Daytona 500 2019: Key information for the NASCAR Cup Series season-opener

It's NASCAR race day at Daytona International Speedway, and we've got all the information you need to get ready for today's 61st annual Daytona 500, the season-opener of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series:

START TIME: 2:30 p.m. ET.

Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt will instruct drivers to start their engines, while Dale Earnhardt Jr. will drive the pace car (Chevrolet Silverado truck) leading the field around the track. 

GREEN FLAG: New England Patriots wide receiver and Super Bowl LIII MVP Julian Edelman will wave the flag to start the race at 3:05 p.m. ET.

TV: Fox. Pre-race broadcast begins at 1 p.m ET.

RADIO: Motor Racing Network. STREAMING: Fox Sports Go.

RACE DISTANCE: 200 laps around the 2.5-mile track for a total of 500 miles.

STAGE LENGTHS (laps per stage): Stage 1: 60, Stage 2: 60, Stage 3: 80.

WEATHER: Absolutely ideal. The Weather Channel is calling for mostly sunny skies with highs in the low 80s.

LAST TIME: Austin Dillon captured his first Daytona 500 win, taking the checkered flag in overtime after bumping and spinning race leader Aric Almirola on the white-flag lap. The Richard Childress Racing driver took the iconic No. 3 to victory lane 20 years after Dale Earnhardt Sr. captured his lone Daytona 500 title in the same car for Childress.

JOHNSON:Seven-time champ fired up for new season, crew chief

PREVIEW:Top drivers seek missing prize -- Daytona 500 triumph

NASCAR:Enters new era, moves on from Brian France

PLACE YOUR BET:Can gambling boost flagging interest in NASCAR?

ALL-TIME WINNERS:Daytona 500 champions by year

DAYTONA 500:Five unforgettable moments; five spectacular drivers

LINEUP: William Byron won his first career NASCAR Cup Series pole last Sunday and will start on the front row alongside Hendrick Motorsports teammate Alex Bowman, the 2018 pole winner.

Here is the lineup for the 61st annual Daytona 500 (car number in parentheses; x-one of the four open teams that made the field.):

1. (24) William Byron, Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports

2. (88) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports

3. (4) Kevin Harvick, Ford, Stewart-Haas Racing

4. (22) Joey Logano, Ford, Team Penske

5. (17) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ford, Roush Fenway Racing

6. (14) Clint Bowyer, Ford, Stewart-Haas Racing

7. (21) Paul Menard, Ford, Wood Brothers Racing

8. (10) Aric Almirola, Ford, Stewart-Haas Racing 

9. (95) Matt DiBenedetto, Toyota, Leavine Family Racing

10. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing

11. (19) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing

12. (1) Kurt Busch, Chevrolet, Chip Ganassi Racing

13. (47) Bubba Wallace, Chevrolet, Richard Petty Motorsports

14. (12) Ryan Blaney, Ford, Team Penske

15. (37) Chris Buescher, Chevrolet, JTG Daugherty Racing

16. (40) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, Spire Motorsports

17. (48) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports

18. (9) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports

19. (6) Ryan Newman, Ford, Roush Fenway Racing

20. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing

21. (47) Ryan Preece, Chevrolet, JTG Daugherty Racing

22. (13) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, Germain Racing

23. (41) Daniel Suarez, Ford, Stewart-Haas Racing

24. (38) David Ragan, Ford, Front Row Motorsports

25. (96) x-Parker Kligerman, Toyota, Gaunt Brothers Racing

26. (42) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, Chip Ganassi Racing

27. (00) Landon Cassill, Chevrolet, Starcom Racing

28. (20) Erik Jones, Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing

29. (8) Daniel Hemric, Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing

30. (62) x-Brendan Gaughan, Chevrolet, Beard Motorsports

31. (18) Kyle Busch, Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing

32. (32) Corey LaJoie, Ford, GO FAS Racing

33. (36) Matt Tifft, Ford, Front Row Motorsports

34. (34) Michael McDowell, Ford, Front Row Motorsports

35. (2) Brad Keselowski, Ford, Team Penske

36. (15) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, Premium Motorsports

37. (52) Cody Ware, Chevrolet, Rick Ware Racing

38. (51) BJ McLeod, Ford, Petty Ware Racing

39. (31) x-Tyler Reddick, Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing

40. (27) x-Casey Mears, Chevrolet, Germain Racing

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