The 2023 Daytona 500 is getting closer with track action beginning on Wednesday night. With the Great American Race only four days away, NASCAR is ready to take the spotlight for the rest of the week.
Let’s dive into five bold Daytona 500 predictions before the race weekend is officially underway.
Alex Bowman continues history with Daytona 500 pole
Alex Bowman is the only driver to start on the front row in five straight Daytona 500s. This means Bowman has not worried about the qualifying duels for the last five years as the front row is locked after the initial qualifying session is complete.
Not only will that continue into the 2023 season, but it will also result in another pole position. Bowman will secure his third pole position in the last six Daytona 500s. The other two came in 2018 and 2021.
Even without Greg Ives on top of the pit box, the speed of the Hendrick Motorsports cars will trump everyone else. If another driver were to challenge Bowman, it is likely Christopher Bell who won two poles at Talladega Superspeedway last season.
Stewart-Haas Racing sweeps the Daytona 500 qualifying duels
Stewart-Haas Racing enters the 2023 Daytona 500 with many storylines. One of them is Kevin Harvick retiring at the conclusion of the NASCAR season while Aric Almirola could retire alongside him.
However, Stewart-Haas Racing won’t think about that for now and start off the points season on the right foot. The organization will sweep the qualifying duels on Thursday night in the same fashion as RFK Racing last season.
The top 10 finishers in each duel will earn points so it will be a good night for Stewart-Haas Racing. It is predicted that Harvick will be one of the two drivers to win a qualifying duel.
Related: Daytona 500 winners, results, and facts
Jimmie Johnson will qualify, finish top-10 in the Daytona 500
Jimmie Johnson has returned to NASCAR as an owner/driver for Legacy Motor Club, formerly known as Petty GMS Motorsports. Johnson will drive the No. 84 car as an open entry which means he will need to qualify for the event.
There won’t be any need for Johnson to worry about the qualifying duels on Thursday night because he will be one of two drivers to lock themselves into the field during the initial qualifying session on Wednesday night.
Not only will he lock himself into the field on Wednesday night, but he will also finish in the top 10 positions during the 2023 Daytona 500. It will be a successful race for the seven-time champion in his return to the NASCAR Cup Series.
Travis Pastrana will not qualify for the 2023 Daytona 500
Travis Pastrana is aiming to make his NASCAR Cup Series debut in the No. 67 car for 23XI Racing in the Daytona 500. Pastrana faces the exact same situation as Johnson with both of them needing to qualify for the event.
Unlike Johnson, there will not be a spot for Pastrana in the Great American Race as he fails to qualify for the event. It is a disappointing ending but a lack of experience in NASCAR over the last decade will end up hurting his performance.
Pastrana has only driven in four NASCAR Truck Series races since his full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series season in 2013. Compared to other drivers, there is just not enough superspeedway experience to get it done, especially without any practice.
Related: How long is the Daytona 500 in laps, miles, kilometers, and longest times
Brad Keselowski wins his first Daytona 500
Brad Keselowski has come so close to winning a Daytona 500 on several occasions. In fact, Keselowski had to watch his former car win the Great American Race last season when Austin Cindric claimed the trophy.
However, all of those close but unsuccessful attempts will finally pay off. Keselowski will win the 2023 Daytona 500 and finally add it to his prestigious resume. The RFK Racing duo showed incredible speed in last year’s event and that will carry over.
It won’t be something Keselowski lucks into either as he is predicted to have the best car. Eventually, Keselowski has to win the event and that time has arrived.
