Daytona 500 2017: Odds and Predictions for 59th Great American Race
The Daytona 500 has finally arrived, and all eyes figure to be on betting favorite Dale Earnhardt Jr. when engines are revved at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday afternoon.
A two-time champion of the sport's biggest race, Earnhardt's 2016 season was overshadowed by lingering concussion issues that threatened to derail his career.
However, the 42-year-old is primed for a return to the track on Sunday as he seeks to cap off his career by riding off into the sunset after hoisting some hardware.
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"To come back this year, win a championship, it would be hard not to hang it up," he said, according to the Orlando Sentinel's George Diaz.
With hours dwindling before the NASCAR spectacular gets underway, here's a rundown of the latest odds for top racers and some predictions for Sunday's action. Complete odds can be viewed at OddsShark.
Odds
| Dale Earnhardt Jr. | +450 |
| Brad Keselowski | +700 |
| Joey Logano | +900 |
| Jimmie Johnson | +1000 |
| Kyle Busch | +1000 |
| Kevin Harvick | +1200 |
| Denny Hamlin | +1200 |
| Chase Elliott | +1200 |
| Matt Kenseth | +1400 |
| Martin Truex Jr. | +1400 |
| Clint Bowyer | +1800 |
| Kyle Larson | +2200 |
| Kurt Busch | +2500 |
| Jamie McMurray | +2800 |
| Austin Dillon | +3300 |
| Erik Jones | +3300 |
| Kasey Kahne | +3300 |
| Ryan Blaney | +4000 |
Preview and Predictions
Earnhardt finished a lowly 36th at the 2016 Daytona 500, but history suggests he should be in for a return to form following a year at the back of the pack.
Not only did Earnhardt take home the checkered flag at Daytona three years ago, but he also recorded a third-place finish in 2015 and second-place finishes in 2012 and 2013, per OddsShark's Joe Osborne.
Earnhardt's case is also helped by the fact that he'll start in the second spot following a stellar qualifying performance.
However, he's going to have some stiff competition if he wants to make a triumphant statement on the sport's biggest stage.
Chief among that group of rivals is Jimmie Johnson, who owns the fourth-best odds at plus-1000 (bet $100 to win $1,000).
The reigning Monster Energy Cup champion, Johnson will begin his pursuit of an eighth NASCAR title when he gets behind the wheel of his backup No. 48 car following a collision with the wall during a Can-Am Duel on Thursday.
But despite the hiccup in qualifying, Johnson has the pedigree at Daytona necessary to overcome adversity. The 41-year-old has won the Great American Race twice (2006, 2013), and he should have plenty of momentum on his side after he finished the 2016 season with wins at Martinsville and Homestead-Miami.
Take it from team owner Rick Hendrick, and Johnson's strong close to the last campaign could help him moving forward.
"I think to me, getting the seventh (championship) was the challenge," Hendrick said, per NASCAR.com's Holly Cain. "It's hard to explain but I think it took some of the pressure off just getting the seventh. And now, he can just race, and if eight happens, great. I think he's got as good a shot as anybody out there."
As for defending Daytona champion Denny Hamlin, don't count on a repeat despite compelling plus-1200 odds.
In fact, Hamlin admitted as much earlier in the week.
"The odds are stacked against you," Hamlin said, per the Star-Telegram's Drew Davison. "Daytona, we all know that the entire field could win the race. We've seen very unexpected winners in the past. It's just because, you know, there's a lot of attrition, a lot of things that can happen."
Hamlin could always make history, but considering Sterling Marlin (1994-95) was the last driver to capture back-to-back titles at Daytona, it'd be wise to look elsewhere when considering final bets before the action heats up.
Prediction: Dale Earnhardt Jr. staves off Jimmie Johnson to take home the Daytona title.
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