The 2024 Daytona 500 is here. The Great American Race is bound to be an exciting one as fans flock to the epic track. The season opening race should be great, as every driver in America is gunning for the checkered flag to begin the year with the most prestigious win in the sport. Let’s dive into the race, the biggest changes drivers will face this year, the top storylines, and who could win.
Favorites
One of the betting favorites heading into Daytona is Brad Keselowski. He has won a whole lot of big races in his career but none of them have come at Daytona. In fact, his best finish there was third which occurred back in 2014 when he was just 33 years old. In recent years, his best finish is ninth, his only top-10 finish since 2015.
After Brad Keselowski, you must watch out for Kyle Busch. He is one of the most decorated drivers in the sport, but he too has never won the Daytona 500. Busch has said that not winning there is not going to change his career and that there are plenty of greats who have never won the race, but he knows it doesn’t take away from what he has accomplished.
Of course, we can’t count out Ryan Blaney. The winner of the series championship last year, Blaney has fared well in Daytona. He’s had five top-10 finishes and came so close in 2017 and 2020 when he finished runner-up. Blaney could add to his dominant run with a win to begin the season and show everyone that he is back to win another cup series championship.
Last, Denny Hamlin can’t be ignored. He has won the Daytona 500 three different times with his last win coming in 2020. He has just one top-five finish since that win, but there is no counting him out when they race down in Florida. He knows the track, he knows what it takes to win, and he has the taste of victory there which means he wants to get back.
Biggest Storylines
It will be odd not to see Kevin Harvick racing but he is fresh into his retirement. His spot has been filled by Josh Berry for Stewart Haas Racing. He had won just one single Daytona 500 but was obviously a big draw for fans who were admirers of the racing giant.
Another storyline to keep an eye on is Rickey Stenhouse Jr. He will try to win back-to-back as just the fifth driver to ever achieve that. There hasn’t been a driver to do it since Denny Hamlin when he pulled off the feat just a few years ago. Stenhouse Jr. isn’t considered one of the favorites to win the race, but his experience last year is invaluable.
Prediction
Brad Keselowski is my pick. He gets his first win at the Daytona 500 this year. He has finished in the top five in eight of the last 12 Daytona 500s and he led the most laps in this race last year.