Race details[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11] | |||
---|---|---|---|
Race 1 of 36 in the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series | |||
![]() | |||
Date | February 14โ15, 2021 | ||
Location | Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida | ||
Course |
Permanent racing facility 2.5 mi (4 km) | ||
Distance | 200 laps, 500 mi (800 km) | ||
Average speed | 144.416 miles per hour (232.415 km/h) | ||
Pole position | |||
Driver | Hendrick Motorsports | ||
Time | 47.056 | ||
Qualifying race winners | |||
Duel 1 Winner | Aric Almirola | Stewart-Haas Racing | |
Duel 2 Winner | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | |
Most laps led | |||
Driver | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | |
Laps | 98 | ||
Winner | |||
No. 34 | Michael McDowell | Front Row Motorsports | |
Television in the United States | |||
Network | Fox | ||
Announcers | Mike Joy, Jeff Gordon and Clint Bowyer | ||
Nielsen Ratings | 4.830 million[12] | ||
Radio in the United States | |||
Radio | MRN | ||
Booth Announcers | Alex Hayden, Jeff Striegle, and Rusty Wallace | ||
Turn Announcers | Dave Moody (1 & 2), Mike Bagley (Backstretch) and Kyle Rickey (3 & 4) |
The 2021 Daytona 500, the 63rd running of the event, was a NASCAR Cup Series race that was held on February 14โ15, 2021 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. Contested over 200 laps on the 2.5-mile (4.0 km) asphalt superspeedway, it was the first race of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season. In one of the biggest surprise upsets in Daytona 500 history, Michael McDowell, driving for Front Row Motorsports, won after Team Penske teammates Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski wrecked battling for the lead on the final lap.[13][14] McDowell was a 100โ1 underdog, making his 358th Cup Series start and driving for a team with only two previous Cup Series victories.