NASCAR Daytona 500 2018: Key information for 'The Great American Race'
It's NASCAR race day at Daytona International Speedway, and we've got all the information you need to get ready for today's 60th annual Daytona 500, the season-opener of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.
START TIME: Newly retired NASCAR superstar and two-time Daytona 500 winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. will instruct drivers to start their engines at 2:53 p.m. ET, while retired NFL quarterback Peyton Manning will drive the pace car leading the field around the track. Academy Award winning actress Charlize Theron will wave the green flag at 3:05 p.m. ET.
RACE DISTANCE: The Daytona 500 is 200 laps around the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway for a total of 500 miles.
RACE STAGES: After a successful run last season, NASCAR will once again be dividing races into segments and handing out points. Here are the stages for today's race: Stage 1: 60 laps, Stage 2: 60 laps, Stage 3: 80 laps.