NASCAR Spring Cup Series 54th Annual Daytona 500 Preview

The drivers of the Sprint Cup Series will compete in their first race of the season on Sunday, February 26 at the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway.

Trevor Bayne was the surprise winner of the Daytona 500 last season, while David Ragan took the checkered flag in the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona last July. Neither driver had previously picked up a Sprint Cup victory at the track.

Jamie McMurray and Kevin Harvick visited Victory Lane at Daytona during the 2010 season, with Matt Kenseth and defending series champion Tony Stewart earning wins there in 2009. Stewart has three career Daytona wins, and McMurray and Harvick have two each.

Jeff Gordon has taken the checkered flag six times at Daytona International Speedway in his Cup career, most recently in 2005, while Dale Earnhardt Jr. has won at the track twice.

Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch, Ryan Newman, Greg Biffle, and Jeff Burton each have one career Cup win at Daytona on their driving resumes.

After racing at Daytona the drivers of the Sprint Cup Series will move on to Phoenix International Raceway for the Subway Fresh Fit 500 on March 4. The rest of March's schedule includes events at Las Vegas, Bristol, and Fontana.

NASCAR Spring Cup Series 54th Annual Daytona 500 Preview

Odds to win the 54th Annual Dayton 500

Sprint Cup - Odds to win the Daytona 500

Dale Earnhardt Jr. #88 10/1

Kevin Harvick #29 10/1

Kyle Busch #18 10/1

Tony Stewart #14 11/1

Carl Edwards #99 12/1

Jeff Gordon #24 12/1

Jimmie Johnson #48 14/1

Kasey Kahne #5 14/1

Brad Keselowski #2 18/1

Denny Hamlin #11 20/1

Kurt Busch #51 22/1

Matt Kenseth #17 22/1

Clint Bowyer #12 22/1

Jamie McMurray #1 22/1

Jeff Burton #31 25/1

A.J. Allmendinger #22 25/1

Greg Biffle #16 25/1

Joey Logano #20 30/1

Paul Menard #27 30/1

Juan Pable Montoya #42 35/1

Marcos Ambrose #9 35/1

Mark Martin #55 35/1

Martin Truex Jr. #56 35/1

Ryan Newman #39 35/1

Trevor Bayne # 21 40/1

David Ragan #34 40/1

David Reutimann #93 50/1

Regan Smith #78 50/1

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #6 50/1

Casey Mears #13 50/1

Aric Amirola #43 60/1

Danica Patrick #10 75/1

Michael Waltrip #40 75/1

Bobby Labonte #47 100/1

Dave Blaney #35 100/1

David Gilliland #38 100/1

Bill Elliott #97 150/1

Tony Raines #26 150/1

David Stremme #30 200/1

Elliott Sadler #33 200/1

J.J. Yeley #49 200/1

Joe Nemechek #87 200/1

Kenny Wallace #09 200/1

Landon Cassill #83 200/1

Michael McDowell #98 200/1

Mike Wallace #37 200/1

Robby Gordon #7 200/1

Robert Richardson Jr. #23 200/1

Terry Labonte #32 200/1

Get All Your NASCAR Sprint Cup Odds at Bovada Sportsbook.

Odds to win the 54th Annual Dayton 500

NASCAR Daytona 500 Preview

Jimmie Johnson will begin his quest for a sixth straight Sprint Cup Series championship on February 20 when the NASCAR season gets underway at the Daytona 500.

Jimmie Johnson was crowned the Sprint Cup Series champ for the fifth straight year in 2010, as he edged Denny Hamlin by 39 points in the final standings. Kevin Harvick ended up 41 points behind Johnson for third place in the standings in 2010.

Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth, Greg Biffle, Tony Stewart, Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon, Clint Bowyer, Kurt Busch, and Jeff Burton were the other drivers to qualify for the Chase for the Sprint Cup in 2010.

Jamie McMurray didn't qualify for the 2010 Chase, but he did take the checkered flag in the 2010 Daytona 500. Dale Earnhardt Jr. was second that day, while Biffle, Bowyer, and David Reutimann rounded out the Top 5. Johnson ended up in 35th place.

Harvick won the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona last July, while Stewart and Kenseth visited Victory Lane in the 2009 Daytona events. Stewart has three career Cup wins at Daytona, while Harvick and McMurray have two each.

Gordon, though, leads the way with six career Cup wins at Daytona, while Earnhardt Jr. boasts two victories on the track. Johnson, Biffle, Burton, Kyle Busch, and Ryan Newman have each claimed the checkered flag at Daytona once in Cup events.

After racing at Daytona the drivers of the Sprint Cup Series will move on to Phoenix International Raceway to compete in the Subway Fresh Fit 500 on February 27. The circuit's March slate then gets underway at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 6.

 

2011 Daytona 500