weekend in Michigan after a rain delay. He has a 10-point advantage over Chase Elliott, who, in turn, is 22 points ahead of his teammate Kyle Larson at Hendrick Motorsports. All three have secured spots in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.

With twelve drivers already qualified for the playoffs, there’s still much at stake during Saturday night’s race in Daytona. Stay updated on the progress of the Coke Zero Sugar 400 here.

Lap 120: Justin Haley seizes the lead

The 2019 Coke Zero Sugar 400 champion surged into the bottom lane to take the lead from McDowell.

Lap 118: Tense moment for Cindric and Berry

Cindric experienced a brief steering issue and nearly collided with Berry in the upper lane.

Lap 110: John Hunter Nemechek advances

The sole Legacy Motor Club driver still in the race has climbed to third place after starting from the 31st spot, now following Michael McDowell and Justin Haley.

Lap 100: McDowell regains the lead

Polesitter Michael McDowell made significant gains during pit stops and is back in front as the final stage of the Coke Zero Sugar 400 begins.

Another round of pit stops

Brad Keselowski and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. decided to stay out while the rest of the field pitted to conserve fuel for an additional lap. Kyle Busch and Harrison Burton took advantage of the strategy, moving up to third and sixth place, respectively.

Stage 2 results

1. Joey Logano
2. Ryan Blaney
3. Brad Keselowski
4. Kyle Larson
5. Todd Gilliland
6. Justin Haley
7. Kyle Busch
8. William Byron
9. Chris Buescher
10. Bubba Wallace

Lap 89: Green flag racing resumes

Kyle Larson and Joey Logano lead as they approach seven laps remaining in Stage 2.

Lap 84: Drivers retiring from the Coke Zero Sugar 400

• Daniel Suárez
• Ryan Preece
• Denny Hamlin
• Noah Gragson
• Chase Elliott
• Corey Lajoie
• Shane van Gisbergen

Erik Jones takes advantage of caution

The No. 43 vehicle suffered a tire puncture but managed to stay on the lead lap thanks to the yellow flag following van Gisbergen’s engine failure.

Shane van Gisbergen’s engine failure

The full-time Xfinity Series driver was performing well, positioned near the top 10, when his engine dramatically failed. This was his first Cup Series race since the Grant Park 165.

Austin Cindric narrowly avoids disaster

Cindric nearly lost control of his No. 2 Ford due to contact with Kyle Larson. He maneuvered below the three racing lines to regain control and fell to 19th place on Lap 80 after being in second prior to the incident.

Lap 77: Logano leads again

The Team Penske driver has been leading in laps so far and has moved back to the front ahead of teammates Austin Cindric and Ryan Blaney.

Chase Elliott suffers first DNF this season

The Hendrick Motorsports driver was in a strong position for the regular season championship but was taken out in a wreck on Lap 60, marking his first DNF of 2024.

Lap 67 restart

Buescher and RFK Racing teammate Brad Keselowski take the lead as the race resumes.

Eighteen cars involved in the first crash of the race

Ross Chastain, Alex Bowman, and several others are evaluating their vehicles to determine if they can continue racing.

Buescher and Blaney benefit from caution-related pit stops

Buescher takes the lead after a series of pit stops conducted following Gragson’s crash, while Blaney gains five spots, moving into the top 10.

Lap 60: The race’s first crash

After plenty of suspense, the first collision occurred outside the top 10. Noah Gragson, hit by pushes from Corey Lajoie and Kyle Larson, triggered a multi-car incident. Denny Hamlin was notably among those taken out, leading to a caution in the Coke Zero Sugar 400.

Lap 46: Bubba Wallace charges up the ranks

Having played it safe during much of Stage 1, Wallace made a final push towards the top 10 before making his pit stop. He is now leading after the first round of pit stops, utilizing the higher lanes to maintain his position.

Lap 42: Penske drivers in sync

Joey Logano receives assistance from Austin Cindric to push into the lead in the upper lane.

Lap 38: Daniel Suárez out due to fire

After his pit stop, the No. 99 car ignited in flames, forcing Suárez to exit safely while Trackhouse Racing’s crew quickly extinguished the fire. Replay footage showed that fuel spilled during Suárez’s pit stop ignited.

Denny Hamlin ended up igniting the No. 99 vehicle.

Stage 1 Results

Following 35 laps, the top 10 drivers at the conclusion of Stage 1 were:

1. Josh Berry
2. Joey Logano
3. Chris Buescher
4. Austin Cindric
5. Ryan Blaney
6. Todd Gilliland
7. Brad Keselowski
8. Michael McDowell
9. William Byron
10. Kyle Larson

Lap 27: Austin Cindric Takes the Lead

The driver from Team Penske maneuvered through the high line to take the lead, although he slipped a few spots in the final laps of Stage 1.

Erik Jones Making Moves

The driver for Legacy Motor Club has gained 22 positions since the start, proving to be the most effective passer up to lap 22.

Lap 16: Logano Leads

The winner of the Ally 400 has taken charge of the race, alternating between the top two lines to maintain his lead.

Lap 14: William Byron Rises

The Hendrick Motorsports driver has advanced to the front of the lower lane when Berry switched to the high line to take the lead as they crossed the start-finish line.

Lap 8: Leaders Swapping Lines

McDowell has moved to the higher lane, opening the lower positions for Brad Keselowski and Josh Berry. Keselowski is currently in the lead in the lowest lane.

Lap 5: Drivers Across Three Lanes

Austin Cindric is leading a third line at the highest part of the oval, while McDowell and Todd Gilliland are in charge of the lower and middle lanes, respectively.

Race Start: Coke Zero Sugar 400

The race gets underway with Michael McDowell heading an all-RFK Racing front row.

NASCAR Coke Zero Sugar 400: Viewing Information

• Date: August 24, 2024
• Time: 7:30 PM ET
• Location: Daytona International Speedway
• TV: NBC
• Streaming: Peacock, NBCSports.com, fuboTV

Ken Griffey Jr. on the Grid

The legendary baseball player Ken Griffey Jr. was seen ahead of the race alongside Bubba Wallace from 23XI Racing.

Who is on Pole in the NASCAR Race at Daytona?

Michael McDowell from RFK Racing is in pole position for the Coke Zero Sugar 400.

Saturday’s NASCAR Coke Zero Sugar 400 Lineup

(Car number 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

Which Winless Drivers are Close to Making the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs?

Drivers Bubba Wallace, Ross Chastain, and Chris Buescher are only 16 points apart. Only two among them can qualify for the playoffs unless a new winner for 2024 emerges from those currently behind them in points.

When Do the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Begin?

The playoffs will kick off on Sunday, September 8, with the Quaker State 400 presented by Walmart at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Below is the full playoff schedule:

Round of 16

• Sept. 8: Quaker State 400 presented by Walmart | Atlanta Motor Speedway | 3 p.m. ET | USA Network
• Sept. 15: Go Bowling at The Glen | Watkins Glen International | 3 p.m. ET | USA Network
• Sept. 21: Bass Pro Shops Night Race | Bristol Motor Speedway | 7:30 p.m. ET | USA Network

Round of 12

• Sept. 29: Hollywood Casino 400 presented by ESPN BET | Kansas Speedway | 3 p.m. ET | USA Network
• Oct. 6: YellaWood 500 | Talladega Superspeedway | 2 p.m. ET | NBC
• Oct. 13: Bank of America Roval 400 | Charlotte Motor Speedway (Roval) | 2 p.m. ET | NBC

Round of 8

• Oct. 20: South Point 400 | Las Vegas Motor Speedway | 2:30 p.m. ET | NBC
• Oct. 27: Straight Talk Wireless 400 | Homestead-Miami Speedway | 2:30 p.m. ET | NBC
• Nov. 3: Xfinity 500 | Martinsville Speedway | 2 p.m. ET | NBC

Championship 4

• Nov. 10: NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race | Phoenix Raceway | 3 p.m. ET | NBC

What Races are Left in the NASCAR Cup Series Regular Season?

After the Coke Zero Sugar 400, only one race will remain in the regular season: the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. This will mark the last chance for drivers to qualify for the playoffs.

Who Recently Triumphed in the NASCAR Cup Race at Daytona?

William Byron secured victory in the season-opening Daytona 500 on February 19, 2024, taking charge after a restart with just four laps to go.

William Byron narrowly edged out his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Alex Bowman, just as a crash occurred right when Byron crossed the white flag signaling the final lap.

Who emerged victorious in the latest NASCAR Coke Zero Sugar 400?

Chris Buescher from RFK Racing clinched the win at the 2023 Coke Zero Sugar 400.

How many drivers have claimed victory in NASCAR Cup races during the 2024 season?

As of the completion of 25 championship races in 2024, 13 different drivers have secured a win in the NASCAR Cup series, which includes:

• William Byron (Daytona 500, EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix, Cook Out 400)
• Daniel Suárez (Ambetter Health 400)
• Kyle Larson (Pennzoil 400, AdventHealth 400, Toyota/Save Mart 350, Brickyard 400)
• Christopher Bell (Shriners Children’s 500, Coca-Cola 600, YSL News 301)
• Denny Hamlin (Food City 500, Toyota Owners 400, Würth 400)
• Chase Elliott (Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400)
• Tyler Reddick (GEICO 500, FireKeepers Casino 400)
• Brad Keselowski (Goodyear 400)
• Austin Cindric (Enjoy Illinois 300)
• Ryan Blaney (Iowa Corn 350, Great American Getaway 400)
• Joey Logano (Ally 400)
• Alex Bowman (Grant Park 165)
• Austin Dillon* (Cook Out 400)

*= Dillon won the race but was disqualified from playoff eligibility.

Joey Logano and Ty Gibbs triumphed in the NASCAR All-Star Race and the NASCAR All-Star Open, respectively, but these events do not count toward the championship standings.

What is the length of laps in the NASCAR Cup race at Daytona?

The Coke Zero Sugar 400 consists of 160 laps around a 2.5-mile course, totaling 400 miles. The race consists of three segments with the following lap distribution: Stage 1: 35 laps; Stage 2: 60 laps; and Stage 3: 65 laps.

Which TV channel will broadcast the NASCAR Coke Zero Sugar 400?

The NASCAR Coke Zero Sugar 400 will air on NBC.

Where can I stream the NASCAR Coke Zero Sugar 400 live?

You can catch a live stream of the NASCAR Coke Zero Sugar 400 on platforms like Peacock and fuboTV.

What is the weather outlook for the NASCAR Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona?

According to AccuWeather, today’s forecast suggests mid-80s temperatures with a 49% chance of rain around 7 p.m. ET.