DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — It’s time for the sixty fifth operating of the Daytona 500, NASCAR’s greatest occasion on its greatest stage, kicking off what many imagine could possibly be one of many sport’s greatest seasons. Very like Sunday’s Tremendous Bowl, although, we’re properly conscious that many individuals will tune into this weekend’s Tremendous Bowl of Inventory Automobile Racing who will not watch one other race this yr. They could not know the distinction between a lug nut and a walnut. Maybe you’re a type of individuals. Or maybe you’re at the moment studying this whereas wearing your Chase Elliott pajamas and tucked into your Jimmie Johnson mattress sheets.

Regardless of how a lot you do or do not find out about NASCAR, the next Daytona 500 preview is for everybody. Be happy to print it out, maintain a cheat sheet in your pocket and randomly blurt out truth and figures to impress your mates as you watch the Nice American Race.

5 favorites to win the Daytona 500

In accordance with the clever guys within the desert, the consensus high picks are three-time Daytona 500 champion Denny Hamlin (+1100 by way of Caesars), adopted by a five-pack of drivers at +1200, together with Ryan Blaney, who ought to have gained this race a yr in the past, Joey Logano, who gained the primary of Thursday evening’s Duel 150s, Kyle Busch and Elliott.

Kyle Larson can be listed in that group, however we’re not counting him. It is simply essentially the most curious inclusion. Larson has gained Cup races on each kind of observe aside from “plate races” at Daytona and Talladega, locations that he has brazenly admitted he cannot stand and easily tolerates.

The following 5 to regulate

Editor’s Picks

2 Associated

Bubba Wallace has made 5 Daytona 500 begins and completed second twice, and the primary of his two profession Cup Collection wins got here at Talladega, Daytona’s sister superspeedway, in 2021. Austin Cindric, who shocked Wallace and the remainder of the world by successful final yr’s Daytona 500 as a rookie, practically gained his Duel 150 on Thursday evening and can begin his 500 title protection from the third row.

There may be a lot buzz within the storage about Ross Chastain, whom you understand from his Hail Melon transfer at Martinsville Speedway final fall, though he hasn’t made a number of noise throughout Speedweek aside from saying an enormous contract extension with Trackhouse Racing.

There’s a temptation to incorporate Alex Bowman on this listing, who has began a document six Daytona 500s from the entrance row, however the final driver to this race from the entrance row was pole sitter Dale Jarrett in 2000. Bowman was in first grade.

Brad Keselowski is behind the wheel of a Ford, a extensively accepted benefit, and completed fourth in his Duel 150. Talking of the long run NASCAR Corridor of Famer …

5 legends who’ve by some means by no means gained the Daytona 500

Martin Truex Jr.: 31 profession wins, 0-for-18 in Daytona 500. Finest end: 2nd, 2016
Kyle Busch: 60 profession wins, 0-for-17 in Daytona 500. Finest end: 2nd, 2019
Brad Keselowski: 35 profession wins, 0-for-13 in Daytona 500. Finest end: third, 2014
Kyle Larson: 19 profession wins, 0-for-9 in Daytona 500. Finest end: seventh, 2016 and 2019
Chase Elliott: 18 profession wins, 0-for-7 in Daytona 500. Finest end: 2nd, 2021

If it makes them really feel any higher, nobody on this listing is even near the likes of Terry Labonte, who was 0-for-32, Ricky Rudd (0-for-29), Mark Martin (0-for-29) — Labonte, Rusty Wallace and Tony Stewart are a mixed 0-for-64. Busch regarded nice in his Thursday evening Duel 150 earlier than he was wrecked out by contact with Daniel Suarez. Whereas he was nonetheless spinning, Rowdy radioed to his new RCR staff, “That was a Daytona 500-winning automotive.”

5 individuals who will make you say, ‘Wait, why are they on the Daytona 500?’

Johnson is again after retiring from full-time NASCAR racing in 2020, having spent the previous two seasons within the IndyCar paddock. He’ll run a part-time schedule this season as a driver/proprietor, behind the wheel of the No. 84 Chevy of Legacy MC (Motor Membership), after buying Richard Petty’s staff.

Johnson has been teaching his pal Travis Pastrana — sure, the X Video games and Nitro Circus demigod, who made it into his first Daytona 500. Becoming a member of them shall be Conor Daly, whom you understand from IndyCar and likewise his fourth-place end within the thirtieth season of The Superb Race. Regulate Daly’s pit stall to catch a glimpse of Floyd Mayweather, who co-owns Daly’s automotive, which is No. 50 to honor his 50-0 document within the ring.

Additionally, Frankie Muniz is on the World Middle of Racing. Sure, Malcolm! From the center! He is not racing within the 500 however in Saturday’s ARCA (suppose Class AA baseball) occasion. He was quickest in observe on Thursday. A variety of us listed below are hoping that possibly we’ll get one other stunning go to earlier than the weekend is up — Frankie’s TV dad, Bryan Cranston. In the event you noticed how Walter White whipped that RV round operating from the police, maybe he ought to enter a automotive within the ARCA race, too.

You are in @TravisPastrana! #BuschLightPole | #DAYTONA500 pic.twitter.com/3hcaul572y

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) February 16, 2023

5 info to shout out to make you appear to be you’re actually dialed in to Daytona

“Hey, I believe this observe floor has actually developed a number of character!” Daytona Worldwide Speedway was repaved after a literal pothole confirmed up in the course of the observe throughout the 2010 Daytona 500, which was nonetheless utilizing the asphalt that NASCAR founder Invoice France laid down in 1959.

“Hey, I believe these new Chevy noses are actually working!” When the Subsequent Gen automotive was rolled out one yr in the past, the true character in every completely different make — Chevy, Toyota and Ford — was discovered of their nostril piece designs. Drawback was that when the Chevys tried to staff up within the aerodynamic draft, their cool-looking pointy noses acted like a cow catcher on a prepare and punted vehicles out of the best way as a substitute of pushing them. This yr the Camaro has a flatter entrance face, and throughout the Duel 150s, it regarded prefer it was already taking part in a lot nicer with others.

“Hey, that is seven minutes! They’re gonna need to pack it up!” NASCAR’s Broken Automobile Coverage had beforehand acknowledged that vehicles being labored on by groups on pit street had six minutes to get again on the racetrack or be eradicated. Through the playoffs final yr that was expanded to 10 minutes, which was too lengthy. The compromise this season goes to seven minutes.

“Hey! Denny Hamlin could make historical past!” If Hamlin wins his fourth Daytona 500, he’ll transfer out of a tie with three different drivers (Jarrett, Jeff Gordon and Bobby Allison) for third place on the all-time victories listing and right into a tie for second with Cale Yarborough. The chief is His Royal Fastness Richard Petty with seven.

“Hey! It is Tiffany Haddish!” It is true. The Emmy winner will climb atop the flag stand and wave the inexperienced flag over the beginning of the race. I do not know if she is a automotive individual, however she did graduate from El Camino Actual Excessive Faculty.

5 betting picks which have our consideration

Ryan Blaney to win (+1200): The Drive is robust with this Star Wars fanatic, and by power I imply aero push. Sure, a pair of Hendrick Motorsports Chevys are on the entrance row, however within the storage, the excitement is concerning the Fords on race day. Blaney and his Ford ought to have gained this race a yr in the past and in 2018, when he led 118 laps. He completed second within the Daytona 500 in 2017 and 2020 and gained the 400-miler in August 2021. He is additionally a two-time Talladega victor and completed second within the final superspeedway race these vehicles have run, ending 0.06 seconds behind Elliott at Talladega in October. Dude is quick, he’s good and if he can keep away from the Huge One (he is crashed out at Daytona 5 instances) then he’s nearly assured to be within the battle for the win when the white flag is proven. — Ryan McGee

Chase Elliott to win (+1200): Elliott has but to interrupt by at Daytona, however he has knocked on the door quite a bit — particularly recently. Elliott has completed within the high 10 in 4 of the previous 5 races on the observe, together with a pair of runner-ups, and he is been a staple on the entrance of the sector. In August 2021, he led 36 laps en path to an eighth-place end. Within the 2021 Daytona 500, he ran inside the highest 15 for 99.5% of the laps run and practically snuck by Michael McDowell for the win when chaos erupted on the final lap. Hendrick Motorsports has had a lot of velocity within the Daytona 500, however hasn’t had a winner since 2014. Search for Elliott to emerge because the group’s finest probability on Sunday. — Scott Symmes

Jimmie Johnson to win (+4000): We won’t make superspeedway predictions with out a minimum of one lengthy shot. In the event you missed the information, Johnson is again in NASCAR on a part-time foundation this season. The seven-time Cup champion has been in victory lane at Daytona seven instances, together with a pair of Daytona 500 victories (2006 and 2013). His observe document on this sport and at this observe speaks for itself, so even with out the backing of Hendrick Motorsports, Johnson is an intriguing play at 40-1. — Mike Clay

Michael McDowell to complete high 5 (+400): In case you are an off-the-cuff NASCAR fan, somebody who solely watches the Daytona 500, then you definitely’ve in all probability by no means heard of the man they name McDriver. Otherwise you may suppose he is a celebrity. All through 15 years within the Cup Collection, McDowell has earned solely seven top-five finishes … and all however a type of have come at Daytona and Talladega. That features a fifth-place run within the 2019 Daytona 500, adopted up by a win two years later. It is his solely profession victory, and he backed that up with a seventh-place end one yr in the past. Mac spends numerous hours within the Ford simulator and watching movie paired with onboard information, for no motive aside from to win one race, the Daytona 500. It might behoove us all to imagine he can completely do it once more. — McGee

Aric Almirola to win (+3500): Almirola in all probability feels overdue. Final yr, he completed fifth. Two years in the past, Almirola had a automotive sturdy sufficient to win one of many 150-mile duels, however his 500 led to heartbreak when he was taken out in a crash on Lap 15. In 2018, he was a half lap from successful earlier than being spun by eventual winner Austin Dillon. Almirola has two Cup wins on superspeedways and 13 mixed top-10s at Daytona and Talladega, so he does have a observe document of success. On Sunday, he ought to have the tools — and the motivation — to seize his greatest win but. — Symmes