Assessing each active NASCAR Cup Series champion's shot at winning first Daytona 500

There are five NASCAR Cup Series champions competing in Sunday's Daytona 500 who have never hoisted the Harley J. Earl Trophy, which is awarded to the winner of the "Great American Race."

Here is how each of them stack up ahead of the 68th running of the Daytona 500 on Sunday (2:30 p.m. ET, Fox, HBO Max, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Kyle Busch (20 starts, best finish: second, 2019)

As a two-time champion at the sport's highest level, there is not much that Busch has not accomplished. Winning a Daytona 500, though, is one of them.

From leading at the 500-mile mark in 2023 to his runner-up finish in 2019, Busch has had his share of heartbreaking defeats. If he has anything on his side, he drives for a Richard Childress Racing organization that always tends to have fast Chevrolets at the "World Center of Racing," so perhaps now is as good a time as any for Busch to finally win the Daytona 500.

Brad Keselowski (16 starts, best finish: third, 2014)

It was a trying offseason for the 2012 champion, who broke his leg during a ski trip and was just cleared to race at Daytona on Monday. The RFK Racing co-owner has a win in the 2016 summer race at the "World Center of Racing," but is still in search of his first Daytona 500 triumph.

As someone who always seems to be toward the front of the pack, it is hard to believe that Keselowski is still winless in his pursuit of the Harley J. Earl Trophy. With so many close calls, he is beyond due to finally break through.

Kyle Larson (12 starts, best finish: seventh, 2016, 2019)

The defending champion has excelled at every type of track except superspeedways. Although he scored the second-most points on drafting style tracks last season (197), per NASCAR Insights, Larson is still winless on the high banks of Daytona.