NASCAR insider picks RFK Racing’s driver as favorite to win 2025 Daytona 500

The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season heads to the Daytona International Speedway for the biggest race of the season, the Daytona 500. Ahead of the prestigious event, NASCAR insider Bob Pockrass shared his prediction, picking the winner, top-five finishes, and longshot to win the 2025 Daytona 500.

Pockrass picked RFK Racing’s driver/co-owner Brad Keselowski to take the checkered flag at Daytona on Sunday. Keselowski has won at 2.5-mile superspeedway multiple times but not in the season-opening Daytona race. He will start from 34th position in the 41-driver field on Sunday, but he was fastest in the final practice session.

Rounding out Pockrass’ top-five predictions are Alex Bowman, Ryan Preece, Ryan Blaney, and Bubba Wallace. He also picked AJ Allmendinger as a longshot prospect. Allmendinger will start at P13.

On X, Pockrass wrote:

“My Daytona 500 pick: Brad Keselowski ... top-5: Keselowski Bowman Preece Blaney Wallace ... longshot: Allmendinger”

Keselowski has made 15 starts at the Daytona season opener, with a best finish of P3, which came in 2014. He will look to end his Daytona 500 drought this year. He has the fourth highest odds to win at +1400 odds.

Meanwhile, Kyle Larson, Kyle Busch, and Denny Hamlin are top favorites to win “The Great American Race.” Larson, Busch, and Hamlin will start 22nd, 21st, and 8th on Sunday.

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Kevin Harvick picks Ryan Blaney to win the 2025 Daytona 500

Former driver-turned-commentator Kevin Harvick picked Team Penske driver Ryan Blaney as a favorite to win his first Daytona 500. Blaney, who has a best finish of P2 at this event, will start 16th on Sunday.

In the latest episode of Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour, when his co-host Kaitlyn Vincie asked him to give his prediction for “The Great American Race,” Harvick said:

“My best bet would probably be Ryan Blaney. I love the speed. I love the enthusiasm. I think he's a good superspeedway racer. He’s proven that through the years. I think it's like we talked earlier. I think it's just time that those marquee races, those marquee moments—I mean, he's going to capitalize on some of those as we go through, you know, capitalize on some of those as we go through; it may not be this year, might be this year.” [45:05]

Catch NASCAR Cup Series drivers and teams in action at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday, Feb. 16, at 1:30 pm ET. Fans can witness the iconic 500-mile NASCAR Cup Series season-opener on FOX.