DAYTONA BEACH, Fla — We’ve made it. Sunday’s 63rd running of the Daytona 500 is here. All the preliminary races are done with just one race left of Speedweeks. With that said, who looks like they have the cars to beat so far?
If I had to give you a top five. This is who I’d pick.
5. Joey Logano
He started 11th in his Duel but charged to the front quickly. Logano, finished third on Thursday night and showed his No. 22 Ford is more than capable of winning. He has five top six finishes in his last six Daytona 500 tries.
4. Kevin Harvick
He says this car is one of the best that he’s had here. He said that last season and finished fifth. Harvick, was sixth quick in qualifying and finished third in his Duel.
3. Aric Almirola
What a Speedweeks he’s having. Almirola was third overall in qualifying on Wednesday night and turned that into a Duels win. He led 52 of 60 laps the other night.
2. Bubba Wallace
One of the best here this week. He was P1 in practice on Wednesday and in the top five in the abbreviated one on Saturday morning. Wallace, also was fourth fastest in qualifying on Wednesday night and came home runner-up in his Duel. His car looks phenomenal in the draft. He was shuffled back several times in the 60 lap Duels but made it back up with ease each time.
1. William Byron
He looks to have the best car. Byron, dominated the second Duel, qualified second and if not for going to a backup car, I’d say he is the favorite. Still, this new No. 24 Chevrolet is the same one that he won the ‘400 with last August too.
As always, the favorite almost never win here. Things happen at speeds in excess of 190 mph with 40 cars running inches from one another.
Official betting picks for the Daytona 500 on COVERS here
Sleepers
Christopher Bell
He was seventh fastest in qualifying, fifth in practice and finished runner-up in his Duel. Bell is really an underrated racer on superspeedway’s. In Trucks, his finishes were 16th, sixth, eighth and second respectively. In NXS competition, he was 39th, 12th, third, sixth and third respectively. Last year in Cup though, he was 21st, 29th, 13th and 39th respectively.
Austin Dillon
A Duels win for him to go along with being ninth fastest in qualifying too. This former Daytona 500 champion is eyeing a second one on Sunday.
Ryan Newman
He has five top nine finishes in his last six Daytona starts. Newman, finished third in his Duel on Thursday night too.
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