With the first official race of the 2017 season already in the books, it’s time to get hyped for the real grand showcase in Florida during these past couple of weeks: the Daytona 500.
Last weekend’s result from the Advance Auto Parts Clash paints a better picture of who we should expect to come out on top this coming Sunday. The oddsmakers have also weighed in just the same on who they’re favoring to win the granddaddy of NASCAR races, and you can now view their complete listing of odds below before you place your own wagers on this year’s installment of the Great American Race.
Six of the eight drivers atop this list are former Daytona 500 winners, with the exception of Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch. Matt Kenseth, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. each have two victories at the event, while Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin having won once, with Hamlin being the defending champion.
That’s not to say that neither Keselowski nor the younger Busch brother are stretch picks to emerge victorious this Sunday. In fact, as we’ve recently tackled in our very own expert picks segment, both of them have pundits that are high on their respective chances at finally winning the Great American Race.
Sticking to the subject of possible first-time Daytona 500 winners, there’s a good number of young drivers that are decently priced to win this Sunday. Chase Elliott and Ryan Blaney are coming off fantastic debuts in 2016, and this season’s leading Rookie of the Year candidate Daniel Suarez is also an enticing dark horse pick. Considering that there have been 12 different winners at the Daytona 500 since 2000, perhaps it would be wiser indeed to place your stakes on one of these up-and-comers instead.
