Getty Chase Elliott (right) has the best odds heading toward Daytona.
The NASCAR Cup Series regular season ends on August 27 with a race at Daytona International Speedway. This track breeds chaos, but the odds predict a repeat winner.
According to BetMGM, Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott leads the way with the best odds to win the Coke Zero Sugar 400. He sits at 10-1 despite having only one superspeedway win in his career, the 2019 Geico 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. However, Elliott has three pole awards at Daytona, as well as a pair of runner-up finishes in 2020 and 2021.
While Elliott leads the way, there are multiple Daytona winners just behind him. Three-time Daytona 500 champion Denny Hamlin sits in a tie for second with 2015 Daytona 500 champion Joey Logano at 12-1. Kyle Larson and defending Coke Zero Sugar 400 winner Ryan Blaney join them at 12-1.
Like Elliott, Larson does not have a win at Daytona in his Cup Series career. He has made 16 total starts and posted five top-10 finishes. A sixth-place finish in the 2016 Coke Zero 400 stands out as his best run. Though Larson has won the pole for the past two races at the superspeedway.
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!
Blaney’s Odds Highlight the Points Battle
GettyRyan Blaney (right) has better odds than Martin Truex Jr.
There is only one playoff spot remaining heading into the regular-season finale. 15 drivers have locked themselves in with at least one win, but Blaney sits in the transfer spot with a 25-point lead over Martin Truex Jr.
The two perennial playoff contenders have yet to win a points-paying race in 2022, and they will pursue this goal at 7 p.m. ET on August 27. Though Blaney will enter the weekend with better odds based on his one win at Daytona from the 2021 season and his two wins at Talladega Superspeedway (2019, 2020).
Truex, for comparison, has not won a superspeedway race in his career. He has 34 starts with three top-fives at Daytona and 35 starts with three top-fives at Talladega. Now he will pursue his first win — or at least enough points to overtake Blaney — while facing 18-1 odds.
What About the Wild Cards?
GettyBubba Wallace (right) will be a name to watch at Daytona.
Having a repeat winner such as Elliott, Hamlin, or Logano will only benefit Blaney. If he turns in a solid points day, he should have the opportunity to maintain his advantage over Truex and secure his spot in the playoffs.
Of course, Daytona breeds chaos, and there is a strong possibility that this will happen once again. There are 15 drivers that could potentially nab the final spot in the playoffs with a win, 13 of whom are unable to overtake Blaney and Truex in points.
Bubba Wallace leads this group. He enters the weekend at 14-1 after posting top-five finishes in three of the past four races at Daytona. This includes back-to-back runner-ups in 2021 and 2022.
Brad Keselowski (22-1), Aric Almirola (28-1), Austin Dillon (28-1), Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (28-1), Michael McDowell (33-1), Erik Jones (33-1), and Justin Haley (50-1) also join Wallace on the list of those with past success at Daytona. These drivers have all won at the superspeedway under a variety of conditions, and they are all eligible to steal the final spot in the playoffs with a win.
READ NEXT: Team Penske, Joey Logano Agree to Massive Extension