Week 0 NASCAR power rankings: Who follows Ryan Blaney at the top?

For millions, Super Bowl Sunday signals the end of one season in sports. For others, it means another one is about to begin.

The Daytona 500 is Sunday, and we have another exhilarating season of NASCAR racing on tap. So as the 2024 Cup Series season gets underway, here's our power rankings for the circuit's drivers:

1. Ryan Blaney

Blaney could stay No. 1 next week, as he's come close to winning the Daytona 500 a number of times. He led the most laps in 2018 and finished runner-up in 2017 and 2020. He was also fighting for the win on the last lap in 2022 before falling back to fourth. He will be one of the favorites to take home the Harley J. Earl Trophy, awarded annually to the Daytona winner.

2. Kyle Larson

Larson slots in here as he must be considered the overall best driver in the sport and the most likely to have another dominant season in 2024. His record at Daytona and the other superspeedways is a bit underwhelming, but by the time the schedule hits the intermediates, road courses and short tracks, you can count on him to be up front just about every week.

3. William Byron

After winning six times in 2023 and making his first championship race appearance, Byron has higher-than-ever expectations this season. Only 26, he still has room to improve, and a season-opening win at the track where he got his first career victory in 2020 would be just the type of statement win he needs to prove he has staying power among NASCAR's elites.

4. Denny Hamlin

Hamlin already has a slight leg up on the field after winning the exhibition Clash at the L.A. Coliseum, but given that race doesn't count for any points, he reverts to the same blank slate as everyone else. However, as a three-time 500 winner, there's no reason to think Hamlin won't once again be right in the mix this weekend and likely much more often throughout the season.

5. Ross Chastain

While all the attention was on the title contenders at Phoenix last fall, Chastain swooped in to end his own season with a checkered flag. If that momentum can carry over, he'll be dangerous in 2024, and should be poised to have the best season of his career. In fact, one could consider him a trendy dark-horse championship pick.

6. Tyler Reddick

After going through some new team growing pains in 2023, Reddick should be poised to build off a season in which he won twice and earned the best points finish of his career (sixth). If his 23XI race team can minimize parts failures and pit road mistakes, he could find himself among the title favorites.

7. Christopher Bell

Bell has fought for a title in each of the past two seasons, but he hasn't really been dominant on the track. Perhaps that could change this season, as the 29-year-old driver should have his best chance to fully establish himself as the top dog at Joe Gibbs Racing.

8. Martin Truex Jr.

It's easy to forget after the underwhelming way in which his 2023 season ended, but Truex was the regular-season champion in 2023 as the points leader after 26 races. We'll see if he can regain that form for what once again figures to be a season full of retirement rumors for Truex or if his playoff decline signaled the beginning of the end.

9. Chase Elliott

Maybe no one in NASCAR needs a return-to-form season more than its most popular driver, who missed the playoffs in 2023 after an injury, suspension and just straight-up lack of speed on the track derailed his season. Elliott is one of the top two drivers in the sport when he's at his best, though, and his first Daytona 500 win would be a great way to remind everyone what he's capable of. He has been close before, leading in the final laps in 2017 and finishing second in 2021.

10. Kyle Busch

Can Busch still be the Busch who was NASCAR's most dominant driver in the late 2010s? It seems like that question has been asked for about three or four seasons now and this may finally be the season in which reality sets in. That said, he's sure to provide us with at least a few vintage moments, and perhaps he could finally capture that elusive Daytona 500 crown after leading prior to overtime in 2023.

11. Joey Logano

This is about as low as one can go on a driver who was the Cup champion only two seasons ago, but Logano seemed to lose a step in 2023 and he doesn't have the same excuses for it that Elliott does. That said, he's always one to watch on the superspeedways and as the 2015 Daytona 500 winner and last year's runner-up, a season-opening victory may be able to spark a bounce-back for Logano.

12. Ty Gibbs

Perhaps it's a bit bullish on the second-year driver, but one must assume that with a season under his belt at the top level, the 21-year-old Gibbs will make a big leap in performance. His most laps led in the exhibition Clash may already be an indication of that. Joe Gibbs' grandson is one of the most promising talents to come along in some time, and his first career Cup win should be on the horizon.

13. Chris Buescher

Buescher winning three times in a span of five races in 2023 wasn't on many bingo cards, and it would probably still be surprising if he managed to follow it up with another multi-win season. Of course, given that the final of those three wins came at Daytona in the regular-season finale, he must be considered among the favorites Sunday.

14. Brad Keselowski

Just behind Buescher is his teammate and team co-owner Keselowski, who once was considered the gold standard of superspeedway racing in NASCAR. He has never won the 500, though, nor has he won anywhere since a victory at Talladega in April 2021. After a solid 2023 season, Keselowski has the chance to prove he's not quite done yet by finally taking home the checkered flag in the "Great American Race."

15. Bubba Wallace

Wallace enjoyed the best points finish (10th) of his Cup Series career in 2023 and as one of the premier superspeedway drivers in the sport, no one should be too surprised if he's hoisting the Harley J. Earl Trophy on Sunday night. He's a two-time runner-up in NASCAR's season opener (2018 and 2022).

16. Erik Jones

Jones only finished 27th in points in 2023, but he ended the season strongly with great runs during the playoffs. His Legacy Motor Club team could see another boost from its switch to Toyota, and if so, Jones will be a sleeper pick for a playoff appearance and perhaps a win or two.