Daytona 500 2022: Odds and Predictions for Great American Race

Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press

A new era of NASCAR is set to begin Sunday afternoon. That’s when the Daytona 500 will kick off the 2022 Cup Series season in its typical thrilling fashion. However, things will be a bit different from the final race of the 2021 campaign.

This year’s Daytona 500 will be the first Cup Series points race for NASCAR’s Next Gen car. And because the cars will drive a bit differently, it could take an adjustment period for the drivers to get used to them.

But there won’t be much time for that, as 40 drivers will be battling it out for a Daytona 500 victory Sunday. One driver will emerge victorious at The Great American Race, adding his name to the illustrious list of the event’s champions, which dates back to 1959.

Here’s everything else you need to know heading into the 2022 Daytona 500.

Top Odds to Win

Kyle Larson: +900 (bet $100 to win $900)

Denny Hamlin: +900

Ryan Blaney: +1000

Chase Elliott: +1100

Joey Logano: +1200

Brad Keselowski: +1400

William Byron: +1500

Kyle Busch: +1500

Alex Bowman: +1800

Austin Dillon: +1800

Bubba Wallace: +2000

Kurt Busch: +2000

Kevin Harvick: +2000

Martin Truex Jr.: +2000

Complete list of odds available at DraftKings Sportsbook

Preview, Predictions

NASCAR’s superspeedway races can lead to surprise winners ending up in Victory Lane. That’s because there’s always the potential for big crashes that can knock the top contenders out of the race. So the victor may be one of the drivers who can make it safely to the finish, even if it’s not a frequent winner.

The 2021 Daytona 500 fit that mold, because Michael McDowell ended up winning the race. It was his 358th career Cup Series start, and he was 36 at the time, so it was quite the underdog story.

Could something similar happen in 2022? It’s quite possible, especially because we don’t know how certain drivers will handle the Next Gen car and who may unexpectedly struggle a bit early in the season because of it.

Despite that, it wouldn’t be surprising to see some of the typical top drivers battling for the win late. Although some things may be different, it’s still Daytona International Speedway, and there are plenty of drivers who know what it takes to win there.

The four Hendrick Motorsports drivers could all have strong showings. Kyle Larson, the defending Cup Series champion, will be starting on the pole, and he’ll be joined on the front row by Alex Bowman. Chase Elliott (starting 11th) and William Byron (23rd) may also drive their way to the front of the pack.

Denny Hamlin is another driver to watch, considering his success at Daytona in recent years. He won the Daytona 500 for the first time in 2016, then recorded another pair of victories in The Great American Race in 2019 and 2020. But he’s starting 30th this year and will need to work his way through the field.

The other former Daytona 500 winners in the field are McDowell (2021), Austin Dillon (2018), Kurt Busch (2017), Joey Logano (2015) and Kevin Harvick (2007).

However, there are plenty of strong drivers who have never won the Daytona 500 and could potentially end up in Victory Lane on Sunday. And the prediction here is that’s what will happen, as Ryan Blaney will emerge from the competitive field victorious.

Although Blaney hasn’t won this race, he’s been victorious at Daytona. In fact, he won the most recent points race at the track, as he finished first in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 last August. The 28-year-old also finished second in the Daytona 500 in both 2016 and 2020.

It’s only a matter of time before Blaney becomes a Daytona 500 champion, considering his success at the track and other superspeedway races. He’s also starting seventh this year, so he has the potential to stay near the front of the field for much of the race.

Drivers such as Larson, Elliott, Hamlin and Brad Keselowski are likely to be near the front late, but expect Blaney to get out front and hold off the other top contenders, notching a huge win to open his seventh full-time Cup Series season.

Prediction: Blaney wins his first career Daytona 500

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