Sky Formation, the patriotic design, is set to pay tribute to U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds at the 68th running of The Great American Race.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 14, 2026) – Daytona International Speedway announced today that Sky Formation is the winner of the fan-voted ballfield grass design. The patriotic design is set to pay tribute to the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and will be on display at the 68th running of The Great American Race. Click here to download the 2026 DAYTONA 500 ballfield grass design.
“The tradition of the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds flyover exemplifies what it means to be a part of The Great American Race,” said Daytona International Speedway President Frank Kelleher. “The Sky Formation design will showcase exactly what it feels like to witness the power of the Thunderbirds roar over our incredible venue to kick off the 2026 NASCAR season at DAYTONA.”
For the 11th consecutive year, fans were encouraged to cast their vote on one of three designs to be displayed on the ballfield at DAYTONA. With the other options being World Center of Racing and Legendary Stars, the picture of the well-loved tradition of the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds came out on top.
Sky Formation paints a thrilling picture of both the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and racing tradition, capturing a still image of power, speed and American pride. The Thunderbirds roaring flyover is one of the greatest traditions at DAYTONA, bringing high-flying thrills to the race.
The months long process of creating the ballfield lies in the hands of the Daytona International Speedway grounds team. Two types of seed are distributed to create different shades of green, with the initial seeding taking 20 hours to complete. By the time the green flag waves for the DAYTONA 500, the grounds team will have put out 2,000lbs of seed per acre of each variety. Along with the equipment used, this year’s design required a multitude of hand work. The team takes great pride in this project and spends several hours each week touching up the 4.25-acre stretch for the upcoming race.
The action begins on Wednesday, Feb. 11, with DAYTONA 500 Qualifying Presented by Busch Light, setting the field for the America 250 Florida Duel At DAYTONA, which occurs the following night on Thursday, Feb. 12, where drivers will battle it out for a spot in the coveted Great American Race.
The season-opening races for all three NASCAR national series as well as the ARCA Menards Series kick off on Friday, Feb. 13, starting with the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Fresh From Florida 250. Saturday, Feb. 14, will feature an action-packed double-header with the ARCA Menards Series race followed by the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series United Rentals 300.
Then Sunday, Feb. 15, the USAF Thunderbirds will perform their flyover, preparing both fans and drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series for an intense battle in the DAYTONA 500.
For more information regarding the DAYTONA 500 and Speedweeks Presented by AdventHealth, please visit www.DAYTONA500.com.
About Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway is a state-of-the-art motorsports facility and was awarded the SportsBusiness Journal’s prestigious Sports Business Award for Sports Facility of the Year in 2016. Daytona International Speedway is the home of The Great American Race – the DAYTONA 500. Though the season-opening NASCAR Cup Series event garners most of the attention – as well as the largest audience in motorsports – the approximately 500-acre motorsports complex, also known as the World Center of Racing, boasts the most diverse schedule of racing on the globe. Some of the exciting racing events include January’s Rolex 24 At DAYTONA and Roar Before The Rolex 24, February’s DAYTONA 500 and Speedweeks Presented by AdventHealth, March’s Bike Week At DAYTONA featuring DAYTONA Supercross and the DAYTONA 200, the August Coke Zero Sugar 400 weekend, and much more. The Speedway grounds are also used extensively for other events that include concerts such as Welcome to Rockville, sporting events including CLASH DAYTONA, civic and social gatherings, car shows, photo shoots, production vehicle testing and police motorcycle training.
About NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 15 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR sanctions races in three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series™, and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series™), four international series (NASCAR Brasil Series, NASCAR Canada Series, NASCAR Euro Series, NASCAR Mexico Series), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour) and a local grassroots series (NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series). The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in five cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races annually in 11 countries and more than 30 U.S. states.
