The time has come for the 2023 DAYTONA 500. It’s one of the most prestigious races in the world, and there could only be one taking the checkered flag on Sunday. Who will it be? With that said, read on for some of the favorites, sleepers, and a long shot for this huge race this coming weekend.
The Team Hendricks Motorsports driver is definitely one of the stars to watch out for in the 2023 DAYTONA 500. Last season, Elliott had five wins in 37 starts. He has not won in 14 career starts at the Daytona International Speedway prior to 2023, but he has two top 5s and four top 10s there.
Hamlin, who has odds of +1200 to win the 2023 DAYTONA 500 has three career wins at the Daytona International Speedway. That includes his win in the 2020 DAYTONA 500 and in the 2019 edition of the same event. And of course, he won the DAYTONA 500 for the first time back in 2016.
Larson collected a total of three wins in 37 starts in the 2022 season and he’s looking to kick things off with a win in 2023. He has not won at the Daytona International Speedway in 17 career starts there prior to 2023, but he’s got five top 10s there, the latest being his 7th-place finish in the 2021 Bluegreen Vacations Duel 1 at Daytona.
Here’s what we said about Buescher in our 2023 DAYTONA 500 sleepers piece.
It can be remembered that Buescher won the 2022 Bluegreen Vacations Duel 2 at DAYTONA at the Daytona International Speedway, so that is something he can draw confidence from heading into the 2023 edition of the DAYTONA 500. Buescher has three top 5s and five top 10s in 14 career starts at the Daytona International Speedway prior to the calendar flipping to 2023. Buescher has a price of +2800 to win the 2023 DAYTONA 500.
Here’s what we said about McDowell in our 2023 DAYTONA 500 sleepers piece.
McDowell was winless in the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season, but he did manage to collect two top 5s and 12 top 10s. But most of the draw for McDowell heading to Sunday’s big race will come from the fact that he’s won the DAYTONA 500 once before. That was in 2021 when he was a heavy underdog to win the event but managed to defy the odds and take the checkered flag to reserve a spot in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs right away that season. McDowell also has three top 5s and eight top 10s in 23 career starts at the Daytona International Speedway prior to 2023.
Dillon carries long odds of +50,000 to win the 2023 DAYTONA 500. He has 22 career starts before 2023 at the Daytona International Speedway and garnered an average of 17.6 finish in those races.
