NASCAR moves Daytona 500 qualifying to Feb. 6, avoids conflict with Super Bowl

Daytona 500 qualifying avoids Super Bowl conflict

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Qualifying for next season’s Daytona 500 will be held one day earlier than usual, a move that avoids running the session on the same day as the Super Bowl.

The top two spots for NASCAR’s biggest race of the year are typically held the first Sunday of “Speedweeks.” But the NFL moved the Super Bowl back one week in 2010. Although NASCAR’s qualifying would have ended before kickoff, the move avoids any conflicts with the game in Miami.

Qualifying will be part of a Saturday triple-header at Daytona that includes the exhibition Budweiser Shootout and the season-opening ARCA race.