How the field is set for the Daytona 500
The procedure has changed from the past several years:
• Sunday's two-lap qualifying determined the first two spots, pole-sitter Danica Patrick and Jeff Gordon.
• Grid spots 3-32 are determined by Thursday's two 150-mile qualifiers. The top 15 in each qualifying race make the field, as does the 16th-place driver if a driver who is already qualified finishes in the top 15 of their duel.
• Spots 33-36 are set by the four fastest remaining qualifying speeds.
• Spots 37-42 are for the highest ranking cars in 2012 owners' points not yet qualified.
• The 43rd, and final, spot could go to a former Sprint Cup series champion who doesn't get in any other way. If all previous champions race their way in or qualify on speed, the final spot goes to the highest ranking car in 2012 owners' points not yet qualified.
Speedweeks schedule
Thursday
9 a.m. — NASCAR Nationwide practice
10:15 — Nationwide practice
12:10 p.m. — NASCAR truck practice
2 — Sprint Cup Budweiser Duel 150s (two races, 60 laps and 150 miles each), TV: Speed
Friday
11 a.m. — Daytona 500 practice
12:30 p.m. — Daytona 500 practice
1:40 — NASCAR truck qualifying (two laps, all positions)
3:35 — NASCAR Nationwide qualifying (two laps, all positions)
7:30 — NASCAR trucks NextEra Energy Resources 250 (100 laps, 250 miles) TV: Speed Channel
Saturday
10:30 a.m. — Final Daytona 500 practice
1:15 p.m. — NASCAR Nationwide DRIVE4COPD 300 (120 laps, 300 miles) TV: ESPN
Sunday
1 — Sprint Cup Daytona 500 (200 laps, 500 miles) TV: Ch. 13
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