NASCAR Quietly Renames the Daytona Duels After Sponsorship Falls Through

NASCAR has slyly renamed the iconic Daytona Duels after the usual sponsors of the race fall through and refuse to pay the asking fee.

NASCAR Quietly Renames the Daytona Duels After Sponsorship Falls Through

The Daytona Duels (via NASCAR)

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The Daytona 500 twin qualifying races, which were commonly known as the Daytona Duels, have received a massive title change ahead of the beginning of the 2026 season. The iconic race kept its name for multiple decades and was a highly revered destination for drivers to win. However, now, following a fallout with the common sponsors such as Gatorade, Budweiser, and Can-Am, the sport has decided to change the name completely.

NASCAR is currently going through a difficult phase financially and losing the trust of many people in the sport. The 23XI-FRM charter lawsuit was definitely one of the more challenging moments for the sport in recent times. Since the case revealed many shocking things about the leadership of NASCAR, some sponsors feel obliged to take a step back and rethink their sponsorship options.

In a shocking turn of events, the common sponsors of the Daytona Duels have refused to pay the asking fee to include their name in the titles as the sport looked for other options. NASCAR did not publicly announce the news; rather, they slyly changed the name and revealed it on the 2026 Daytona 500 flyer. The new name is now set to be America 250 Florida Duels at Daytona.

It will certainly be a bit mouthful for the people who are used to the old and short name of the Daytona Duels. Amid the sport losing core audiences because of its money-hungry business model, this name change will definitely upset many old fans. The 2026 season might also reportedly witness changes to the playoff format. This change is being seen as a positive change by many people, and it will be very exciting to witness what the sport has in store next.

Daytona Speedway President opens up on the shocking name change

The President of Daytona International Speedway, Frank Kelleher, is in favor of the change despite many old fans seemingly against the renaming of the iconic race. Kelleher pointed out how historic Daytona actually is and the depth it holds in the hearts and minds of many people in NASCAR. He boldly claimed that winning the Daytona 500 was the pinnacle of NASCAR, something that every driver wants to achieve.

Bubba Wallace winning at Daytona 500 (via USA Today)
Bubba Wallace winning at Daytona 500 (via USA Today)

Bubba Wallace recently won at the Daytona 500 and was extremely overjoyed at winning such an iconic race. Frank Kelleher continued that winning a NASCAR championship was certainly a milestone, but winning at Daytona was a completely different level of achievement for many. Kelleher highlighted that opening and closing races at Daytona make the racing destination all the more exciting.

Winning the DAYTONA 500 is the pinnacle of our sport – the race every driver wants most, 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.

Frank Kelleher said, as reported by autoracing1.

The 2026 season will witness many changes to NASCAR, as 23XI and FRM will also regain their charter status. The coming season seems action-packed with exciting changes as many drivers hope to remain competitive from the get-go. Despite the uncertainty behind the name change right now, the love for Daytona will remain the same, and fans will show up in the same numbers as before and root for their favorite drivers to win.

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