Daytona 500 Predictions: Carl Edwards Will End Drought with Improbable Win

Carl Edwards will start from the pole on Sunday in the Daytona 500 (1:00 PM ET, FOX), and that's the only boost the Cup runner-up will need to end his Victory Lane drought and claim his first-ever win at the epic race event.

Edwards has not won a Sprint Cup race since the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race last May, and before that, his only points-accumulating win came at Las Vegas back in March 2011. 

His winless ways cost him the Cup Championship in 2011, as he fell just short of Tony Stewart in the last race of the season in November, finishing second place behind Stewart on the track and in the points race.

He handled his heartbreak as professionally and classy as anyone could ask, though, and he proved worthy of the casual fan's support.

The 32-year-old Edwards has never experienced the winner's circle at the Daytona 500, but the stars have aligned thus far to suggest that the No. 99 car is the favorite to take the checkered flag on Sunday.

Not only is Edwards the top dog starting in front, but he is joined by Roush Fenway Racing teammate Greg Biffle on the front row, and will be in ideal position up ahead of traffic to avoid falling victim to the big one, otherwise known as the multi-car wreck that everyone tunes in for, which usually shakes up the field.

Edwards won the pole three times last season, including in the final race of the year at Homestead-Miami, but he failed to win in each try, posting two second- and one 28th-place finishes.

He has come so close in the past, that it seems cruel to suggest he won't be the fastest driver in Sunday's Daytona 500.

His car was the fastest during qualifying, surpassing 194 mph, and if there had to be a hungry competitor to bank on, it would be the desperate Edwards.