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Before breaking down the Daytona 500 field, it is important to review the recent duels that set the lineup for NASCAR's biggest race on Sunday. The duels, which took place Thursday night at Daytona International Speedway, showcased the drivers' strong cars and racing instincts heading into the highly anticipated event.

Daytona International Speedway, along with Talladega and Atlanta, is known as a "drafting" track, where racing side-by-side in packs is common and drivers rely on aerodynamic drafting to make crucial passes. As the anticipation builds for the Daytona 500, let's take a closer look at the drivers and rank their chances of winning the race.

Coming in at the top of the rankings is Joe Gibbs Racing driver Kyle Busch. With three Daytona 500 trophies already in his collection, Busch is certainly a strong contender. However, despite his previous successes, he has not yet won on a drafting track in a Next Gen car. His late risky move in the duels, though effective in that scenario, might not have yielded the same outcome in the 500.

Next up is Joey Logano, who will start on the pole for the Daytona 500. When Logano is confident, he is a force to be reckoned with. The Team Penske driver has a win at Daytona in 2015, but his race-winning moves have ended in both victory and wrecks. It will depend on his decision-making skills during the race.

Brad Keselowski, Logano's teammate, has shown his prowess at Talladega with six wins and at Daytona in the summer, but the Daytona 500 has eluded him in his 14 attempts. His RFK Racing cars have proven to be strong at drafting tracks, evidenced by his teammate Chris Buescher's win last August.

Bell, another Joe Gibbs Racing driver, is building on his third-place finish in last year's Daytona 500. Although he doesn't particularly enjoy this style of racing, his craftiness and recent luck at Daytona make him a potential contender.

Martin Truex Jr., also racing for Joe Gibbs Racing, has a runner-up finish in 2016 but has struggled to crack the top 10 since then. Despite his winless streak in 79 starts at drafting tracks, Truex's respect among drivers and potential for help from his peers could give him an edge.

Alex Bowman, who saw his streak of six consecutive front-row Daytona 500 starts snapped, has shown improvement at superspeedways. The Hendrick Motorsports driver's career-best finish at the Daytona 500 came in fifth place last year.

2023 Cup champion and Team Penske driver Ryan Blaney has finished second twice in the Daytona 500 and has shown his ability to win at both Daytona and Talladega. Although frustrated after a crash in the duels, Blaney still has a good car and a chance to bring home the victory.

Chase Elliott, another Hendrick Motorsports driver, has come close to winning the Daytona 500, leading on Lap 198 in 2017 before running out of gas. His recent win at Talladega and strong performance in the duels indicate that he could pose a threat.

Buescher, the most recent winner at Daytona, captured the regular-season finale last year and finished fourth in the Daytona 500. With the potential support of his RFK teammates, he could be a tough competitor.

Although William Byron has yet to finish in the top 20 in the Daytona 500, his impressive six victories last year make him a contender to watch. However, starting at the rear of the field in a backup car may pose challenges for him.

Kyle Larson, the 2021 Cup champion, has struggled on drafting tracks with only one top-5 finish in 41 races and failing to finish the last two Daytona 500s. Despite this, his strong performance in the duels indicates potential for Hendrick Motorsports.

Bubba Wallace, known for his drafting track prowess, has finished second in the Daytona 500 twice and has demonstrated his skills at Daytona multiple times.

Michael McDowell, who surprised everyone by qualifying on the front row, has a win at Daytona in the 2021 Daytona 500. Although he was forced to lift in the duels, his performance indicates that he could pose a challenge on Sunday.

Rankings aside, the Daytona 500 is known for producing unpredictable storylines, and anything can happen on race day. Drivers will be pushing themselves to the limit as they strive to lift the trophy in Victory Lane after 200 laps.

The stage is set, and anticipation mounts as the NASCAR season opener draws near. All eyes will be on the drivers as they compete in what promises to be a thrilling Daytona 500.

[Source: Bob Pockrass for FOX Sports]