Three big questions heading into Daytona 500

It is highly unlikely that Byron can make it a three-peat in Sunday's race, given the unpredictability that comes with this type of racing. With that said, it would not be a complete shock, either, due to the speed the Hendrick Motorsports group always brings to Daytona and the success he had on drafting-style tracks last season.

2. Can Team Penske translate speed to Daytona 500 win?

Since Austin Cindric claimed the 2022 Daytona 500, Team Penske has been searching for another Harley J. Earl Trophy. It has not been without a lot of pace, however, as the famed organization combined to lead 125 laps in last year's race, only for all three of its drivers to come away empty-handed.

One certainty with Team Penske is its ability to find the front on superspeedways, and that is no different in the Daytona 500 with each of its three drivers — Cindric, 2015 Daytona 500 winner Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney — ranking inside the top seven in terms of average finish among active drivers.

All three may suffer the same fate once again, but if they have shown us anything of late, expect each of them to be up front and in contention throughout all 500 miles.

3. What will the forecast look like?

The last thing anyone wants to hear about going to the Daytona 500 is the weather, especially after the persistent elements that wreaked havoc in Winston-Salem. According to AccuWeather, the forecast for Daytona Beach currently shows a 30% chance of rain as of Monday, which is to be expected due to the track's location.

While that can change for the better or the worse between now and race day, you would think the track is due to get all 500 miles completed on time this season. After all, the 2024 race was postponed to Monday, while the 2025 running did not finish until late that Sunday night after rain disrupted the early going.

The next few days will paint a better picture of the forecast for the weekend, but regardless of what the race conditions look like, a non-stop week of action is on tap as drivers shift into full gear on another season.