For passionate NASCAR fans, the wait is over.
Daytona Speedweeks kicked off Friday and the first race, the Advance Auto Parts Clash, is Saturday, followed by a week of qualifying races and events and capped with the 59th Daytona 500 on Feb. 26.
While Denny Hamlin will be defending his 2016 Daytona 500 championship and Cup Series winner Jimmie Johnson is hoping for another year of triumphs, repeated success is rare, particularly for the Super Bowl of NASCAR.
Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Winning the Daytona 500 seven times – most recently in 1981 – racing legend Richard Petty is an aberration. In the last 30 years, only a handful of drivers have won it twice and just two have won three times (Dale Jarrett and Jeff Gordon).
A win for Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Matt Kenseth or Michael Waltrip would add their names to the exclusive, three-time winner category, but are the odds in their favor?
We made it to #DAYTONA! Had fun watching our haulers arrive at the track on the @DISupdates Facebook Live Feed. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/ydRqXTYG5v
— Joe Gibbs Racing (@JoeGibbsRacing) February 17, 2017
For Junior, things are looking pretty good. According to VegasInsider.com, No. 88 leads the pack with his odds of winning this year’s Daytona 500 at 5-to-1, as of Feb. 15. Looking for his first Daytona win, Brad Keselowski isn’t far behind with 8-to-1 odds.
Wide awake. Garage doesn't open for another 5 hours, not on track for another 10 hours…
But I'm ready…
LETS GO 2017!!!#miller2crew
— Brad Keselowski (@keselowski) February 17, 2017
Johnson joins 2007 winner Kevin Harvick and last year’s heartbreaking runner-up Martin Truex Jr. with 10-to-1 odds, rounding out the best five. In the closest finish in history, Hamlin edged out Truex by .01 seconds for the win, but unfortunately for the No. 11 driver, the odds of winning back-to-back Daytona 500s are 12-to-1.
But it could always be worse. Despite being a playoff participant last season as a rookie, Chris Buescher’s odds of winning next Sunday are 180-to-1.
Overall for the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, Harvick has the best preseason chance of winning with 5-to-1 odds, but Johnson has 7-to-1 odds of making history and becoming the first driver to win eight Cup Series Championships.
No pressure.
#NASCAR kicks off Saturday with an non-points race from #Daytona. Preview and Top 5 Predictions up! https://t.co/61dZeZsuDF pic.twitter.com/h2u56V37ob
— VegasInsider.com (@TwitVI) February 17, 2017
For a viewer’s guide to Daytona Speedweeks, head over to USA TODAY Sports.
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