Assessing each active Cup Series champion’s shot of winning first Daytona 500

There are six Cup Series champions racing in Sunday’s Daytona 500 that have never hoisted the Harley J. Earl Trophy before. 

With that in mind, here is how each of them stack up before the green flag waves on Sunday (2:30 p.m. ET, Fox, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Brad Keselowski (15 starts, best finish: 3rd, 2014)

Entering his fourth season with RFK Racing – the team he co-owns – Keselowski is still in pursuit of a Daytona 500 win. The 2012 Cup Series champion’s only points-paying win at Daytona came in the 2016 Coke Zero 400 summer race.

Last season, Keselowski crashed out of the Daytona 500 while running up front. If he can be there at the end and avoid the chaos that is Daytona, this could be the year the Cup Series veteran finally wins NASCAR’s most prestigious race.

Kyle Busch (19 starts, best finish: 2nd, 2019)

The two-time Cup Series champion has accomplished everything in the sport except a Daytona 500. In his first season driving for Richard Childress Racing in 2023, he was leading at the 500-mile mark. Late-race incidents, however, forced the race past its scheduled distance. 

He will look to follow in the footsteps of seven-time Cup Series champion Dale Earnhardt, who won the Daytona 500 for RCR in his 20th attempt. Busch saw his series-record streak of 19 straight seasons with a win come to an end last season. If his recent superspeedway performance is any indication, Busch may have his best shot yet in Daytona Beach.

Martin Truex Jr. (20 starts, best finish: 2nd, 2016)

While the 2017 Cup Series champion has been close before, Daytona has not typically been kind to the veteran. Truex is winless in 79 starts at the superspeedways of Daytona and Talladega.

After announcing his retirement from full-time racing, Truex will make his only scheduled start as of now on Sunday after qualifying in on speed Wednesday night. With nothing to lose, don’t be surprised to see him toward the front with 10 to go.

Chase Elliott (nine starts, best finish: 2nd, 2021)

With his win in The Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, Elliott, the 2020 Cup Series champion, enters Sunday with more momentum than anyone else in the field. 

Aside from an incident in last year’s summer race, Elliott is usually running at the end of these speedway races. His dad, Bill, won The Clash and the Daytona 500 in 1987. Chase will look to do the same with a win on Sunday.

Kyle Larson (11 starts, best finish: 7th, 2016, 2019)

Daytona has long been a struggle for the 2021 Cup Series champion. He did, however, finish 11th in last year’s Daytona 500 and has continued to show improvement on superspeedways in recent years.

Of the six drivers on this list, Larson would be the least likely to win on Sunday, given his track record at superspeedways. However, as the lone Hendrick Motorsports driver to make the final round of qualifying on Wednesday night, there is clearly speed in the No. 5 Chevrolet, so anything is possible, especially with Larson behind the wheel.

Ryan Blaney (10 starts, best finish: 2nd, 2017, 2020)

As a two-time runner-up in the Daytona 500 and 2021 summer race winner, the 2023 champion has a knack for winning on superspeedways.

Although he wrecked out of last year’s race, Blaney was up front when the carnage took place. If he can stay out of harm’s way, he may be the one to beat on Sunday and continue team owner Roger Penske’s recent dominance in motorsports.