The Daytona 500 week is officially underway, and Denny Hamlin wasted no time making a statement in the lone practice session before Wednesday night’s qualifying. The three-time Daytona 500 champion rocketed to the top of the speed charts, posting a blistering 187.480 mph (48.005 seconds) in his 19-lap run—and sending a clear message that he’s gunning for yet another Harley J. Earl Trophy.
Hamlin wasn’t the only Toyota flexing early speed. His 23XI Racing teammate Bubba Wallace was second-fastest at 186.916 mph, while Joe Gibbs Racing’s Ty Gibbs clocked in third at 186.370 mph, making it a Toyota-heavy top three.
Full Top 10 from Practice
| Rank | Driver | Speed (mph) |
|---|---|---|
| 1️⃣ | Denny Hamlin | 187.480 |
| 2️⃣ | Bubba Wallace | 186.916 |
| 3️⃣ | Ty Gibbs | 186.370 |
| 4️⃣ | Chandler Smith | 186.177 |
| 5️⃣ | John Hunter Nemechek | 186.100 |
| 6️⃣ | Riley Herbst | 186.097 |
| 7️⃣ | Daniel Suárez | 184.642 |
| 8️⃣ | Noah Gragson | 184.294 |
| 9️⃣ | Erik Jones | 184.188 |
| 🔟 | Kyle Busch | 183.707 |
Chandler Smith, who placed fourth, is one of nine drivers who must earn a Daytona 500 starting spot either through qualifying or the Duels, making his practice speed a crucial confidence boost.
Notable Performances & Struggles
- Helio Castroneves, the four-time Indy 500 winner making his Daytona 500 debut with Trackhouse Racing, put in an impressive effort, clocking in at 12th-fastest after 13 laps on track.
- Shane van Gisbergen, the three-time Supercars champion beginning his first full NASCAR season, finished 17th-fastest—a solid debut in a stock car on a superspeedway.
- Defending Daytona 500 winner William Byron struggled to find pace, coming in at 22nd-fastest.
- Martin Truex Jr. (31st), Jimmie Johnson (32nd), and Justin Allgaier (36th) all have work to do, as they must qualify into the race either by speed tonight or in the Duels.
With only 45 cars entered and just 40 starting spots available, five drivers will go home after the Duel races.
Technical Troubles Strike Early
For some teams, this practice session was a lifesaver, uncovering mechanical issues that could have been disastrous if discovered during qualifying or the Duels.
- Brad Keselowski’s RFK Racing Ford Mustang suffered a steering issue, sending smoke out of the car while on track.
- A handful of other teams reported minor gremlins, but most were able to complete valuable laps before tonight’s single-car qualifying.
Meanwhile, two teams skipped practice entirely:
- Michael McDowell and Justin Haley (Spire Motorsports) opted to keep their cars parked for the session.
What’s Next? Daytona 500 Qualifying at 8:15 PM ET
The Daytona 500 front row will be decided tonight in single-car qualifying at 8:15 PM ET, with the rest of the field set through Thursday’s Bluegreen Vacations Duels.
With Hamlin showing dominant pace early, the question remains—can he lock in pole position, or will Hendrick Motorsports continue their front-row dominance at Daytona?
One thing is certain—the Great American Race is already delivering drama before the green flag even drops.
