Upcoming Daytona 500 dates
Dates and live ticket listings appear here as soon as they are on sale. The guide below covers what to know before you buy.
The Great American Race, in brief
The Daytona 500 is a 500-mile, 200-lap NASCAR Cup Series race held every February at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It has opened the Cup season since 1982 and is the sport's most prestigious race, which is why it carries the nickname "The Great American Race." The 2027 race is scheduled for Sunday, February 21, 2027.
The race closes out Speedweeks, the stretch of on-track activity that leads up to it. It usually falls on the third Sunday of February, around Presidents Day weekend, and since 2022 it has run one week after the Super Bowl. The winner takes home the Harley J. Earl Trophy.
The track is a 2.5-mile tri-oval (an oval with a bend, or dogleg, in the frontstretch) with turns banked at 31 degrees. At that size and banking, the cars run in tight packs drafting off one another, so a single mistake can collect a dozen cars. That pack racing is what makes the finish so unpredictable: the 2026 race set a Daytona 500 record with 65 lead changes, and Tyler Reddick won by passing Chase Elliott just before the finish line on the final lap.
How Daytona 500 tickets are sold
The speedway sells every seat as a reserved seat; there is no general admission grandstand for the 500. Tickets come in a few structures, and understanding them helps you read a listing:
- Single-day tickets cover a reserved seat for the Daytona 500 only.
- Multi-day packages bundle the same seat across race week. As listed for 2027, the 2-day package adds the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series and ARCA Menards Series doubleheader, and the 4-day package also adds the Craftsman Truck Series race and the Duel at Daytona qualifying races.
- Trioval Club packages are a premium 2- or 4-day option in 300-level sections 340 to 362 and 400-level sections 440 to 444 and 458 to 462, with an open-air bar and patio.
- Add-ons include the Hard Rock Bet Fanzone pass, parking passes and scanner rentals. These are sold separately from the seat.
Most resale listings are single-day seats for the 500. Demand is highest for seats near the start/finish line and in the upper levels, and it builds through January as fans lock in travel. Prices on the resale market can sit above or below what the speedway charged, and they often soften in the final days if the forecast turns poor or inventory is still heavy. A Fanzone pass is not a seat; you still need a race ticket to enter the Fanzone.
Where to sit at Daytona International Speedway
Since the Daytona Rising renovation (2013 to 2016), all permanent seating sits along the frontstretch. The backstretch grandstands were removed, so every seat looks across the tri-oval toward the infield and the far side of the track. Sections are numbered by level, from the 100 level near track height up through the 300 and 400 levels.
Higher is better on a superspeedway
On a 2.5-mile track, height matters more than proximity. From the low rows of the 100 level the cars flash past at full speed and the catch fence sits in your line of sight, so you see a few hundred feet of track at a time. From the upper levels you can follow the pack all the way around, watch the drafting lines form and see a wreck develop in turn 3 before it reaches you. If your goal is to understand the race rather than feel the speed, buy height.
Near the start/finish line
Seats near the tri-oval and the start/finish line see restarts, pit road and the finish, which is where the 500 is usually decided. These are the most requested seats, and the Trioval Club sections sit in this stretch.
Toward the turns
Sections toward turn 1 and turn 4 put you closer to pit entry and exit and give a good look at cars diving into the banking. They see the finish line at an angle rather than straight on, which is a fair trade for many fans.
What to avoid
- The very lowest rows, unless you specifically want noise and speed: the fence and the pack's height limit what you can see.
- Assuming shade. February in Daytona Beach is usually mild, but a long afternoon in the Florida sun is still a long afternoon. Bring sunscreen and a hat regardless of where you sit.
Race week: the Duels, support races and the Fanzone
The 500 has a qualifying format no other NASCAR race uses. A timed round of single-car qualifying sets only the front row, usually on the Wednesday before the race. The rest of the field is set on Thursday by two 150-mile qualifying races, the Duels, which are real races with real stakes for teams that are not guaranteed a spot. The 2026 race started 41 cars.
Friday and Saturday bring the support series: the Craftsman Truck Series and the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series and ARCA doubleheader. These days are a lower-pressure way to see the track, and the multi-day packages are built around them.
The Hard Rock Bet Fanzone (called the UNOH Fanzone until 2024) is the infield fan area. According to the speedway, the pass includes a pre-race concert, front-row access to driver introductions, driver Q&A sessions, garage viewing and the chance to sign the start/finish line. The speedway's FAQ states that access to the start/finish line and pre-race ceremonies is limited to fans with a Fanzone pass for that day. Children 12 and under must be with a paid adult.
Getting there and getting in
The speedway sits at 1801 West International Speedway Boulevard, a few miles inland from the beach. Traffic on race day is heavy in every direction, so plan to arrive hours before the green flag.
- Parking: As of the 2026 season, the speedway sells advance parking in Lots 1, 3, 4 and 8, the closest lots to the grandstands. Free parking in Lots 7 and 8 is offered for select events, with shuttles from Lot 7 to the ONE Daytona complex across the street.
- Rideshare: The designated pickup and drop-off zone is near Lot 1, off the frontage road along eastbound International Speedway Boulevard.
- Accessibility: ADA shuttles run from Lots 1 and 4.
- Re-entry: Ticketed fans can leave and re-enter during events by scanning out and back in.
Daytona is one of the few big-league venues that lets you bring food and drink. As of the 2026 season, the speedway allows one soft-sided cooler per guest, up to 14 by 14 by 14 inches; hard-sided coolers are prohibited. Each fan may bring up to two bags, up to 18 by 18 by 14 inches, and clear bags are encouraged to speed screening. Umbrellas, glass, selfie sticks, tripods, collapsible chairs and drones are on the prohibited list. Tickets are mobile, delivered through the NASCAR Tracks app. Rules change, so check the speedway's current FAQ before you go.
What a day at the 500 is actually like
Race day is long. Gates open well before the green flag, the pre-race program includes driver introductions and the command to start engines, and the race itself typically runs well over three hours; the 2026 edition took 3 hours, 23 minutes and 56 seconds. Overtime finishes can stretch it further: the 2023 race went 212 laps and 530 miles.
A few things make the day better:
- Rent or bring a scanner. Hearing driver and spotter radio turns a blur of cars into a story. The speedway rents scanners as an add-on.
- Bring hearing protection. Forty-plus Cup cars at full speed are loud enough to warrant it for adults and especially for children.
- Pack layers. Mid-February afternoons can be warm in the sun and cool once it drops.
- Watch the weather. Rain pushed the 2020 and 2024 races to Monday. The speedway's policy is that only current Daytona 500 tickets are honored for a rescheduled 500, so hang on to your ticket.
Every GoodSeats order is backed by a 100% guarantee, which matters for an event that people often plan a trip around.
History of the Daytona 500
The speedway and the race opened together. The first Daytona 500 ran on February 22, 1959, and Lee Petty won it in a close finish over Johnny Beauchamp. His son, Richard Petty, went on to win the race a record seven times between 1964 and 1981.
The 1979 race was the first 500-mile race televised live from start to finish on network TV, a broadcast that helped put NASCAR in front of a national audience. Dale Earnhardt won the race in 1998 on his 20th attempt, and three years later, in 2001, he was killed in a last-lap crash, a loss that reshaped the sport's approach to safety. The closest finish came in 2016, when Denny Hamlin beat Martin Truex Jr. by 0.010 seconds.
The track itself changed in the 2010s. The Daytona Rising project, which broke ground in July 2013 and finished in January 2016, rebuilt the frontstretch, added five expanded entrances the speedway calls injectors, widened seats and removed the backstretch seating. NASCAR has owned the speedway directly since 2019.
Frequently asked questions
When is the next Daytona 500?
The 2027 Daytona 500 is scheduled for Sunday, February 21, 2027. The race is usually held on the third Sunday of February, one week after the Super Bowl.
What are the best seats for the Daytona 500?
Upper-level seats near the start/finish line and tri-oval see the most track, plus restarts, pit road and the finish. Low rows feel the speed but the catch fence and the height of the pack limit what you can follow.
Can you bring a cooler to the Daytona 500?
As of the 2026 season, yes: one soft-sided cooler per guest, up to 14 by 14 by 14 inches. Hard-sided coolers are not allowed. Check the speedway's current policy before you go.
What is the Fanzone pass?
The Hard Rock Bet Fanzone pass is an add-on to a race ticket that gives access to the infield fan area, garage viewing, driver introductions and the pre-race start/finish line. You still need a daily admission ticket to use it.
How many people does Daytona International Speedway hold?
The speedway has about 101,500 permanent grandstand seats, and some sources list about 102,000. With temporary space it can expand to roughly 125,000.
What happens if the Daytona 500 is rained out?
The race is rescheduled, often to Monday, as happened in 2020 and 2024. Under the speedway's policy, only current Daytona 500 tickets are honored for the rescheduled race.