NASCAR Power Rankings: Who Is the Favorite Heading Into Daytona?

The 2026 NASCAR season is set to begin this week with the Daytona 500. That means it is time to start the Athlon Sports weekly power rankings for the Cup Series. While we only have the Clash as evidence this season, we can tap into past performances for this first set of rankings.

Superspeedway racing in the Next Gen era can be frustrating. Fuel saving, wrecks, late restarts, and other issues have caused fans to sour on it. Then again, we have seen great racing at Atlanta, and even Daytona when the field gets cut down to about 25 cars or so.

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Let’s get into who the favorites are this week, who to watch for, and maybe even some overlooked drivers. These power rankings will rely heavily on last year’s superspeedway results. Still, we should have a good idea about the top drivers with all we know about this field.

10) Chris Buescher, RFK Racing

While he went winless and missed the playoffs in 2025, Chris Buescher is a driver you can’t sleep on. His skills on the superspeedways are elite, and RFK Racing is set to have four cars in the field for the Daytona 500.

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Buescher is a proven winner in the Cup Series. He can get it done on a variety of tracks, and that’s why I have him as the last driver in the NASCAR Power Rankings going into Daytona.

9) Ryan Preece, RFK Racing

Everyone knows about his flips at Daytona, but is this the year that Ryan Preece gets it done and WINS at Daytona? Preece was clearly the best RFK Racing driver on multiple occasions last season. This year, he’s already won the Clash.

Preece and RFK Racing are desperate to get that first points win. Perhaps the momentum from Bowman Gray will be just what they need to win the Daytona 500.

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8) Bubba Wallace, 23XI Racing

We can’t talk about superspeedways and NASCAR Power Rankings on a superspeedway without mentioning Bubba Wallace. He’s going to be up front, he’s likely going to lead laps or lead a line for multiple laps. Then, you kind of roll the dice and see what happens.

For how lauded his superspeedway talent is in the Cup Series, he has been unable to get the job done in the Great American Race. He earned his first Crown Jewel at Indy last year. Is Wallace ready for his second?

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7) Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports

We have seen Chase Elliott win on every kind of track there is, including superspeedways. Adding a Daytona 500 win to his resume would be major and could do a lot for the confidence of the No. 9 team.

The Chase format benefits Chase, no pun intended. His consistency and even-handedness will be rewarded. Still, he has to win races if he wants to become a two-time Cup Series champion this year.

6) Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing

Last season was a doozy for Christopher Bell. He won three straight races following the Daytona 500. Then, he went on a long dry spell. This year, Bell is hoping his JGR teammates can help push him to a win at Daytona.

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Bell has had up-and-down luck at superspeedways. He’s hoping the luck is looking positive for him going into the week. A Daytona 500 victory would do a lot to further build Bell’s reputation as an elite driver.

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5) Kyle Larson – Hendrick Motorsports

What can you say about Kyle Larson that hasn’t already been said? The defending champion is only this low on the first NASCAR Power Rankings of the season because he doesn’t have the best record at superspeedways. He’s never even finished in the top-five in the Daytona 500.

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Despite some solid results at the drafting tracks a year ago, Larson is still figuring it out. At least, he’s figuring out how to finish these races cleanly and without wrecking. Will that continue in 2026? We’ll have to see.

4) Chase Briscoe – Joe Gibbs Racing

Is the second year of Chase Briscoe at JGR the one where he takes the next step? Briscoe looked like a championship contender in his first season in the No. 19 car. I think he keeps impressing fans with his performances.

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JGR believes in Briscoe. Crew chief James Small has his talented driver in the best shape of his life. So, why not have them ranked highly ahead of the Daytona 500? Briscoe sat on the pole a year ago.

3) Denny Hamlin – Joe Gibbs Racing

How special and meaningful would it be for Denny Hamlin to claim his fourth Daytona 500 win after the 2025 season he had? Without getting into all of the morbidities, it would be a therapeutic victory for Hamlin, fans, and so many others in the sport.

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Hamlin goes into this race with three Harley J. Earl trophies. Why not add another one to that list?

2) William Byron – Hendrick Motorsports

The back-to-back champion is looking to make it a three-peat. William Byron had another excellent season a year ago but still came up short of his first championship. If he were able to claim another Daytona 500 victory, it would be a shot heard round the world. No flukes involved with a three-peat.

Byron is the next big thing at Hendrick Motorsports. If Kyle Larson isn’t careful, Byron will surpass him on the track sooner than later.

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1) Ryan Blaney – Team Penske

With a mustache that could break up just about any marriage and plenty of drafting track wins to boot, Ryan Blaney has to be the top driver in the NASCAR Power Rankings. He has won a lot of close battles on these superspeedways, but never in the Daytona 500.

Blaney and the No. 12 team have been excellent the last few years. Despite a hefty number of DNFs, Blaney has remained a threat to win the regular season championship, and of course, in the playoffs, has gone on deep runs. He’s the top driver in the Cup Series ahead of the Daytona 500.

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This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Feb 9, 2026, where it first appeared in the Racing section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.