Daytona 500 2023 Betting Preview
16 February 2023
The NASCAR Cup Series formally opens its season at its traditional home with Speedweek from the Daytona International Speedway, culminating with the Daytona 500.
Dubbed “the Great American Race,” The Daytona 500 is one of the most significant motorsports races of any category. Daytona provides exciting action on track and for bettors with many options, from a variety of prop bets and special betting lines to simply who will win the Daytona 500, the focus of our preview.
While NASCAR has run its annual preseason Clash event, the NASCAR Cup Series doesn’t truly begin until the cars run at Daytona. With single-lap qualifying on Wednesday night and the Duels at Daytona setting the rest of the grid for Sunday’s main event, we’ll preview who we think has the potential to win the Daytona 500 and the Dunkel Index’s pick for the winning driver.
Team Ford-Penske: the Defending Champ and a Potential Repeat Winner
Team Penske-Ford has three drivers, all of whom could win the 2023 Daytona 500. Reigning NASCAR Cup Series Champion Joey Logano (236.827) will be among people’s betting favorites, while Austin Cindric (243.044) will be looking to win a second straight Daytona 500.
Cindric won’t have nearly the same odds as Logano but could be the top Penske-Ford Driver at Daytona and the one who will net the biggest return if he does win.
Don’t discount Ryan Blaney (240.631) as a potential winner of the Daytona 500. Blaney is high on oddsmakers’ and the public’s radar to have a very good year, having very strong odds to win on Sunday and capture the Cup Series Championship overall.
Hendrick Motorsports Headlines the Chevrolet Rides
Hendrick Motorsports has three of the top drivers in NASCAR and on NASCAR betting lines to challenge for wins and the Cup Series Championship. All four of Hendrick’s drivers finished in the top-16 last season and are among the betting favorites to win Daytona.
Kyle Larson (239.500) and Chase Elliot (245.867) are highly favored to be the two best drivers from Hendrick Motorsports at Daytona and in Cup Series Championship contention at the end of the year. However, William Byron (241.631) is flying under the radar as the third Hendrick Motorsports driver who finished in the top-eight last season and has a real shot at winning at the Daytona 500.
Hendrick isn’t the only team with Chevrolet rides with a candidate to win Daytona. Trackhouse Racing’s viral sensation Ross Chastain (240.432) finished second in the Cup Series Championship in 2022 and will want to improve his 40th-place finish at Daytona last year.
Richard Childress Racing signed two-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion and all-time great Kyle Busch (236.041) after a lengthy tenure with Joe Gibbs Racing. Busch is one of the most accomplished and successful drivers, and alongside teammate Austin Dillon, will be in contention to win at Daytona.
Daytona Contenders in Toyota Rides
Joe Gibbs Racing-Toyota has three drivers who could win at Daytona, but two drivers are well outside the top ten in the odds.
Martin Truex Jr. had an excellent 2022 Daytona 500, winning the first two stages of Daytona but ultimately finishing 13th. Denny Hamlin (237.793) is among the favorites to win the Cup Series Championship and will want a solid start to his campaign, improving on his 37th-place finish. Christopher Bell finished in the top four in the Cup Series but started with a 34th-place result at the 2022 Daytona 500.
23XI Racing’s Bubba Wallace will be looking to land his Toyota ride one position higher and win the 2023 Daytona 500 after finishing second last year and is a potential sleeper pick from deeper in the pack. While 23XI teammate Tyler Reddick (242.913) is among the drivers likely to crack the top ten on Sunday and potentially win Daytona.
Dunkel Index Daytona 500 Pick
The winning driver of the Daytona 500 Dunkel Index pick is Kyle Busch (236.041).
Keep up with your latest NASCAR news coverage and betting pick previews at The Dunkel Index.
All Media on this page by Associated Press.
