Getty Cody Ware headlines the list of longshots to win the Daytona 500.
The Daytona 500 takes place on Sunday, February 20, kicking off the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season. Denny Hamlin is the favorite to win his fourth Daytona 500, but Cody Ware presents an intriguing option for those seeking a longshot.
According to BetMGM, the driver of the No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Ford Mustang sits at 250-1 odds to win the Daytona 500. He sits in a tie for the longest odds with BJ McLeod and Jacques Villeneuve. Hamlin, for comparison, is atop the list at 8-1. He sits ahead of Joey Logano at 9-1 and Kyle Larson at 10-1.
Ware has made three starts at Daytona International Speedway in his Cup Series career. He crashed during the 2019 Daytona 500 but finished 21st overall in the 2021 Daytona 500. Ware’s list of starts at the superspeedway also includes the 2021 Coke Zero Sugar 400 where he finished 28th overall.
ALL the latest NASCAR news straight to your inbox! Subscribe to the Heavy on NASCAR newsletter here!
Sign up for the Heavy on NASCAR Newsletter!
Ware Had Speed in Los Angeles
While Ware has not reached Victory Lane while driving for Rick Ware Racing, he recently showed improved speed during an exhibition race. He headed to Los Angeles for the Busch Light Clash and turned some heads during the Last Chance Qualifier.
Ware’s first race on February 6, Heat 3, was relatively quiet. He started ninth and finished eighth overall while Justin Haley, William Byron, Christopher Bell, and Chase Elliott finished first through fourth to reach the main event.
Ware secured another opportunity to reach the main event when he joined nine of his fellow drivers for the first Last Chance Qualifier. He started eighth overall but navigated his way through the field to finish fourth overall. He missed the main event by one spot, but he ended his day ahead of such names as Chris Buescher, Ross Chastain, Corey LaJoie, Todd Gilliland, Aric Almirola (crash), and BJ McLeod.
Showing up to a short track with a fast car is one thing, but will Ware be able to replicate his success at Daytona? He will provide a potential early answer on Tuesday, February 15, and Wednesday, February 16, when he takes part in two practice sessions and single-car qualifying. If Ware posts fast times, he will create optimism about his ability to contend during the Crown Jewel race.
First Timers Have Combined To Win Several Daytona 500s
Will Ware win the Daytona 500 and reach Victory Lane for the first time in one of the three national series? The answer remains unclear, but he would not be the first driver to achieve this goal. There are several that have come out of nowhere to capture the Crown Jewel race.
The 2021 season is a fitting example. Michael McDowell had made over 350 starts in the Cup Series without registering a single win. However, he took the lead in the season-opening Daytona 500 after a surprising crash featuring Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski, and several other drivers.
Trevor Bayne, who makes his return to NASCAR in 2022, only reached Victory Lane once in the Cup Series. He captured the 2011 Daytona 500 in what was only his second start at the top level.
The list continues with Michael Waltrip, who won the 2001 Daytona 500, and Derrike Cope, who won in 1990. Neither had captured the checkered flag in a Cup Series race prior to winning the Crown Jewel race.
READ NEXT: Brad Keselowski Celebrates Birthday With New Schemes