NASCAR isn’t easing into 2026; it is draping the sport in red, white, and blue, beginning with the Daytona Duels. For decades, these races have been sponsored by brands like Gatorade, Budweiser, and Can-Am. Now, instead of corporate branding, NASCAR is leaning hard into patriotism, and it is not subtle.

The Great American Race undergoes a massive name change

According to the official Daytona 500 flyer, the longtime Daytona Duels are getting a star-spangled makeover, rebranding as the America 250 Florida Duels at Daytona.

The prestige is set to return to the Daytona International Speedway, which will open and close the NASCAR Cup Series regular season next year. And the president of Daytona International Speedway, Frank Kelleher, is more than excited.

“Winning the DAYTONA 500 is the pinnacle of our sport – the race every driver wants most,” he said. “A championship is a career milestone, but the DAYTONA 500 stands alone. Opening the season with the DAYTONA 500 and closing the regular season with one last shot to race into the NASCAR Playoffs keeps The World Center of Racing at the heart of sport’s biggest moments.”

However, the name change doesn’t take away from the prestige.

The change ties directly to the 250th anniversary of the United States, with Florida playing a major role through the America 250 SL initiative.

In other words, the Duels aren’t just qualifying races anymore; they are being folded into a nationwide celebration. NASCAR is positioning Speedweeks as part of a broader American moment, turning the buildup to the Daytona 500 into something bigger than lap times and starting spots.

The move fits a familiar pattern. NASCAR has never been shy about wrapping its biggest events in patriotic imagery, from military flyers to anthem-heavy pre-race ceremonies.

Daytona already brands itself as the great American race, slapping American 250 onto the Duels to crank the identity up another notch. It’s a clear signal. NASCAR wants these races to feel less like midweek problems and more like a national showcase.

For those who still call them the Duel Twin 125s, the new name could feel more like marketing muscle than meaning for tradition.

Whether this patriotic push adds significance or is just another layer of branding will be revealed soon enough, but NASCAR has made one thing clearer: in 2026, even qualifying races are part of the show.

And San Diego is just one aspect of it. However, amid all these celebrations, one can expect big things from Garage 66 as well.

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Garage 66 is set for the Daytona 500 race

Against this backdrop, Garage 66 has laid out an ambitious roadmap for the 2026 season, with team owner Carl Long offering fresh insight during a recent appearance on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Long detailed the team’s plans for the Daytona 500 and also touched on MBM Motorsports’ growing footprint in the NASCAR truck series.

The Cup Series outfit endured a turbulent season this year. Garage 66 initially planned to attempt the date on a 500 with 65-year-old Mike Wallace behind the wheel, but NASCAR denied the entry due to Wallace’s extended absence from competition.

“As for the team’s #NASCAR Truck Series program, Long says MBM has acquired some trucks from FRM (including the truck that Chandler Smith won North Wilkesboro with). Tyler Tomassi will run Daytona, as previously announced, with more to come on the program at a later date,” a journalist confirmed.

Scrambling for an alternative, the team turned to Chandler Smith, only for their Daytona hopes to unravel after Smith was caught up in a crash during the Duels and failed to qualify for the main event.

Several drivers cycled through the No. 66 car throughout the season, including Chad Finchum, David Starr, and Josh Bilicki.

Casey Mears ultimately closed down the final three races of the year, reaching the milestone of 500 career Cup starts and posting Garage 66’s best finish of the season with an 18th-place run at Talladega. However, they are looking forward to the Daytona run more than anything else.