The final race of the regular season is Saturday as the Coke Zero Sugar 400 is at Daytona International Speedway. Denny Hamlin is the favorite at 6/1, but the wide-open nature of Daytona allows several drivers an opportunity to win at the Florida racetrack.
Which is good, because several are on the playoff bubble coming into the Coke Zero Sugar 400. William Byron holds the last spot, but teammate Jimmie Johnson is just four points behind.
Bryon said it is a bit awkward with the possibility of keeping Johnson from making the playoffs in his last full season, but he said the goal is to help his teammate get into the postseason.
“We’re going to race and try to push each other towards the front and try to get both of us into the playoffs,†Byron said. “I thnk we have a chance and an opportunity to get both Hendrick cars in and be able to bump the No. 21 (Matt DiBenedetto) out.â€
Odds to Win Coke Zero Sugar 400
| Driver | BetMGM | Westgate | BetOnline |
| Denny Hamlin | 6/1 | 8/1 | 7/1 |
| Kevin Harvick | 8/1 | 14/1 | 10/1 |
| Joey Logano | 11/1 | 8/1 | 10/1 |
| Brad Keselowski | 11/1 | 12/1 | 14/1 |
| Ryan Blaney | 12/1 | 8/1 | 10/1 |
| Chase Elliott | 14/1 | 14/1 | 12/1 |
| Kyle Busch | 14/1 | 16/1 | 16/1 |
| Martin Truex Jr. | 16/1 | 30/1 | 18/1 |
| Aric Almirola | 20/1 | 16/1 | 18/1 |
| Jimmie Johnson | 20/1 | 30/1 | 20/1 |
| Kurt Busch | 20/1 | 18/1 | 20/1 |
| Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 20/1 | 18/1 | 16/1 |
| Clint Bowyer | 30/1 | 30/1 | 28/1 |
| Alex Bowman | 30/1 | 30/1 | 25/1 |
| Erik Jones | 30/1 | 30/1 | 20/1 |
| Matt DiBenedetto | 30/1 | 30/1 | 33/1 |
| William Byron | 30/1 | 30/1 | 30/1 |
| Austin Dillon | 40/1 | 40/1 | 33/1 |
| Tyler Reddick | 40/1 | 30/1 | 25/1 |
| Cole Custer | 40/1 | 50/1 | 50/1 |
| Chris Buescher | 40/1 | 40/1 | 40/1 |
| Christopher Bell | 40/1 | 50/1 | 40/1 |
| Ryan Newman | 40/1 | 50/1 | 33/1 |
In essence, there will be two races going on at the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona. Those trying to get into the playoffs, and those trying to win the race. We take a look at those who have a chance to win, and those who might struggle at Daytona.
Drivers to Consider at Coke Zero Sugar 400
Denny Hamlin 7/1
One of the hottest drivers right now, Hamlin is the favorite at a couple of sportsbooks to win the Coke Zero Sugar 400. He has won the Daytona 500 two consecutive years, so he likes the racetrack.
His performance in the last seven races has been strong as well. He has five top-5 finishes, a sixth place and a 19th place.
Aric Almirola (20/1)
Almirola might be a decent longshot to wager on at Daytona. He only has two Cup wins, but they were both at superspeedways, including Daytona in 2014. He might be able to sneak in his third Cup win here.
Drivers to Avoid
Kevin Harvick (8/1)
This is not Harvick’s favorite track, and his record here is spotty. In eight previous races at Daytona, he has just one finish better than 19th place. His average finish for those eight races is 25.5. There are much better drivers to put money on at the Coke Zero Sugar 400.
Martin Truex Jr. (16/1)
Truex is another driver that has struggled at Daytona, but unlike Harvick, his odds reflect that. He is as high as 30/1 at some sportsbooks. His last race at Daytona he finished 32nd.