The 55th running of the Great American Race, the Daytona 500, will take place today at the Daytona International Speedway. Start time in this afternoon’s race is set for 1:00pm ET; it will be broadcast live on FOX. 2013 Daytona 500 Odds have Tony Stewart listed as a +800 moneyline favorite to win his first Daytona 500. Kevin Harvick is drawing +900 odds to capture his second Daytona 500 title while Kyle Bush and Matt Kenseth are third picks in today’s race at +1000 odds each.
Tony Stewart (+800): Today will mark Tony Stewart’s 15th Daytona 500 start, but he will be seeking his first win in the Great American Race. Stewart, who will start today’s race from the seventh row, has three top five Daytona 500 finishes, including a second place run in 2004, but victory has eluded him. The Indiana native has experienced profound success at Daytona International Speedway, though, registering four wins and 13 top 10 finishes in 28 career appearances at the legendary track.
Kevin Harvick (+900): Harvick, Like Stewart, has an impressive history at Daytona International Speedway; he has two wins, including the 2007 Daytona 500, and 10 top 10 finishes in 23 starts there. Harvick, who will start from the three-hole, won last weekend’s Sprint Unlimited as well, leading 40 of the 75 laps run.
Kyle Busch (+1000): Kyle Busch has dominated the Daytona 500 at times (led 88 laps in the 2009 Daytona 500, finished fourth), but he has never won it. Busch does have one win and five top five finishes in 16 career races at Daytona International Speedway, though. Busch will start next to Harvick today on the outside of the second row.
Matt Kenseth (+1000): Kenseth, who won his second Daytona 500 last year, has a new team this year as he made the switch from Rousch Racing to Joe Gibbs Racing in the off-season; however, the move should not effect him. Joe Gibbs Racing has a history of performing well at restrictor plate tracks as does Kenseth (two wins and 13 top 10 finishes in 26 starts at Daytona International).
Daytona 500 Odds:
Tony Stewart +800
Kevin Harvick +900
Kyle Busch +1000
Matt Kenseth +1000
Dale Earnhardt Jr. +1200
Jimmie Johnson +1200
Kasey Kahne +1200
Jeff Gordon +1200
Brad Keselowski +1200
Denny Hamlin +1500
Greg Biffle +1800
Clint Bowyer +1800
Carl Edwards +2000
Danica Patrick +2000
Jeff Burton +2500
Jamie McMurray +2500
Martin Truex Jr. +2500
Mark Martin +3000
Joey Logano +3000
Paul Menard +3000
Ryan Newman +3000
Kurt Busch +3000
Marcos Ambrose +4000
Austin Dillion +4000
Juan Montoya +5000
Ricky Stenhouse +5000
Trevor Bayne +7500
Aric Almirola +7500
Bobby Labonte +10000
David Gilliland +20000
Dave Blaney +20000
Casey Mears +20000
Travis Kvapil +2000
Field (Any Other Driver) +2500