Daytona 500 qualifying: How open drivers like Martin Truex Jr. can make the field

NASCAR's Daytona 500 on FOX has a unique qualifying format. It isn’t the simplest to understand. 

Adding to the complicated qualifying procedures is a new rule that could add (but doesn't guarantee) a 41st car to what — in recent years — has normally been a 40-car field.

We’ll try to break everything down here on how the field is set for the Feb. 16 race at Daytona International Speedway:

— The 36 drivers of chartered cars are in the race. Here's the list of drivers: AJ Allmendinger, Christopher Bell, Josh Berry, Ryan Blaney, Alex Bowman, Chase Briscoe, Chris Buescher, Kyle Busch, William Byron, Ross Chastain, Austin Cindric, Cole Custer, Austin Dillon, Ty Dillon, Chase Elliott, Ty Gibbs, Todd Gilliland, Noah Gragson, Justin Haley, Denny Hamlin, Riley Herbst, Carson Hocevar, Erik Jones, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, Michael McDowell, John Hunter Nemechek, Ryan Preece, Tyler Reddick, Zane Smith, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Daniel Suarez, Shane van Gisbergen, Bubba Wallace and Cody Ware.

— The remaining spots are then filled by the non-chartered open cars. With the garage not opening until Wednesday morning, there is the possibility of additional entries, but there are nine open drivers expected to enter. Here's the list of expected drivers: Anthony Alfredo, Justin Allgaier, Helio Castroneves, Jimmie Johnson, Corey LaJoie, B.J. McLeod, Chandler Smith, Martin Truex Jr. and JJ Yeley.

The open drivers earn their spots in two ways. They can either get in by being the highest-finishing open driver in their qualifying race on Thursday. Or if they don’t advance through their qualifying race, they can get in by being one of the top-two open cars (not including those who advanced through the qualifying race) in single-car