DAYTONA 500 STARTING LINEUP

ROW 1

William Byron

No. 24 Chevrolet

TEAM Hendrick Motorsports

BORN Nov. 29, 1996

HOMETOWN Charlotte, N.C.

CREW CHIEF Chad Knaus

NOTEWORTHY Daytona 500 pole-sitter and 2018 rookie of the year. Winless with four top-10 finishes in rookie season with Hendrick Motorsports.

Alex Bowman

No. 88 Chevrolet

TEAM Hendrick Motorsports

BORN April 25, 1993

HOMETOWN Tucson, Ariz.

CREW CHIEF Greg Ives

NOTEWORTHY Bowman starts on the front row for the second consecutive year after winning the pole last year.

ROW 2

Kevin Harvick

No. 4 Ford

TEAM Stewart-Haas Racing

BORN Dec. 8, 1975

HOMETOWN Bakersfield, Calif.

CREW CHIEF Rodney Childers

NOTEWORTHY Won 2007 Daytona 500 with Richard Childress Racing. Third in points for the second consecutive season in 2018. Won a series-leading eight times last season, giving him 45 in his career.

Joey Logano

No. 22 Ford

TEAM Team Penske

BORN May 24, 1990

HOMETOWN Middletown, Conn.

CREW CHIEF Todd Gordon

NOTEWORTHY Defending Monster Energy Cup champion and is looking to become the first since Jimmie Johnson in 2010 to win consecutive Cup titles.

ROW 3

Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

No. 17 Ford

TEAM Roush Fenway Racing

BORN Oct. 2, 1987

HOMETOWN Olive Branch, Miss.

CREW CHIEF Brian Pattie

SPONSOR Fastenal

NOTEWORTHY Began career as a teenager, racing sprint cars at Riverside International Speedway in West Memphis and at I-30 Speedway in Little Rock.

DRIVER Clint Bowyer

No. 14 Ford

TEAM Stewart-Haas Racing

BORN May 30, 1979

HOMETOWN Emporia, Kan.

CREW CHIEF Mike Bugarewicz

NOTEWORTHY Made strides in second year at Stewart-Haas Racing. Won two races last season, his first since 2012. Winless in 13 Daytona 500 starts.

ROW 4

DRIVER Paul Menard

No. 21 Ford

TEAM Wood Brothers

BORN Aug. 21, 1980

HOMETOWN Eau Claire, Wis.

CREW CHIEF Greg Erwin

NOTEWORTHY One victort in 435 Cup starts. Winless since taking checkered flag at Brickyard 400 in 2011. Wrecked by Jimmie Johnson with the lead at the exhibition Clash last weekend.

Aric Almirola

No. 10 Ford

TEAM Stewart-Haas Racing

BORN March 14, 1984

HOMETOWN Tampa, Fla.

CREW CHIEF John Klausmeier

NOTEWORTHY Won his first race since 2014, ending 149-race winless streak. Starts second season with Stewart-Haas Racing. Led 2018 Daytona 500 until last-lap accident.

Row 5

Matt DiBenedetto

No. 95 Chevrolet

TEAM Leavine Family Racing

BORN July 27, 1991

HOMETOWN Grass Valley, Calif.

CREW CHIEF Michael Wheeler

NOTEWORTHY No top five finishes in 140 career starts.

Denny Hamlin

No. 11 Toyota

TEAM Joe Gibbs Racing

BORN Nov. 18, 1980

HOMETOWN Chesterfield, Va.

CREW CHIEF Chris Gabehart

NOTEWORTHY 2016 Daytona 500 champion. Won closest finish in race history, barely edging Martin Truex Jr.

ROW 6

Martin Truex Jr.

No. 19 Toyota

TEAM Joe Gibbs Racing

BORN June 29, 1980

HOMETOWN Mayetta, N.J.

CREW CHIEF Cole Pearn

NOTEWORTHY 2017 NASCAR Cup Series champion. Won four races and was runner-up to Joey Logano for championship in 2018. Starts first season with Joe Gibbs Racing after Furniture Row Racing folded.

Kurt Busch

No. 1 Ford

TEAM Chip Ganassi Racing

BORN Aug. 4, 1978

HOMETOWN Las Vegas

CREW CHIEF Matt McCall

NOTEWORTHY 2017 Daytona 500 champion with Stewart-Haas Racing. Well-traveled driver making move to Chip Ganassi for 2019. Missed 2015 race because of suspension.

ROW 7

Darrell “Bubba” Wallace Jr.

No. 43 Chevrolet

TEAM Richard Petty Motorsports

BORN Oct. 8, 1993

HOMETOWN Mobile, Ala.

CREW CHIEF Derek Stamets

NOTEWORTHY Was first black driver last year to start Daytona 500 since Wendell Scott in 1969. Finished second behind winner Austin Dillon.

Ryan Blaney

No. 12 Ford

TEAM Team Penske

BORN Dec. 31, 1993

HOMETOWN High Point, N.C.

CREW CHIEF Jeremy Bullins

NOTEWORTHY Won second career Cup race last season at Charlotte “roval.” Starts second season driving for team owner Roger Penske.

ROW 8

DRIVER Chris Buescher

No. 37 Chevrolet

TEAM JTG Daugherty Racing

BORN Oct. 29, 1992

HOMETOWN Prosper, Texas

CREW CHIEF Trent Owens

NOTEWORTHY Entering fourth full-time season. Only victory came in rain-shortened race in 2016. Had only two top-10 finishes in 2018.

Jamie McMurray

No. 40 Chevrolet

TEAM Spire Sports

BORN June 3, 1976

HOMETOWN Joplin, Mo.

CREW CHIEF Scott Eggleston

NOTEWORTHY Won 2010 Daytona 500, same year he also won Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis. Expected to make final NASCAR start. Will transition to TV analyst for Fox Sports.

ROW 9

Jimmie Johnson

No. 48 Chevrolet

TEAM Hendrick Motorsports

BORN Sept. 17, 1975

HOMETOWN El Cajon, Calif.

CREW CHIEF Kevin Meendering

NOTEWORTHY Seven-time NASCAR champion. An eighth title would push him past the late Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty for most ever.

Chase Elliott

No. 9 Chevrolet

TEAM Hendrick Motorsports

BORN Nov. 28, 1995

HOMETOWN Dawsonville, Ga.

CREW CHIEF Alan Gustafson

NOTEWORTHY Son of two-time Daytona 500 champ and Hall of Fame driver Bill Elliott won three times last season. Voted NASCAR’s most popular driver in 2018.

ROW 10

Ryan Newman

No. 6 Ford

TEAM Roush Fenway Racing

BORN Dec. 8, 1977

HOMETOWN South Bend, Ind.

CREW CHIEF Scott Graves

NOTEWORTHY Starts first season driving for Jack Roush. Failed to post a top-five finish for first time in his career.

Austin Dillon

No. 3 Chevrolet

TEAM Richard Childress Racing

BORN April 27, 1990

HOMETOWN Welcome, N.C.

CREW CHIEF Danny Stockman Jr.

NOTEWORTHY 2018 Daytona 500 champion. Spun Aric Almirola on the last lap to pull off the victory. No driver has won consecutive Daytona 500s since Sterling Marlin in 1994 and 1995.

ROW 11

Ryan Preece

No. 47 Chevrolet

TEAM JTG Daugherty Racing

BORN Oct. 25, 1990

HOMETOWN Hartford, Conn.

CREW CHIEF Tristan Smith

NOTEWORTHY Made five Cup starts last season. Takes over for AJ Allmendinger in the 47. Candidate for NASCAR rookie of the year.

Ty Dillon

No. 13 Chevrolet

TEAM Germain Racing

BORN Feb. 27, 1992

HOMETOWN Lewisville, N.C.

CREW CHIEF Matt Borland

NOTEWORTHY Younger brother of Austin Dillon. Grandson of team owner Richard Childress.

ROW 12

Daniel Suarez

No. 41 Ford

TESAM Stewart-Haas Racing

BORN Jan. 7, 1992

HOMETOWN Monterrey, Mexico

CREW CHIEF Billy Scott

NOTEWORTHY Makes move to Stewart-Haas Racing. Pushed out at Joe Gibbs Racing to make room for Martin Truex Jr. Won first Cup pole at Pocono. Won Xfinity Series title in 2016, becoming NASCAR’s first foreign champion.

David Ragan

No. 38 Ford

TEAM Front Row Motorsports

BORN Dec. 24, 1985

HOMETOWN Unadilla, Ga.

CREW CHIEF Seth Barbour

NOTEWORTHY Won only Cup races in 2011 and 2013. Had just one top-10 finish last four years. Finished 30th at Daytona last season.

ROW 13

Parker Kligerman

No. 96 Toyota

TEAM Gaunt Brothers Racing

BORN Aug 8, 1990

HOMETOWN Stamford, Conn.

CREW CHIEF Mark Hillman

NOTEWORTHY Doubles as NBC Sports broadcaster. Winless in 14 career starts.

Kyle Larson

No. 42 Chevrolet

TEAM Chip Ganassi Racing

BORN July 31, 1992

HOMETOWN Elk Grove, Calif.

CREW CHIEF Chad Johnston

NOTEWORTHY Followed breakthrough 2017 season with winless 2018. Fell from four victories to none but made playoffs for third consecutive season.

ROW 14

Landon Cassill

No. 00 Chevrolet

TEAM StarCom Racing

BORN July 7, 1989

HOMETOWN Cedar Rapids, Iowa

CREW CHIEF Wayne Carroll

NOTEWORTY Made 29 starts for StarCom in 2018. Winless in 288 career starts.

Erik Jones

No. 20 Toyota

TEAM Joe Gibbs Racing

BORN May 30, 1996

HOMETOWN Byron, Mich.

CREW CHIEF Chris Gayle (Little Rock)

NOTEWORTHY Won at Daytona in July for first career Cup win. Had nine top-fives and finished 15th in standings in first season at Joe Gibbs Racing.

ROW 15

Daniel Hemric

No. 8 Chevrolet

TEAM Richard Childress Racing

BORN Jan. 27, 1991

HOMETOWN Kannapolis, N.C.

CREW CHIEF Luke Lambert

NOTEWORTHY Made two starts for RCR last season. First driver to race the No. 8 since Dale Earnhardt Jr. Hails from same hometown as the Earnhardts.

Brendan Gaughan

No. 62 Chevrolet

TEAM Beard Motorsports

BORN July 10, 1975

HOMETOWN Las Vegas

CREW CHIEF Darren Shaw

NOTEWORTHY Winless in 58 Cup starts. Played college football and basketball at Georgetown, guarding Allen Iverson on practice court and becoming all-Big East kicker on gridiron. Earned one of the final transfer spots for the Daytona 500.

ROW 16

Kyle Busch

No. 18 Toyota

TEAM Joe Gibbs Racing

BORN May 2, 1985

HOMETOWN Las Vegas

CREW CHIEF Adam Stevens

NOTEWORTHY 2015 Cup Series champion has yet to win Daytona 500, a streak that stands at 13. Won eight races last season and finished fourth in season standings.

Corey LaJoie

No. 32 Ford

TEAM GO FAS Racing

BORN Sept. 25, 1991

HOMETOWN Charlotte, N.C.

CREW CHIEF Randy Cox

NOTEWORTHY No top-10 finishes in 57 career starts. Son of two-time NASCAR second-tier series champion Randy LaJoie.

ROW 17

Matt Tifft

No. 36 Ford

TEAM Front Row Motorsports

BORN June 26, 1996

HOMETOWN Hinckley, Ohio

CREW CHIEF Michael Kelley

NOTEWORTHY Cup rookie missed part of the 2016 season after being diagnosed with a brain tumor, which was discovered during treatment for a back injury. Returned to racing 11 weeks after the tumor was removed.

Michael McDowell

No. 34 Ford

TEAM Front Row Motorsports

BORN Dec. 21, 1984

HOMETOWN Glendale, Ariz.

CREW CHIEF Drew Blickensderfer

NOTEWORTHY Winless in 285 Cup starts. Shines at Daytona. Finished fourth in 2017 Daytona 500, and ninth in 2018. Were his only top-10s each season.

ROW 18

Brad Keselowski

No. 2 Ford

TEAM Team Penske

BORN Feb. 12, 1984

HOMETOWN Rochester Hills, Mich.

CREW CHIEF Paul Wolfe

NOTEWORTHY 2012 series champion looking for first Daytona 500 victory. Has at least three victories in each of the past three years at Team Penske, including three in a row late last year.

Ross Chastain

No. 15 Chevrolet

TEAM Premium Motorsports

BORN Dec. 4, 1992

HOMETOWN Alva, Fla.

CREW CHIEF Peter Sospenzo

NOTEWORTHY Eighth-generation watermelon farmer making Daytona 500 debut. Landed sponsorship to race in Xfinity Series this season, but FBI raid on that company derailed his plans. He’s now cobbled together races across all three national series.

ROW 19

Cody Ware

No. 52 Chevrolet

TEAM Rick Ware Racing

BORN Nov. 7, 1995

HOMETOWN Greensboro, N.C.

CREW CHIEF George Church

NOTEWORTHY Making Daytona 500 debut for RWR, which bought NASCAR charter from Front Row Motorsports.

B.J. McLeod

No. 51 Chevrolet

TEAM Rick Ware Racing

BORN Nov. 17, 1983

HOMETOWN Wauchula, Fla.

CREW CHIEF Michael Hillman

NOTEWORTHY Making Daytona 500 debut for RWR, which bought NASCAR charter from Richard Petty Motorsports.

Row 20

Tyler Reddick

No. 31 Chevrolet

TEAM Richard Childress Racing

BORN Jan. 11, 1996

HOMETOWN Corning, Calif.

CREW CHIEF Justin Alexander

NOTEWORTHY Driving a third car for RCR, a one-off ride for the Daytona 500. Reigning Xfinity champion left JR Motorsports to drive for RCR in the second-tier series.

Casey Mears

No. 27 Chevrolet

TEAM Germain Racing

BORN March 12, 1978

HOMETOWN Bakersfield, Calif.

CREW CHIEF Pat Tryson

NOTEWORTHY Making his first Cup start since 2016. Has one victory in 488 Cup starts. Finished second in the 2006 Daytona 500.

Upcoming Events