After Greg Biffle lost control of his car on the final lap, he led Newman and Mears to win under caution.

[10] NASCAR held numerous test sessions in preparation for the race on January 9–11 (for teams finishing in an odd-number position in the 2005 car owner points standings) and January 16–18, 2006 (for teams finishing in an even-number position in the 2005 car owner points standings).

[21][1] Following a large amount of bump drafting in the Budweiser Shootout, NASCAR implemented two "no zones" at the exit of corners, which series officials and multiple digital cameras would check for drivers attempting to ram their cars into the rear of other vehicles in order to gain an aerodynamic or overtaking advantage.

[23] NASCAR's vice-president of competition, Robin Pemberton, stated that bump drafting in turns would no longer be tolerated.

Jarrett, Johnson, Marlin, Mayfield, Clint Bowyer, Denny Hamlin, and Kurt Busch followed in positions four to ten.

[36] In the third practice session, Dale Earnhardt Jr. led with a 47.024 seconds lap, ahead of Kenseth, Ryan Newman, Kevin Lepage, Scott Wimmer, Jeff Green.

[38] Brian Vickers led the fourth practice session with a 46.946 seconds time, with Mike Wallace, Greg Biffle, Jarrett, Kenseth, Bowyer, Robby Gordon, Burton, Chad Chaffin and Dave Blaney in positions two to ten.

The qualifying grid was finalized with Sadler, Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, McMurray, Earnhardt, Bobby Labonte, Johnson and Mark Martin completing the top ten starters.

[42] Riggs, Kenny Wallace, Wimmer, Mike Skinner, Cope, Larry Gunselman, Chad Blount, Larry Foyt, Andy Belmont, Randy LaJoie, Morgan Shepherd, Chaffin, Carl Long, Paul Menard, and Stanton Barrett were the 15 drivers who did not qualify.

Harvick, Green, Elliott, Ken Schrader, McMurray, Kasey Kahne, Earnhardt and Kurt Busch followed in the top ten.

[45] In the final practice session, which took place in warm weather and saw drivers limit their running to preserve their cars,[46] Schrader lapped fastest overall at 46.708 seconds; Martin Truex Jr., Earnhardt, Green, Lepage, Jarrett, Marlin, Petty, Burton, and Brent Sherman completed the top ten.

[50] Around the start of the race, the weather was overcast and cool;[51] forecasts predicted an air temperature of 65 °F (18 °C) and cloudy conditions.

[50] Ronald Durham, pastor of Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church in Daytona Beach, Florida, began pre-race ceremonies with an invocation.

Hip-hop singer Fergie of The Black Eyed Peas performed the national anthem, and actor James Caan commanded the drivers to start their engines.

[51] In turn three, Green's left-rear tire went flat;[1] no caution was prompted because the carcass rolled into the infield grass.

Vickers collided with the right-hand side wall, causing his car's right-side sheet metal to rub against the right rear tire.

[52] McMurray was dropped off his team's jack, causing metal sheet damage, and Edwards had front-end repairs made.

Green's car slid upward into J. J. Yeley's path in turn three after colliding with Jarrett, collecting Nemechek.

The front of Edwards' car briefly mounted Petty's left-side fender before both drivers slid into the infield grass at turn three.

[2] On lap 124, Robby Gordon's right-front tire failed in turn three, and he hit the wall, triggering the sixth caution.

[52] Stewart drove over his pit stall jack, and was ordered to drop to the end of the nearest longest line.

Kvapil's right front tire burst five laps later, sending him into the turn three right-hand wall and prompting the eighth caution.

[51] Just as Johnson overtook his teammate Vickers on the outside in turn two for the lead with Newman's help,[53][54] the ninth caution was waved on the 187th lap.

[58] Mears, Newman, Sadler, Stewart, Bowyer, Vickers, Earnhardt, Schrader, and Jarrett completed the top ten finishers.

Obviously we would have liked to have won [because] it would have forced Chip and Felix [Sabates, team co-owner] to put me in the Indy 500, which would have been a lot of fun.

[56] He said he was proud to attempt a pass for the win, "I told the guys over the radio afterward, if I had that run and didn't take it, I would have had a hard time sleeping tonight – probably for the next 10 or 15 years, maybe – you never know.

Hendrick Motorsport's penalties for "actions detrimental to stock car racing", and for making an unapproved template modification to Johnson's rear window, included a $25,000 fine for Knaus, who was suspended from NASCAR until March 22, 2006.

[61] The appeal was heard before a three-member National Stock Car Racing Commission on March 7 at NASCAR's Research & Development Center in Concord, North Carolina.

"[65] Earnhardt, who led the most laps of any driver with 32, said he was pleased to finish ninth, "We had a great race car, built by all the technology and resources at DEI.

[69] The race attracted 19.355 million viewers;[5] it took 3 hours, 33 minutes, and 26 seconds to complete; because it ended under caution, no margin of victory was recorded.