NASCAR at Daytona 2021: Top Sleepers to Watch in Great American Race
The unpredictability of racing at Daytona International Speedway makes the Daytona 500 a terrific start to the NASCAR season.
Denny Hamlin won the past two editions of The Great American Race, but there were a few surprise winners in the last decade, including Austin Dillon and Trevor Bayne.
Dillon was one of 16 drivers to qualify for the 2020 NASCAR postseason, but is he still not viewed as one of the top contenders to win every race.
The No. 3 car driver's experience at Daytona should make him one of the top sleeper picks to capture the first race of the 2021 season.
Christopher Bell falls in a similar category as Dillon as a driver that is not expected to compete for the win every weekend, but his move to Joe Gibbs Racing may assist in higher finishes in 2021, starting with the Daytona 500 on February 14.
Austin Dillon
The 2018 Daytona 500 winner turned in a handful of strong performances on his way to clinching a playoff berth in 2020.
Dillon started with a 12th-placed finish at Daytona and landed nine top-10 finishes, including a victory at Texas.
Although he has enjoyed some success recently, Dillon is still down on the list of Daytona 500 favorites, which should begin with Hamlin. Dillon is currently +2500 (bet $100 to win $2,500) at DraftKings Sportsbook to cross the finish line first on February 14. Fifteen competitors have better odds than the Richard Childress Racing driver.
If Dillon banks off his winning experience and hooks up with the right drafting partners, he could make a push at securing his second Daytona 500 crown.
Christopher Bell
Bell should not have any trouble finding drafting partners on his new team.
The No. 20 car driver should combine with Hamlin, Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. to remain at, or near, the front of the pack.
Bell took 23rd in the 2020 Daytona 500 and improved on that finish by 10 places in the summer race in central Florida.
With more firepower under his engine, Bell has to be considered one of the sleepers to win (+2500) and as a pick to finish in the top five and top 10.
Joe Gibbs Racing produced back-to-back wins with Hamlin. The team also went to Victory Lane in 1993 with Dale Jarrett and in 2016 for the first Hamlin's three victories.
At the least, Bell should be utilized as a reliable part on the inside or outside line to protect his three older teammates.
If Hamlin, Busch or Truex is eliminated before the final 10 laps or if Bell has the better car, he could make the push to the front of the field to land the biggest win of his career.
Statistics obtained from Racing Reference.
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