A. J. Allmendinger works on the track during a NASCAR Daytona 500 practice, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, in Daytona, Fla. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — William Byron will try to win his third straight Daytona 500 on Sunday in front of a sellout crowd.

Daytona International Speedway announced Wednesday that all reserved grandstand seats have been purchased for the 68th running of “The Great American Race.”

Though grandstand tickets and camping are sold out for Sunday’s marquee event, limited upgrades and premium packages are still available. More than 100,000 fans are expected to pack Daytona.

Byron won last year’s event in overtime after race leader Denny Hamlin got spun on the final lap, igniting a multicar crash. Byron ended up passing eight cars on the last lap to return to victory lane.

Comedian Nate Bargatze will serve as the grand marshal and give the command for drivers to start their engines. Actor Kurt Russell is the honorary pace car driver, and country singer Miranda Lambert will perform a prerace concert. Miss America Cassie Donegan will sing the national anthem.

The purse of $31,045,575 is the largest in Daytona 500 history.

Dealing with sadness

Denny Hamlin read all the social media comments and absorbed the warm words from NASCAR fans.

The ones who offered support — first after his defeat in a championship race, then through a wearying offseason that encompassed a federal trial against NASCAR and the death of his father in a house fire — for one of racing’s most divisive drivers and wondered if perhaps his approval rating might be rocketing up.

“It made me feel like I was a champion,” Hamlin said, “even though I didn’t have the ring and the trophy.”

Hamlin might serve as a sympathetic figure to some — perhaps even a conquering hero to others in his fight against NASCAR. He most wants to be known as a winner and insisted he will dig deep to work through his grief and again find the drive to chase his first Cup Series championship, and his fourth Daytona 500 victory.

“I’d be lying if I said I was as highly motivated as I have been in years past,” Hamlin said Wednesday. “It would take some time. Every day at the racetrack is certainly getting there. I’m way too competitive to just go through the motions.”

For a driver taking life day by day, the 45-year-old Hamlin seemingly had a good one hours before NASCAR was ready to determine the pole winner for Daytona 500. He enjoyed the routine that settled him at the track. He was fitted for his Toyota. He practiced. He cracked jokes as he made the rounds at media day.

If the heavy subject matter affected Hamlin, it didn’t show in his answers. Hamlin certainly is at the right track to get right.

Hamlin has mastered Daytona International Speedway with wins for Joe Gibbs Racing in the 2016, 2019 and 2020 Daytona 500s. Cale Yarborough with four wins and Richard Petty with seven are the only drivers with more Daytona 500 victories.

Hamlin came oh-so-close to win No. 4 last season. William Byron won last year’s event in overtime after Hamlin got spun as the race leader on the final lap, igniting a multicar crash. Byron ended up passing eight cars on the last lap to return to victory lane.

He can drive now

NASCAR driver Brad Keselowski was in so much pain following a slip and fall that he briefly contemplated taking a Civil War approach to his broken right leg.

Keselowski says he through about cutting off his leg right here “because it hurt so bad.” He adds that he understands why soldiers “would bring out the hacksaw.” Keselowski suffered the injury when he slipped on ice during a family ski vacation in mid-December.

He spent weeks rehabbing and passed a driving test earlier this week at Charlotte Motor Speedway. He was using a cane — complete with sponsor decals, of course — to get around Daytona International Speedway.

Keselowski said a full recovery will take roughly six months. He added that he won’t know how he will handle the pain until he drives a 60-lap qualifying race today. The toughest part is getting in and out of the car window.