Jeffrey Earnhardt Set to Make Daytona 500 Debut

Jeffrey Earnhardt has been in the family business professionally since 2015, when he got his Nascar career going at the 2015 Federated Auto Parts 400. Later this month, he could have a shot at leaving a lasting mark and sparking a legendary career.

Earnhardt’s next big shot to leave his imprint on the Nascar world comes on February 26th, as he’ll make his Daytona 500 debut:

.@JEarnhardt1 to make #Daytona500 debut in 2023 with @CSTMG3330: https://t.co/5mXYEMXJOA #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/CVI3bjY3r8

— Motorsport.com (@Motorsport) January 31, 2023

The 2023 Daytona 500 serves as a potential lightning rod for Earnhardt, as he continues to attempt to deliver on the Nascar name made iconic by his grandfather (Dale Earnhardt) and uncle (Dale Earnhardt Jr.).

To this point, the younger Earnhardt hasn’t been able to make his presence known on the pro racing circuit. Through 25 career races, he has just one top-10 finish to his name and has yet to nab his first win.

The mere possibility of it coming at Dayton 500 – a place where legends are made – shines a light on how far the driver has come, as well as where he could still go.

Daytona 500 Odds

At last glance, the news of Jeffrey Earnhardt cracking the Daytona 500 rotation didn’t impact the 2023 Daytona 500 odds.

Top betting sites like Bovada aren’t regularly presenting his odds – nor odds for the field. Instead, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is the only Earnhardt on the docket and he’s actually favored to win (+600 odds).

Dale Earnhardt Jr. leads the way despite facing a loaded field at International Speedway, with elite drivers like Brad Keselowski (+750), Jimmie Johnson (+1000) and Joey Logano (+1000) and several others sure to follow close behind.

Here’s a look at the full 2023 Daytona 500 odds, per Bovada:

• Dale Earnhardt (+600)
• Brad Keselowski (+750)
• Jimmie Johnson (+1000)
• Joey Logano (+1000)
• Kevin Harvick (+1000)
• Kyle Busch (+1000)
• Denny Hamlin (+1200)
• Chase Elliott (+1400)
• Matt Kenseth (+1600)
• Kyle Larson (+2000)
• Martin Treux Jr. (+2000)
• Clint Bowyer (+2800)
• Kurt Busch (+2800)
• Austin Dillon (+2800)
• Erik Jones (+3300)
• Jamie McMurray (+3300)
• Kasey Kahne (+3300)
• Ryan Blaney (+5000)
• Ricky Stenhouse (+6600)
• Ryan Newman (+6600)
• Trevor Bayne (+6600)
• A.J. Allmendinger (+7500)
• Aric Almirola (+10000)
• Paul Menard (+10000)
• Ty Dillon (+10000)
• Danica Patrick (+10000)
• Chris Buescher (+20000)

The Daytona 500 odds will surely be updated over the next few weeks, but even after that happens, Jeffrey Earnhardt is a safe bet to carry weak odds into what amounts to the biggest race of his young career.

Earnhardts at Daytona 500

Fortunatelty for Jeffrey Earnhardt, his family has a nice history of success at arguably Nascar’s most prestigious race. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is the top favorite due to his own strong runs at the track, as Jeffrey’s uncle won in 2014 and 2004. Those two wins doubled his father’s success at the track (Dale Earnhardt won once in 1998).

Still, between two Earnhardt Nascar drivers, we’ve seen three Daytona 500 wins and it’s fair to wonder if we could be looking at a fourth in late February.

Whether or not that ends up being Jeffrey Earnhardt’s first career Nascar win remains to be determined.

Legacy of His Own

The Daytona 500 is the first major step for Jeffrey Earnhardt to step out of the shadow of his iconic relatives. A big win (or even a strong finish) could promote confidence and elevate his status in the racing world.

Whatever ends up happening at the Daytona 500, no one will be able to see Jeffrey Earnhardt didn’t earn his spot. Earnhardt cited that his entry into the Daytona 500 is a “dream come true”, while he also acknowledging that he and his team have been working for “six years” to reach this point.

It’s anyone’s guess if Jeffrey Earnhardt is ready to make a ferocious run to the finish line, but on February 26th he’ll at least get that chance at the 2023 Daytona 500. A win there could catapult him to stardom and from there, the possibilities are endless.