Daytona 500 entry list has 42 cars

Forty-two cars are entered for Sunday’s Daytona 500, according to the preliminary entry list released by NASCAR on Monday.

Thirty-six cars are guaranteed starting spots in the race because they have charters. That means six drivers will vie for the remaining four spots in the Daytona 500 field. Those six drivers are: Jimmie Johnson (Legacy Motor Club), Travis Pastrana (23XI Racing), Zane Smith (Front Row Motorsports), Chandler Smith (Kaulig Racing), Austin Hill (Beard Motorsports) and Conor Daly (The Money Team Racing).

The preliminary entry list has 43 cars but the No. 80 of Finishline Motorsports Marketing has withdrawn.

Riley Herbst, a full-time driver in the Xfinity Series, is entered in the No. 15 Cup car, which has a charter, for Rick Ware Racing.

The top two in Wednesday night’s qualifying, among the six non-chartered cars, will be guaranteed a spot in the Daytona 500. The other two spots will be determined in Thursday’s qualifying races.

The 65th Daytona 500 will be at 2:30 p.m. ET Sunday on Fox.

Forty-four cars are entered for Saturday’s Xfinity Series race at Daytona. The race will have a 38-car field.

Justin Haley is the only full-time Cup driver entered. He will drive the No. 10 for Kaulig Racing.

The season opener marks the return to the Xfinity Series for Cole Custer, who will drive the No. 00 after running a full Cup schedule the past three seasons. He finished second in Xfinity points in 2018 and ’19.

This race marks Brandon Jones‘ first with JR Motorsports after moving there from Joe Gibbs Racing. Jones has finished in the top 10 in Xfinity points each of the past five seasons.

Forty-two trucks are entered for Friday night’s race at Daytona. The race will have a 36-truck field.

Chase Elliott and Corey