Nobody can say with certainty who will win the 2026 Daytona 500, but we can look at favorites, expert picks, and fan chatter to make educated guesses.

Daytona 500 Who Will Win?

Quick Scoop

The Daytona 500 is famously unpredictable: one late push or “Big One” can flip the entire running order in seconds. Still, sportsbooks, analysts, and fans are circling a small group of drivers as the most likely winners in 2026.

Top Favorites and Odds Buzz

Sportsbooks and preview sites have highlighted a core group of favorites for the 2026 Daytona 500.

  • Ryan Blaney – A Cup champion and superspeedway specialist, he’s one of the early odds-on favorites and still hunting his first Daytona 500 win.
  • Joey Logano – Former Daytona 500 winner (2015) and consistently strong in the draft; also listed among the shortest odds.
  • William Byron – Back‑to‑back Daytona 500 winner in 2024 and 2025, coming in as a top-tier contender even if books sometimes list him slightly behind Blaney and Logano.
  • Tyler Reddick – A recent Daytona 500 winner (listed as the 2026 winner in one betting‑oriented preview, reflecting a projection/placeholder), which underlines how high his stock is at plate races.
  • Chase Elliott & Kyle Larson – Elite Hendrick drivers regularly mentioned in contender lists for Daytona and other superspeedways.

In short: betting markets lean toward Penske power (Blaney, Logano) plus Hendrick’s Byron/Elliott/Larson as the main “who will win” tier.

Expert Prediction Highlights

Opinion pieces and prediction articles offer bolder “this is my pick” calls.

  • One major season preview names Chase Briscoe as its predicted Daytona 500 winner, citing his recent superspeedway strength (including Talladega success and Daytona qualifying speed).
  • A detailed fan/analyst video pick goes with Ryan Blaney , arguing that he’s been too strong on superspeedways to keep missing this particular trophy forever.
  • Betting and preview columns consistently treat Blaney and Logano as the safest “expert” picks based on odds plus past performance.
  • Ranking articles put Chase Elliott and William Byron near the very top of the field order in terms of winning probability.

So if you want a single “expert-style” prediction, a lot of sharper previews would circle:

  • Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, or William Byron as the most logical answers to “Daytona 500 who will win.”

Forum & Fan Discussion Vibes

On fan forums, the tone is more emotional, with users backing favorites, dark horses, and sentimental picks.

Common names popping up in fan prediction threads include:

  • Kyle Busch – A hugely popular choice among fans hoping he finally bags another crown‑jewel win.
  • Christopher Buescher – Gets loud, enthusiastic backing as a possible surprise winner.
  • Shane van Gisbergen (SVG) – Mentioned as a fun, high‑upside pick.
  • Noah Gragson, Todd Gilliland, Alex Bowman, Austin Cindric – Appear as “why not?” picks, with fans acknowledging the chaos factor at Daytona.
  • Some users jokingly say “no one wins, we all lose,” highlighting how random the race can feel.

The forum mood: anything can happen, so fans are comfortable taking swings on mid‑tier or wild‑card drivers, not just the Vegas favorites.

Snapshot: Key Contenders Table

Below is a quick HTML table of major names you’ll see in “Daytona 500 who will win” conversations for 2026.

html

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Driver</th>
      <th>Why People Like This Pick</th>
      <th>Source Type</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>Ryan Blaney</td>
      <td>Superspeedway ace, Cup champion, sits among shortest betting odds and is a direct pick in some previews.</td>
      <td>Betting odds & analyst picks [web:3][web:5][web:7][web:9]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Joey Logano</td>
      <td>2015 Daytona 500 winner, consistently strong in the draft, top-tier odds.</td>
      <td>Betting markets & previews [web:5][web:7][web:9]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>William Byron</td>
      <td>Won the Daytona 500 in 2024 and 2025, widely viewed as a major favorite to contend again.</td>
      <td>Race recaps & odds previews [web:9][web:10]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Chase Briscoe</td>
      <td>Recent superspeedway success (Talladega win, Daytona speed) earns him a bold “winner prediction” tag.</td>
      <td>Season prediction article [web:1]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Chase Elliott</td>
      <td>Elite Hendrick driver, consistently in “top contenders” lists for Daytona and title races.</td>
      <td>Contender previews & rankings [web:1][web:6][web:8]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Kyle Larson</td>
      <td>Top-tier talent, appears on multiple Daytona contender lists despite mixed plate-track luck.</td>
      <td>Prediction and contender articles [web:6][web:8]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Tyler Reddick</td>
      <td>Highlighted in betting content as a Daytona 500 winner in recent listings, signaling strong superspeedway expectations.</td>
      <td>Betting preview & historical winners list [web:9]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Kyle Busch</td>
      <td>Fan‑favorite dark horse in forums, emotional pick for many long‑time supporters.</td>
      <td>Forum discussions [web:2]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Christopher Buescher</td>
      <td>Receives passionate “this is my guy” fan predictions as a potential upset winner.</td>
      <td>Forum discussions [web:2]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Shane van Gisbergen (SVG)</td>
      <td>Popular wildcard pick thanks to his road‑course heroics and buzz factor.</td>
      <td>Forum discussions [web:2]</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

So… Who Should You Say Will Win?

If you need a single “headline” answer for 2026:

  • Safe mainstream answer: Ryan Blaney or Joey Logano – they sit near the top of odds boards and expert predictions.
  • Narrative pick: William Byron – going for an insane three‑peat after 2024 and 2025 wins.
  • Bold analyst pick: Chase Briscoe – explicitly named in at least one full‑season prediction as the Daytona 500 winner.
  • Fun forum-style pick: someone like Kyle Busch, Christopher Buescher, or SVG if you want to ride with fan energy and chaos.

Whatever prediction you make, it’s worth remembering that superspeedway pack racing means even a mid‑pack starter can steal the Harley J. Earl trophy with one perfect last lap.

Bottom note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.