2026 Daytona 500 Practice Results: Austin Cindric paces opening practice

Austin Cindric topped the speed charts during the opening practice session for the 2026 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway, setting the pace as teams prepare for the prestigious stock car race. The Team Penske driver posted a lap speed of 192.451 mph in his No. 2 Ford, demonstrating strong early form at the iconic 2.5-mile superspeedway. Cindric's performance places him among the early favorites for the 'Great American Race,' which will take place in February 2026. The practice session saw competitive action from across the NASCAR Cup Series garage, with several championship contenders showing strong speed. Notably, last year's Daytona 500 winner, Ryan Blaney, secured the second-fastest position with a lap of 192.312 mph in his No. 12 Ford, while Christopher Bell rounded out the top three with a speed of 192.187 mph in his No. 23 Toyota.