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Daytona 500: Which NASCAR Driver Could Most Likely Win First Championship Race

The Daytona 500 is here and it will kick off the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series. Getting off to a strong […]

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The Daytona 500 is here and it will kick off the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series. Getting off to a strong start in the Cup Series is big, so the Daytona 500 is the once race where all drivers want to either win or get into the top 10 for the sake of the cup standings.

Last year, Denny Hamlin won the Daytona 500 while Kyle Busch came in second place and Erik Jones finished third. This was Hamlin’s second Daytona 500 win as he also won the 2016 race.

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“This year being a whole new ball of wax, it’s a complete reset,” Hamlin said to USA Today after the Daytona 500 last year. “There was no doubt, whether it was last year’s package or this year’s package, we’re gonna be successful and we’re going to win races.”

Hamlin will be one of the favorites to win this year. But which driver could win their first Daytona 500 this weekend? Scroll down to find out.

Brad Keselowski

One could make the argument that Brad Keselowski is the best driver who hasn’t won the Daytona 500. He has won 30 NASCAR Cup races in his career, but he has come up short in Daytona, finishing fourth in 2013 and third in 2014. 

Matt DiBenedetto

The 28-year old rising star has 11 top 10 finishes including a ninth-place finish in the 2017 Daytona 500. Alex Weaver of NASCAR.com wrote: “Which driver has modeled his career around hard work, talent and the survival mentality? Let’s add the fact that he is now driving for an organization with a rich history in the Daytona 500. Matt DiBenedetto is heading to Daytona with one thing on his mind — creating more history for the Wood Brothers in the No. 21 Ford.”

Kyle Busch

Busch has won 56 NASCAR Cup races and has 296 top 10 finishes. He came close to winning the race last year as he came in 2nd. He also finished third in 2016 and fourth in 2008. So he’s destined to win on Sunday, right?

Martin Truex Jr.

Martin Truex Jr. is another veteran racer who has won his share of NASCAR events. The 39-year old has won 26 NASCAR Cup races, but he has come up short in Daytona. Last year, Truex finished 35th after starting 11th. His best finish was in 2016 when he finished second. 

Bubba Wallace

Bubba Wallace caught the eye of the NASCAR world in 2018 when he finished in second in the Daytona 500. He came in 38th in 2019, but he had a strong practice run this year and has a good chance to make an impact. 

Clint Bowyer

Can Clint Bowyer finally breakthrough in 2020? The 40-year old has fared well at Daytona 500, finishing fourth in 2009 and 2010 and he has finished in the top 20 the last two years. Bowyer has won 10 NASCAR Cup races with  214 top 10 finishes in 505 races.

Other Drivers to Watch

Here’s a look at other drivers who could win their first Daytona 500 thanks to an impressive start in a dedicated pre-season:

  • Chase Elliott 
  • Ryan Blaney 
  • William Byron
  • Alex Bowman 
  • Erik Jones 
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