Could the Toyotas be strong? How about the Fords? We just don’t know yet. So with this being the first intermediate type track of the year, this will be the first chance to see which teams have made gains in the offseason. If you’re not familiar with NASCAR, it’s important to know the Daytona 500 has virtually nothing to do with how teams will perform in the remainder of the year. Gluck: I’d be pretty cautious about going in on one team or manufacturer for Fontana, which is the first “real” race of the season. Hendrick Motorsports has won the last two races here and Kyle Larson (+600) is the race favorite. Jeff Gluck and Jordan Bianchi, The Athletic’s motorsports reporters, answered questions and picked winners and longshots for this weekend’s race. Hendrick has eight wins at this track, most of any team since the race debuted in 1997.
His Hendrick Motorsports teammate Alex Bowman won in 2020 (the race was not held in 2021). While Daytona has seen some surprise winners the last few years, the list of winners at Auto Club Speedway is full of heavy hitters in the sport.
