The 2026 Great American Race takes place on Sunday. Our media members are in the know!
By Roy J. Akers – www.skyviewsports.net
Daytona Beach, Fla. — With the 2026 starting with the Great American Race, media members know the drivers, teams and the sport. Their predictions have a feel for a team that is due after a snakebit 2025. RFK Racing is at the top of the comeback list. This team is one of several teams on the comeback list.
Media Predictions
Jerry Jordan – www.kickinthetires.net — Brad Keselowski – He’s been chasing a Daytona 500 win for years; this could be the one. Dark Horse – Kyle Busch
Dustin Albino – Jayski.com– Winner: Chase Elliott – Darkhorse: Michael McDowell
Reid Spencer — NASCAR Wire– Chase Elliott to Win. The Chevy’s have something. Ryan Preece as the Dark Horse.
Deb Williams – NASCAR HOF- Autoweek.com My pick is Joey Logano. My underdog is Ryan Preece
Rich Jones — Reach PLC – Kyle Larson – He’s overdue and he has looked good at the last few superspeedways. Dark Horse- John Hunter Nemechek. Rich comes all the way from England and loves NASCAR!
Devin Kupka- Five to Go Podcast – Chris Buescher- The Ford’s are running well and showing speed. Dark Horse: Connor Zillisch. The rookie starts out with a bang!
Steve Sweitzer – Inside the Cup Garage w/The Lasco Press – William Byron makes it three in a row and Chris Buescher is the dark horse.
Tyler Head- Echo Park Speedway – My pick is Kyle Busch – simply because it would be a good story and a driver as accomplished as him is due to win this race.
Bob Francis- www.gofullthrottle.net– Chris Buescher to win because he’s starting last. Dark horse pick: The General! Cole Custer.
Claire B. Lang- dialedinjournal.substack.com It’s a crapshoot out there. Denny Hamlin. I feel as though he will catapult himself. Dark horse. Ryan Preece.
Steven Taranto – @STaranto92 Network -Kyle Larson- He has habitually put himself up front in speedway races. Ryan Preece is my dark horse. He ran well at Talladega last fall.
Roy J. Akers — www.skyviewsports.net – Chris Buescher- He is a top-five machine at Daytona including a summer win in 2022. Brad Keselowski has the speed is running well with Ford, and is my dark horse. BK for his first 500.
Great minds think alike. How so many reporters picked RFK drivers and Buescher in particular without knowing how other media picked is either brilliant or an eight-car Daytona pileup.
