The 2026 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway will feature a full field of 41 entries, meaning that only one driver will fail to make the race.
Among those fighting for the limited spots are Joey Gase in the No. 44 Chevrolet, Casey Mears in the No. 62 Chevrolet for Beard Motorsports, Gray Gaulding in the No. 66 Ford, Corey Heim in the No. 67 Toyota, and Daniel Dye in the No. 78 Chevrolet.
Qualifying will be split into two rounds; the slowest of the five contenders in the single‑car session will be knocked out, and only the top ten will advance to the final round.
Should rain or another weather event force a cancellation of qualifying, the same five drivers will again be barred from the event, a scenario that has already knocked Mears out of the field in previous years.
Team performance data shows Mears’ No. 62 Chevrolet sits 44th in the series standings, while the other four competitors are positioned 41st, 40th and 38th respectively. Meanwhile, Corey Heim has already claimed two victories this season despite only eight starts.
A High‑Stakes Finale
The outcome will not only determine who makes the final grid but also impact playoff implications for several teams as the season draws to a close.
The race is scheduled for August 29, with NBC set to broadcast the action live beginning at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
Fans can expect a dramatic showdown on the 2.5‑mile superspeedway, where drafting and aerodynamic balance will be crucial.