Daytona 500 practice on Tuesday gave teams and drivers the opportunity to figure out the new Next Gen car, as well as prepare for Thursday’s Bluegreen Vacations Duel and Sunday’s race by testing out drafting with their team-mates. As such, many of the fastest times in the two practices were of the same manufacturer. The Fords in particular enjoyed a strong practice as Michael McDowell and Ryan Blaney led contingents of Fords in each session.
McDowell, the defending Daytona 500 winner, led the way in Practice #1 with four other Fords behind him. David Ragan, his former team-mate at Front Row Motorsports and 2011 Daytona 2 winner, was second followed by rookie and FRM driver Todd Gilliland. RFK Racing‘s Brad Keselowski and Chris Buescher followed.
The manufacturer drafting groups continued with Joe Gibbs Racing and 23XI Racing Toyotas rounding out the top ten followed by Hendrick Motorsports and JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolets. Greg Biffle, driving for NY Racing Team, was the fastest of the six non-chartered cars that must qualify or race their ways into the 500.
“We wanted to get out in that group and just kind of play around with the draft and not put ourselves in a bad situation where you’re two or three wide, but just kind of line up so it worked out well,” said McDowell. “We were lined up four or five of the Fords and then we were catching the Toyota pack, so lap time here is very situational on where you get the draft and where you get the runs, but I feel really good about our Ford Mustang. We had good speed and it drove pretty well. It did all the things you’re looking to do with minimal practice and not being in that three, four-wide crazy situation, so I feel good.”
Blaney continued the manufacturer split in Practice #2 as Team Penske team-mate Joey Logano tailed. Unlike the first session, the entire top ten was filled with Fords. Rick Ware Racing‘s Cody Ware, the beneficiary of a new alliance with Ford, was fourth quickest, and he raised eyebrows when fans noticed his lowered window net and raised helmet visor while running in the draft; while both are glaring safety concerns, Formula 4 United States Championship driver Cade McKee commented that the visor being up is not uncommon in sports car racing, and is done if a visor is tinted and the race has a day-to-night transition.
Kaz Grala of the new The Money Team Racing was twenty-second as the fastest Open car in Practice #2. Former IndyCar and Formula One champion Jacques Villeneuve, aiming for his Daytona 500 début, was at the bottom of the charts in both sessions in fortieth and forty-first of forty-two drivers, and he along with those like MBM Motorsports‘ Timmy Hill and J.J. Yeley will need surprisingly fast paces in qualifying or the Duels if they hope to make the race.
Single-car qualifying will take place on Wednesday.
Practice #1 results
| Position | Number | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Best Time | Best Speed (mph) | Laps | Margin |
| 1 | 34 | Michael McDowell | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 46.696 | 192.736 | 25 | Leader |
| 2 | 15 | David Ragan | Rick Ware Racing | Ford | 46.713 | 192.666 | 18 | + 0.017 |
| 3 | 38 | Todd Gilliland | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 46.717 | 192.649 | 20 | + 0.021 |
| 4 | 6 | Brad Keselowski | RFK Racing | Ford | 46.729 | 192.600 | 21 | + 0.033 |
| 5 | 17 | Chris Buescher | RFK Racing | Ford | 46.736 | 192.571 | 22 | + 0.040 |
| 6 | 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 47.075 | 191.184 | 19 | + 0.379 |
| 7 | 23 | Bubba Wallace | 23XI Racing | Toyota | 47.081 | 191.160 | 27 | + 0.385 |
| 8 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 47.083 | 191.152 | 22 | + 0.387 |
| 9 | 45 | Kurt Busch | 23XI Racing | Toyota | 47.085 | 191.144 | 20 | + 0.389 |
| 10 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 47.089 | 191.127 | 27 | + 0.393 |
| 11 | 9 | Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 47.114 | 191.026 | 16 | + 0.418 |
| 12 | 48 | Alex Bowman | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 47.121 | 190.998 | 13 | + 0.425 |
| 13 | 5 | Kyle Larson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 47.133 | 190.949 | 19 | + 0.437 |
| 14 | 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet | 47.386 | 189.930 | 15 | + 0.690 |
| 15 | 20 | Christopher Bell | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 47.497 | 189.486 | 27 | + 0.801 |
| 16 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 47.552 | 189.266 | 16 | + 0.856 |
| 17 | 44 | Greg Biffle* | NY Racing Team | Chevrolet | 47.827 | 188.178 | 10 | + 1.131 |
| 18 | 62 | Noah Gragson* | Beard Motorsports | Chevrolet | 47.850 | 188.088 | 14 | + 1.154 |
| 19 | 51 | Cody Ware | Rick Ware Racing | Ford | 48.496 | 185.582 | 15 | + 1.800 |
| 20 | 24 | William Byron | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 48.556 | 185.353 | 9 | + 1.860 |
| 21 | 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 48.661 | 184.953 | 13 | + 1.965 |
| 22 | 99 | Daniel Suárez | Trackhouse Racing Team | Chevrolet | 48.680 | 184.881 | 10 | + 1.984 |
| 23 | 8 | Tyler Reddick | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 48.788 | 184.472 | 16 | + 2.092 |
| 24 | 16 | Daniel Hemric* | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 48.843 | 184.264 | 7 | + 2.147 |
| 25 | 21 | Harrison Burton | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 49.043 | 183.512 | 7 | + 2.347 |
| 26 | 2 | Austin Cindric | Team Penske | Ford | 49.051 | 183.482 | 10 | + 2.355 |
| 27 | 66 | Timmy Hill* | MBM Motorsports | Ford | 49.202 | 182.919 | 8 | + 2.506 |
| 28 | 7 | Corey LaJoie | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet | 49.240 | 182.778 | 11 | + 2.544 |
| 29 | 10 | Aric Almirola | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 49.280 | 182.630 | 11 | + 2.584 |
| 30 | 1 | Ross Chastain | Trackhouse Racing Team | Chevrolet | 49.285 | 182.611 | 9 | + 2.589 |
| 31 | 42 | Ty Dillon | Petty GMS Motorsports | Chevrolet | 49.329 | 182.448 | 8 | + 2.633 |
| 32 | 14 | Chase Briscoe | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 49.403 | 182.175 | 13 | + 2.707 |
| 33 | 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Ford | 49.410 | 182.149 | 17 | + 2.714 |
| 34 | 55 | J.J. Yeley* | MBM Motorsports | Ford | 49.455 | 181.984 | 14 | + 2.759 |
| 35 | 43 | Erik Jones | Petty GMS Motorsports | Chevrolet | 49.505 | 181.800 | 6 | + 2.809 |
| 36 | 31 | Justin Haley | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 49.646 | 181.283 | 7 | + 2.950 |
| 37 | 41 | Cole Custer | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 49.704 | 181.072 | 6 | + 3.008 |
| 38 | 77 | Landon Cassill* | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet | 49.843 | 180.567 | 11 | + 3.147 |
| 39 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske | Ford | 49.848 | 180.549 | 3 | + 3.152 |
| 40 | 27 | Jacques Villeneueve | Team Hezeberg | Ford | 49.870 | 180.469 | 18 | + 3.174 |
| 41 | 50 | Kaz Grala* | The Money Team Racing | Chevrolet | 50.207 | 179.258 | 5 | + 3.511 |
| 42 | 78 | B.J. McLeod | Live Fast Motorsports | Ford | 50.671 | 177.616 | 1 | + 3.975 |
* – Ineligible for Cup points
Underscore – Open car, have to qualify on time or Duel finish
Practice #2 results
| Position | Number | Driver | Best Time | Best Speed (mph) | Laps | Margin |
| 1 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | 46.732 | 192.588 | 24 | Leader |
| 2 | 22 | Joey Logano | 46.842 | 192.135 | 25 | + 0.110 |
| 3 | 41 | Cole Custer | 47.095 | 191.103 | 17 | + 0.363 |
| 4 | 51 | Cody Ware | 47.096 | 191.099 | 12 | + 0.364 |
| 5 | 17 | Chris Buescher | 47.099 | 191.087 | 16 | + 0.367 |
| 6 | 21 | Harrison Burton | 47.114 | 191.026 | 17 | + 0.382 |
| 7 | 14 | Chase Briscoe | 47.134 | 190.945 | 20 | + 0.402 |
| 8 | 2 | Austin Cindric | 47.135 | 190.941 | 18 | + 0.403 |
| 9 | 6 | Brad Keselowski | 47.146 | 190.896 | 13 | + 0.414 |
| 10 | 10 | Aric Almirola | 47.266 | 190.412 | 21 | + 0.534 |
| 11 | 99 | Daniel Suárez | 48.025 | 187.402 | 18 | + 1.293 |
| 12 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | 48.042 | 187.336 | 24 | + 1.310 |
| 13 | 77 | Landon Cassill* | 48.280 | 186.413 | 13 | + 1.548 |
| 14 | 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 48.358 | 186.112 | 10 | + 1.626 |
| 15 | 8 | Tyler Reddick | 48.401 | 185.947 | 22 | + 1.669 |
| 16 | 31 | Justin Haley | 48.621 | 185.105 | 14 | + 1.889 |
| 17 | 7 | Corey LaJoie | 48.626 | 185.086 | 5 | + 1.894 |
| 18 | 9 | Chase Elliott | 48.738 | 184.661 | 10 | + 2.006 |
| 19 | 5 | Kyle Larson | 48.976 | 183.763 | 5 | + 2.244 |
| 20 | 48 | Alex Bowman | 49.020 | 183.599 | 6 | + 2.288 |
| 21 | 16 | Daniel Hemric* | 49.190 | 182.964 | 6 | + 2.458 |
| 22 | 50 | Kaz Grala* | 49.270 | 182.667 | 11 | + 2.538 |
| 23 | 20 | Christopher Bell | 49.302 | 182.548 | 8 | + 2.570 |
| 24 | 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | 49.308 | 182.526 | 9 | + 2.576 |
| 25 | 1 | Ross Chastain | 49.453 | 181.991 | 2 | + 2.721 |
| 26 | 24 | William Byron | 49.468 | 181.936 | 8 | + 2.736 |
| 27 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | 49.482 | 181.884 | 9 | + 2.750 |
| 28 | 34 | Michael McDowell | 49.505 | 181.800 | 5 | + 2.773 |
| 29 | 45 | Kurt Busch | 49.518 | 181.752 | 7 | + 2.786 |
| 30 | 18 | Kyle Busch | 49.556 | 181.613 | 8 | + 2.824 |
| 31 | 23 | Bubba Wallace | 49.557 | 181.609 | 5 | + 2.825 |
| 32 | 62 | Noah Gragson* | 49.564 | 181.583 | 13 | + 2.832 |
| 33 | 3 | Austin Dillon | 49.628 | 181.349 | 12 | + 2.896 |
| 34 | 43 | Erik Jones | 49.713 | 181.039 | 2 | + 2.981 |
| 35 | 42 | Ty Dillon | 49.858 | 180.513 | 3 | + 3.126 |
| 36 | 44 | Greg Biffle* | 50.017 | 179.939 | 5 | + 3.285 |
| 37 | 38 | Todd Gilliland | 50.110 | 179.605 | 4 | + 3.378 |
| 38 | 15 | David Ragan | 50.167 | 179.401 | 4 | + 3.435 |
| 39 | 78 | B.J. McLeod | 50.342 | 178.777 | 4 | + 3.610 |
| 40 | 66 | Timmy Hill* | 50.512 | 178.175 | 7 | + 3.780 |
| 41 | 27 | Jacques Villeneueve | 50.550 | 178.042 | 9 | + 3.818 |
| 42 | 55 | J.J. Yeley* | 51.214 | 175.733 | 8 | + 4.482 |