NASCAR Daytona 500 2018: Key information for 'The Great American Race'

It's NASCAR race day at Daytona International Speedway, and we've got all the information you need to get ready for today's 60th annual Daytona 500, the season-opener of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.

START TIME: Newly retired NASCAR superstar and two-time Daytona 500 winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. will instruct drivers to start their engines at 2:53 p.m. ET, while retired NFL quarterback Peyton Manning will drive the pace car leading the field around the track. Academy Award winning actress Charlize Theron will wave the green flag at 3:05 p.m. ET.

RACE DISTANCE: The Daytona 500 is 200 laps around the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway for a total of 500 miles.

RACE STAGES: After a successful run last season, NASCAR will once again be dividing races into segments and handing out points. Here are the stages for today's race: Stage 1: 60 laps, Stage 2: 60 laps, Stage 3: 80 laps.

NATIONAL ANTHEM: The Navy Band Southeast will perform the national anthem at 2:46 p.m. ET followed by a flyover by the United States Air Force Thunderbirds.

TV/RADIO SCHEDULE: Fox will broadcast the race and has a pre-race show beginning at 1 p.m. ET. The Motor Racing Network and Sirius/XM NASCAR Radio will call the event on the radio.

SUNDAY:Spotlight for 60th Daytona 500 is on youth movement

DAYTONA 500 AT 60:Bill France Sr.'s big dreams remain vibrant

MORE:Five unforgettable moments in the Daytona 500

WEATHER: The Weather Channel is calling for a gorgeous day in Daytona Beach with mostly sunny skies, a high of 74 degrees and a slim 5% chance of precipitation.

DANICA DOUBLE: Danica Patrick will make her final career NASCAR start today before ending her racing career where it began — at the Indianapolis 500 in May. Patrick's best career finish in the Daytona 500 is an eighth-place showing in 2013 when she started from the pole.

LAST TIME: Kurt Busch led just one lap — the final one — to score his first career victory in NASCAR's biggest race. Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Kevin Harvick led the most laps (50) but finished 22nd. Their were eight cautions last year, and 15 cars crrashed out of the race.

LINEUP: Alex Bowman, who took over the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet when Earnhardt Jr. retired, will start from the pole alongside 2016 Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing.

Here is the lineup for the 60th annual Daytona 500 (car number in parentheses):

1. (88) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet

2. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota

3. (12) Ryan Blaney, Ford

4. (9) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet

5. (22) Joey Logano, Ford

6. (4) Kevin Harvick, Ford

7. (43) Darrell Wallace Jr., Chevrolet

8. (20) Erik Jones, Toyota

9. (17) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ford

10. (14) Clint Bowyer, Ford

11. (41) Kurt Busch, Ford

12. (18) Kyle Busch, Toyota

13. (31) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet

14. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet

15. (38) David Ragan, Ford

16. (21) Paul Menard, Ford

17. (19) Daniel Suarez, Toyota

18. (6) Trevor Bayne, Ford

19. (1) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet

20. (47) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet

21. (37) Chris Buescher, Chevrolet

22. (34) Michael McDowell, Ford

23. (13) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet

24. (78) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota

25. (62) Brendan Gaughan, Chevrolet

26. (95) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet

27. (00) Jeffrey Earnhardt, Chevrolet

28. (7) Danica Patrick, Chevrolet

29. (51) Justin Marks, Chevrolet

30. (96) DJ Kennington, Toyota

31. (2) Brad Keselowski, Ford

32. (72) Corey LaJoie, Chevrolet

33. (24) William Byron Chevrolet

34. (23) Gray Gaulding, Toyota

35. (48) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet

36. (32) Matt DiBenedetto, Ford

37. (10) Aric Almirola, Ford

38. (42) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet

39. (92) David Gilliland, Ford

40. (66) Mark Thompson, Ford