On Sunday, the 67th annual Daytona 500 will formally kick off the 2025 NASCAR Cup Collection season. Forward of the season-opener, right here is the place the highest 16 drivers within the sequence stack up.
Blaney is three-tenths of a second away from successful a second consecutive championship in 2024. His robust run at Bowman Grey Stadium within the Prepare dinner Out Conflict proves that the No. 12 workforce will likely be a pressure to be reckoned with weekly. Blaney has seen his fair proportion of Daytona heartbreaks and can look to seize his first Harley J. Earl trophy on Sunday.
The Conflict at Bowman Grey could have solely been an exhibition race, but when it is any indication, Elliott and the No. 9 workforce could possibly be returning to the elite degree they had been at from 2020 to 2022. The 2020 Cup Collection champion will look to affix his father, Invoice, within the historical past books on Sunday – in 1987, Invoice Elliott gained each the Conflict and the Daytona 500.
Hamlin’s offseason was surrounded by speak of a crew chief change and dwindling sponsorship. That did not appear to faze him at Bowman Grey, the place he completed third and was one of many few drivers that would problem Elliott. Hamlin is in search of his first Cup Collection championship in 2025 and can start his quest by trying to win his fourth Daytona 500.
Feb 1, 2025; WInston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; NASCAR Cup Collection driver Joey Logano (22) through the warmth races for the Conflict at Bowman Grey at Bowman Grey Stadium.
Peter Casey-Imagn Photos
Logano started his title protection with a fourth-place end at Bowman Grey Stadium. The 2015 Daytona 500 champion and three-time Cup Collection champion is seeking to get again to a spot of weekly competition – regardless of successful the championship in 2024, Logano solely had seven top-five finishes – in 2025. Do not be shocked when you see Logano’s No. 22 up entrance within the closing phases of the ‘Nice American Race.’
The motive force of the No. 5 automobile begins his fifth season with Hendrick Motorsports in fifth place in our rankings. Pentagonal puns apart, Larson – who gained extra races than some other driver (six) in 2024 – is in search of a 3rd Championship 4 look in 2025 after barely lacking the reduce in 2024. Daytona hasn’t been form to him all through his profession, but when there is a first time for all the things, this yr could possibly be the yr he lastly breaks via for a superspeedway win.
Reddick took 23XI Racing to the group’s first Championship 4 in 2024 and opened 2025 with an eighth-place end within the Conflict at Bowman Grey. Like Larson, superspeedways aren’t Reddick’s cup of tea, however he did win his duel race at Daytona in 2024.
Bowman Grey Stadium was none too form to the defending Daytona 500 winner, as Byron was concerned in a number of incidents en path to an 18th-place end. He is in search of his third consecutive Championship 4 look in 2025. Search for Byron to begin the season off scorching – along with being the defending champion of the Daytona 500, Byron is a two-time winner on the reconfigured Atlanta and the defending winner at Circuit of the Americas.
Feb 1, 2025; WInston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; NASCAR Cup Collection driver Christopher Bell (20) throughout observe for the Conflict at Bowman Grey at Bowman Grey Stadium.
Peter Casey-Imagn Photos
Bell’s quiet Twelfth-place run at Bowman Grey was fairly the distinction to his previous three seasons, wherein he gained eight races and made two journeys to the Championship 4. After a controversial and disappointing finish to his 2024 playoff run, Bell and the No. 20 workforce are poised for revenge.
Bowman’s 2024 common season was nothing particular except for a win in Chicago, however a unbelievable playoff run lifted him to the Spherical of 8 earlier than his automobile was disqualified at Charlotte. With a chip on his shoulder, count on Bowman and the No. 48 workforce to come back out of the gates scorching this season. Keep watch over Bowman in Wednesday’s Daytona 500 qualifying session – he is a three-time Daytona 500 pole winner (2018, 2021, 2023) and began on the entrance row for the five hundred six consecutive instances from 2018 to 2023.
Buescher missed the playoffs final season, however he scored a win at Watkins Glen and has quietly change into certainly one of NASCAR’s most constant drivers. A win in his warmth race and a Tenth-place end within the Conflict at Bowman Grey received the No. 17 workforce’s season began off on the fitting foot.
Like Buescher, Chastain’s 2024 season was constant, however an absence of a win through the common season stored the No. 1 workforce out of the playoffs. Regardless of this, Chastain broke via for a win at Kansas. The ever-aggressive Chastain practically made a daring transfer work to win the Daytona 500 a yr in the past, and there is no purpose to suppose that the Alva, Florida, native will not do all the things in his energy to win on Sunday.
Nov 10, 2024; Avondale, Arizona, USA; NASCAR Cup Collection driver Brad Keselowski (6) through the NASCAR Cup Collection Championship race at Phoenix Raceway.
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Photos
A primary-round playoff exit in 2024 was disappointing, but it surely was arduous to be pissed off with a yr wherein Keselowski broke a 110-race winless streak and was top-of-the-line drivers within the sport over the summer season. Keselowski will likely be trying to find his first Daytona 500 win – the final main trophy he is but to obtain – on Sunday.
Wallace and new crew chief Charles Denike managed a fifth-place end of their debut collectively at Bowman Grey, which could possibly be a precursor for a breakout season. Wallace missed the playoffs in 2024 regardless of probably the most constant season of his profession. He hasn’t gained since September of 2022, however that would change this weekend – Wallace has two runner-up finishes within the Daytona 500 in 2018 and 2022, respectively.
14. Chase Brisco
After sending Stewart-Haas Racing off with a bang, Briscoe is seeking to make an announcement in his first season with Joe Gibbs Racing. The 2024 Southern 500 winner has one of the best alternative of his profession forward of him, and a Daytona 500 victory can be the very best begin to the brand new partnership.
Gibbs and new crew chief Tyler Allen want to each get Gibbs again to the playoffs and stick him in victory lane for the primary time. After beginning off 2024 white-hot, Gibbs faltered late within the season, resulting in a considerably lifeless playoff run that ended after the Spherical of 16. Coming into his third Cup Collection season, it appears like a win in 2025 is all however assured for Gibbs.
Feb 1, 2025; WInston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; NASCAR Cup Collection driver Shane Van Gisbergen (88) throughout observe for the Conflict at Bowman Grey at Bowman Grey Stadium.
Peter Casey-Imagn Photos
For those who want extra proof that van Gisbergen is a fast learner, simply take a look at his ninth-place end at Bowman Grey Stadium. The Auckland, New Zealand, native continues to impress with comparatively restricted NASCAR expertise. His rookie season will likely be outlined by the street course races on the schedule and whether or not or not he can break via for his first Cup Collection victory.
