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The 67th edition of the Daytona 500, scheduled for February 16, will kick off the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season. The 500-mile race, dubbed the 'Great American Race' is the sport's most prestigious event with its winners forever etched in the annals of stock car racing.
While many NASCAR champions and legendary drivers have clinched the Harley J. Earl trophy, the Daytona International Speedway has also witnessed underdogs upset big names. The biggest race of the season provides a perfect stage for the dark horses to make waves.
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In recent years, former Front Row Motorsports driver Michael McDowell and JTG Daugherty Racing's Ricky Stenhouse Jr. have put their underdog teams in the spotlight with Daytona 500 victories. Meanwhile, young talents such as Austin Cindric and William Byron have outshined veteran drivers to claim wins.
Ahead of the 2025 Daytona 500, let us take a look at five dark horse contenders who could etch their name on the Harley J. Earl trophy.
5 Dark horses at the 2025 Daytona 500
Alex Bowman
Alex Bowman came heartbreakingly close to lifting the Harley J. Earl trophy last year, finishing second to his Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron. Bowman has finished inside the top-five in the last two starts, and could very well contend for the victory this season. He has a 15.2 average finish at the 2.5-mile oval while boasting three pole positions and three additional front-row starts in the crown jewel event.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Having already won the Great American Race for JTG Daugherty Racing, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. could repeat the feat under the new banner of Hyak Motorsports. Irrespective of the machinery Stenhouse Jr. manages to emerge in front of the field, putting himself in a position to win the race, hence one shouldn't discount the 37-year-old.
Michael McDowell
Michael McDowell took a shock Daytona 500 victory with Front Row Motorsports in 2021 and is capable of pulling off yet another upset, this time with Spire Motorsports. Like Stenhouse Jr., McDowell is among the best superspeedway drivers in NASCAR. He will be making his 14th Daytona 500 start on February 16.
Bubba Wallace
Bubba Wallace has come close to winning the crown jewel event on two separate occasions, finishing second both times. He has the best average finishing position at the Daytona 500, 11.9, among all active drivers. Having gone winless over the past two seasons, winning the 500-mile race would be a great way to kick off the season for the 23XI Racing driver.
Austin Cindric
Austin Cindric won the 2022 Daytona 500 in his rookie year and has since performed consistently well on Superspeedways. He has a 17.0 average finishing position at the 2.5-mile oval. Racing alongside championship-winning teammates, Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney at Team Penske, Cindric is capable of out-dueling his teammates for the win.
