NASCAR Duels at Daytona Predictions, Odds & Race Preview — Daytona International Speedway

Kyle Busch won the pole in Daytona 500 qualifying last night, with Chase Briscoe grabbing second. The rest of the NASCAR Cup Series starting grid will be determined in tonight’s Duels at Daytona.

My free betting picks tell you who will win each Duel, and how the races might impact the Daytona 500 odds.

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Odds to win 2026 Duels at Daytona (Duel 1)

Odds as of 2-12.

Odds to win 2026 Duels at Daytona (Duel 2)

Odds as of 2-12.

Duels at Daytona expert picks and predictions

Odds listed below courtesy of BetRivers.

Duels at Daytona favorites

DUEL 1
Joey Logano (+600)
Joey Logano leads all full-time drivers in average rating at drafting tracks like Daytona over the last three seasons (18 races). He’ll also have teammate Ryan Blaney ready, willing, and able to help him. Logano is a three-time Duel winner dating back to 2019.

DUEL 2
Denny Hamlin (+450)
Good things have come in threes for Denny Hamlin at Daytona. Hamlin is a three-time Duel winner, a three-time Clash winner, and a three-time Daytona 500 champion. Hamlin dealt with personal tragedy in the offseason after a heartbreaking loss in the 2025 Championship Race, so he’ll be looking to get off to a good start in 2026.

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Duels at Daytona sleepers

DUEL 1
William Byron (+900)
It’s hard to ignore the two-time reigning Daytona 500 champ at these odds. William Byron is also tops in average finish among full-time drivers at drafting tracks over the last three seasons.

DUEL 2
Carson Hocevar (+1800)
Youth has been served in recent Duels, with Bubba Wallace, Austin Cindric, Tyler Reddick, and Christopher Bell comprising the last four winners. Carson Hocevar is one of the most aggressive drivers in the Cup Series and has hit the Top 10 in four of his last five races on drafting tracks.

Duels at Daytona fades

DUEL 1
Brad Keselowski (+1100)
Brad Keselowski was only just cleared to drive again after breaking his leg in a skiing accident in the offseason, and we saw how long it took Chase Elliott to get back into the winner’s circle when he had a similar incident a couple of years ago. Just making it to the finish line at all would be a victory for Keselowski, who only has one win at this oval (2016 Coke Zero 400).

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DUEL 2
Austin Cindric (+750)
Most of the top Fords in the Cup Series, including Penske teammates Logano and Blaney, wound up in Duel 1. Expect Austin Cindric to get hung out to dry by the Chevys and Toyotas in crunch time.

Popular motor sports futures odds

Daytona International Speedway track analysis

Why this is nothing like the Daytona 500

Daytona International Speedway is a high-speed, 2.5-mile, steeply banked superspeedway unlike nearly every other track on the schedule except Talladega and Atlanta. Those three venues account for six of the 36 points races each season and look completely different from the other 32 events.

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That’s largely because of the tapered spacers used to limit engine power and the specific aerodynamic package designed for these tracks, which keeps the cars bunched tightly together in large packs.

In simple terms, drivers run wide open — full throttle with little to no braking — and everyone is traveling at nearly the same speed. Drafting becomes essential, and mastering it is an art form.

The Duels aren’t quite the same as the Daytona 500, since each race features only half the field. With fewer cars, there’s less energy and momentum built up in the draft.

Modern superspeedway racing is also heavily influenced by manufacturer alliances. In the Duels, though, drivers may have fewer brand teammates to draft with compared to the larger field on Sunday.

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Plus, 38 drivers already know they’re locked into Sunday’s race, so there’s little incentive to take risks or damage equipment — especially for the pole-sitters.

Duels at Daytona trends

• The last Duel winner to win the Daytona 500 was Matt Kenseth in 2012. He’s the only one to do so in the last 19 years.

• Tire strategy almost never decides a Duel, so winners aren’t typically the result of pit‑cycle gambles.

Previous Duels at Daytona winners

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This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here