DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Speedweeks may not be as extensive as it once was, but it still keeps drivers incredibly busy as they move from session to session. Yet, this part of the season is still their favorite.
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They have the excitement of fresh opportunities to win races, and they are just ready to get back behind the wheel after a brief offseason.
"I enjoy coming down and just doing stuff all week," Ricky Stenhouse Jr. told FanBuzz. "My schedule is slammed, but I love it. We haven't been doing a whole lot (over the offseason)."
By the end of #Daytona500 Media Day, some drivers were worn out. @StenhouseJr was not among this group.
He loves this part of the season, and he still misses the multi-week Speedweeks schedule. pic.twitter.com/LC8nipTLTM— John Newby (@JohnNewby_) February 11, 2026
Daytona 500 week is unlike any other part of the schedule for the drivers. They have exponentially more media obligations and far more track sessions. They don't have any downtime from Wednesday through Sunday. This could also extend into Monday if the weather doesn't cooperate.
Some drivers really enjoy Media Day. Others really like the final laps of the Daytona 500, provided they haven't crashed already.
Some, like Cole Custer, just want to watch the Duel race and figure out which Open cars are making the race. They also love thinking about the history of the sport each time they head to central Florida.
Each driver has a favorite part of the very busy week. It all just depends on which one you ask.
"The best part to me is probably the Duel tomorrow night," two-time Daytona 500 champion William Byron said. "When you get in that race, you get the juices flowing again; you feel those feelings again. That is almost more intense than the 500 in some ways.
"I feel like those first couple laps of the Duel, you're getting your bearings and there's a lot happening quickly. Yeah, I look forward to that more than anything."
The competitive side of the week is truly appealing to many drivers, but this is not a universal favorite. Some drivers embrace the time behind the scenes, far away from the cameras.
This group includes Chris Buescher and Ryan Blaney, who both appreciate the extended time with their crew members.
I've asked quite a few drivers today for their favorite part of this marathon week. Chris Buescher gave me an answer I didn't expect. pic.twitter.com/VIzcyH9o2R
— John Newby (@JohnNewby_) February 11, 2026
"This week is special when we all know what we're racing for, but to kick off the year and working with your guys through the week and working through practice and getting ready for the Duel," Blaney said. "I love that type of stuff. It's different than preparing at the shop during the week and having those meetings.
"Once we're finally here and now we're competing, and I just love the camaraderie that everyone has with each other, getting to joke around and work through things with the 15 people that go to battle with you every weekend."
A key part of the Daytona 500 experience is the astounding number of people in attendance. This race has sold out 11 years in a row, and it has drawn in celebrities from different industries.
Yes, people such as Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Matthew McConaughey, and Anthony Mackie have been at the track while fulfilling roles as dignitaries.
Others have just taken in the sights and sounds of the Great American Race. This includes such names as James Caan, Tom Segura, Tom Cruise, Cuba Gooding Jr., and Drew Carey.
The amount of people and big names at the track could overwhelm some drivers. After all, they want to get in the right mindset for the biggest race of the year. Stopping for selfies or conversations could disrupt this process.
But some of the drivers have an extra appreciation for this aspect of the Daytona 500 week.
Noah Gragson told me earlier today that his favorite part of the race week is pre-race. The grid is packed, celebrities are everywhere, and he's having fun with fans.
So I followed up by asking about the celebrity interactions. pic.twitter.com/uickpK0VCo— John Newby (@JohnNewby_) February 11, 2026
"My absolute favorite part is the 30-45 minutes leading up to the race," Noah Gragson said. "Going to the driver's meeting and seeing all the celebrities, all the people that are here, all the partners. I meet with them all day, walking out to driver intros. You're kind of the main character in that sense, at least 40 of us are, and it's pretty awesome to just literally be surrounded.
"It's kind of like when you played soccer as a kid and the parents would do the little tunnel that you'd run through as a kid. That's the coolest part and I kind of feel that way when you walk out to driver intros. There are just people everywhere. I feed off the attention of people and the fans. I love the fans. It's sick when they're all out there. It's super cool."
Now that Media Day is complete, the drivers are back in the swing of the NASCAR season. They have 38 races ahead of them, along with countless media sessions and time in the simulator.
Sure, some weeks will be a grind, especially if they are struggling to be competitive. But nothing will ever erase their love of the packed Daytona 500 schedule.
