Daytona 500 lineup and starting grid 2013: Danica Patrick to lead field to green flag

Just behind Danica Patrick in the first two rows will be some of NASCAR's biggest names.

By Adam Stites Feb 24, 2013, 8:00am EST

When the green flag drops for the Daytona 500 on Sunday, it'll be Danica Patrick leading the way for the 43-car field. The first woman to ever win the pole position for a Sprint Cup Series race, Patrick is set to make history when the race begins at 1 p.m. ET on FOX.

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Just behind her will be a slew of NASCAR's biggest names as Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch are all set to start in the first two rows.

The defending champion of the Sprint Cup, Brad Keselowski will start on the outside of the top 10 in 15th, just behind Tony Stewart and Mark Martin who will share the seventh row. The defending champion of the Daytona 500, Matt Kenseth, will start just ahead of Stewart in 12th.

In 2011, the surprise winner of the race was up-and-coming racer Trevor Bayne, but he'll have to battle his way to the front as he's scheduled to start in 33rd. although he started in 32nd when he won in 2011. Coverage of the race is scheduled to begin on FOX at noon ET.