DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – NASCAR’s Daytona 500 – also known as The Great America Race – is Sunday, Feb. 16, at Daytona International Speedway. The race now begins at 1:30 p.m. (it was moved up an hour) due to the potential for rain on Sunday afternoon (we’ll get into that in a bit).
Ahead of the race, there are three big questions:
How to watch the 2025 NASCAR Daytona 500 race?
Race fans can watch the Daytona 500 on FOX, including FOX 35 Orlando, as well as in the FOX Sports app. The race itself will not be streamed in the FOX Local app.
FOX 35 Orlando will have pre-race coverage at Daytona International Speedway from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. on FOX 35 Orlando and in the FOX Local app, as well as a FOX Local-only broadcast from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
FOX’s coverage begins at 11:30 a.m. The race now starts at 1:30 p.m. after it moved earlier due to the potential for weather in the afternoon (it was originally scheduled to start at 2:30 p.m.). Click here to view FOX’s TV schedule.
Daytona 500 Weather Forecast
What to expect:
This is the big question. Will it be sunny and dry, or will it rain?
According to the latest forecast models, it is expected to be windy on Sunday, and there is increasing chances for rain and showers during the afternoon hours, which could impact the Daytona 500.
Orlando AM Weather Forecast: February 15, 2025
A warm front is lifting through the area, bringing a few showers to Central Florida. Meteorologist T.J. Springer lets us know how long they stick around and when rain looks to arrive for the Daytona 500.
“The race will likely start dry but could get postponed with hit or miss showers and embedded storms between 3 – 6 p.m.,” said FOX 35 meteorologist T.J. Springer, ahead of a cold front pushing across Florida.
Highs are expected to be in the 80s. Wind gusts expected to be between 30-35 mph
Is President Donald Trump coming to the Daytona 500?
President Donald Trump flew from Washington D.C. to West Palm Beach, Florida, on Friday night, where his famous Mar-A-Lago estate is located, according to his official White House Castle.
Ahead of the Daytona 500 race, the FAA has published advanced Temporary Flight Restrictions, TFRs for short, for both West Palm Beach and Daytona Beach airports for “VIP Movement.” The TFRs correlate to the Daytona 500 race and Trump’s weekend in Florida.
So, while unconfirmed, is it highly anticipated and speculative that President Trump will attend the race. If he does, it would be the second time as president that he would have attended the event.
President Trump – then the 45th President of the United States – attended the 2020 Daytona 500 and served as Grand Marshal with First Lady and wife Melania Trump.
President Trump delivered a few remarks before the race – and then delivered the ionic line for the drivers to start their engines.
“The Daytona 500 is the legendary display of roaring engines, soaring spirits and the American skill, speed and power that we’ve been hearing about for so many years,” Trump said, according to previous FOX 35 News reporting.
He called fans present at the racetrack “patriots,” adding that “NASCAR fans never forget that no matter who wins the race, what matters most is God, family and country.”
The Trumps then took a couple of laps around the racetrack in the presidential limo, dubbed “The Beast.”
When is the Daytona 500?
The Daytona 500 race will be held on Sunday, Feb. 16, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. The race starts at 1:30 p.m. (It was moved up an hour due to the potential for weather on Sunday afternoon).
How long is the race?
The Daytona 500 is a 500-mile race. Daytona International Speedway is a 2.5-mile track, which means it takes 200 laps to hit the 500-mile milestone.
Who has won the Daytona 500?
- 2024: William Byron
- 2023: Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
- 2022: Austin Cindric
- 2021: Michael McDowell
- 2020: Denny Hamlin
- 2019: Denny Hamlin
- 2018: Austin Dillon
- 2017: Kurt Busch
- 2016: Denny Hamlin
- 2015: Joey Logano
- 2014: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
- 2013: Jimmie Johnson
- 2012: Matt Kenseth
- 2011: Trevor Bayne
- 2010: Jamie McMurray
- 2009: Matt Kenseth
- 2008: Ryan Newman
- 2007: Kevin Harvick
- 2006: Jimmie Johnson
- 2005: Jeff Gordon
- 2004: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
- 2003: Michael Waltrip
- 2002: Ward Burton
- 2001: Michael Waltrip
- 2000: Dale Jarrett
- 1999: Jeff Gordon
- 1998: Dale Earnhardt
- 1997: Jeff Gordon
- 1996: Dale Jarrett
- 1995: Sterling Marlin
- 1994: Sterling Marlin
- 1993: Dale Jarrett
- 1992: Davey Allison
- 1991: Ernie Irvan
- 1990: Derrike Cope
- 1989: Darrell Waltrip
- 1988: Bobby Allison
- 1987: Bill Elliott
- 1986: Geoff Bodine
- 1985: Bill Elliott
- 1984: Cale Yarborough
- 1983: Cale Yarborough
- 1982: Bobby Allison
- 1981: Richard Petty
- 1980: Buddy Baker
- 1979: Richard Petty
- 1978: Bobby Allison
- 1977: Cale Yarborough
- 1976: David Pearson
- 1975: Benny Parsons
- 1974: Richard Petty
- 1973: Richard Petty
- 1972: A.J. Foyt
- 1971: Richard Petty
- 1970: Pete Hamilton
- 1969: LeeRoy Yarbrough
- 1968: Cale Yarborough
- 1967: Mario Andretti
- 1966: Richard Petty
- 1965: Fred Lorenzen
- 1964: Richard Petty
- 1963: Tiny Lund
- 1962: Glenn “Fireball” Roberts
- 1961: Marvin Panch
- 1960: Junior Johnson
- 1959: Lee Petty
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The Source: The information in this story comes from NASCAR, Daytona 500, Daytona International Speedway, previous FOX 35 reporting, and the FAA.
