NASCAR: Daytona 500 entry list creating excitement for 2021 NASCAR season

The Daytona 500 is NASCAR's version of the Super Bowl and it has earned that moniker for a reason. It's the great American race, the official start of the NASCAR season, and features some of the best racing on the Cup Series schedule. If nothing else, The Daytona 500 is a very special race.

So special in fact that this year's entry list for the season opener has everyone from former veterans, to budding young guns looking to take a shot at it. All for a chance to hoist up that Harley J. Earl trophy at the end of the day and proudly secure themselves a spot in stockcar history.

While the obvious names of Chase Elliott, Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch, Bubba Wallace Jr, Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano and more are all there, the list features some unusual names as well. Some are guys that NASCAR fans thought they would never see take another lap.

Just take 62 year old Derrick Cope for example, who won the race in 1990, but hasn't competed in the Cup Series for 2 years. Cope will join Cody Ware, Josh Bilicki, and Joey Gase. The best part is that due to the charter system, all 4 drivers will have a guaranteed spot in the field.

Then there's Jamie McMurray, who is only 1 year into his retirement, and seems to have the racing bug again. Fortunately for McMurray, Spire Motorsports also have a charter, giving him a guaranteed spot in the race as well. Of course he won't be in the same equipment that won him the race in 2010, but he will at least have a chance.

As for drivers like Noah Gragson, David Ragan, Ty Dillion, Ryan Preece, Kaz Grala, Austin Cindric, Chad Finchum and Timmy Hill, they will all be forced to fight for a spot in the race. That process will all start the day after The Clash race, and will consists of all entries running 2 laps and being timed.

After the qualifying results are in the field will then be divided up for the the duel races that coming Thursday. These races will determine the rest of the field for the race. All one of the drivers listed above have to do to guarantee themselves a spot in the Great American race is qualify well, and finish above other non charter teams in the qualifying race.

In the end, there are a lot of big names in this year's great American race, and a lot of others trying to get in. With that in mind, and restrictor plate racing being notorious for leveling the playing field, one can only imagine what kind of scenarios fans will see play out during speedweeks.

Below is the official entry list for the Daytona 500

Chip Ganassi Racing: #1 Kurt Busch #42 Ross Chastain

Front Row Motorsports #34 Michael McDowell #38 Anthony Alfredo

Joe Gibbs Racing: #11 Denny Hamlin #18 Kyle Busch #19 Martin Truex Jr #20 Christopher Bell.

Hendrick Motorsports: #5 Kyle Larson #9 Chase Elliott #48 William Byron #88 Alex Bowman

JTG Daugherty Racing: #47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr

Live fast Motorsports: #78 BJ McLeod

Team Penske: #2 Brad Keselowski #12 Ryan Blaney #22 Joey Logano

Richard Childress Racing: #3 Austin Dillion. #8 Tyler Reddick

Richard Petty Motorsports: #43 Erik Jones

Rick Ware Racing: #15 Derrick Cope #51 Cody Ware #52 John Bilicki #53 Joey Gase.

Roush Fenway Racing: #6 Ryan Newman #17 Chris Buescher

Spire Motorsports: #7 Corey Lajoie #77 Jamie McMurray

Starcom Racing:#00 Quin Houff

Stewart Haas Racing: #4 Kevin Harvick #10 Aric Almirola #14 Chase Briscoe #41 Cole Custer

Trackhouse Racing: #99 Daniel Suarez

Below are the list of drivers that aren't guaranteed a spot in the Great American race based off the charter system. They will either need to qualify on the pole, or finish higher than other non charter drivers in the duel races.

Beard Motorsports: #62 Noah Gragson

Front Row Motorsports: #36 David Ragan

Gaunt Brothers Racing: #96 Ty Dillion

JTG Daugherty Racing: #37 Ryan Preece

Kaulig Racing: #16 Kaz Grala

Team Penske: #33 Austin Cindric

Motorsports Business Management: #49 Chad Finchum #66 Timmy Hill