(SNH)  — The Super Bowl is over, but another sports’ ‘Super Bowl’ is upon us.

Unlike the NFL, NASCAR kicks off the season with its biggest race of the year, the Daytona 500. It was postponed Sunday due to weather and the race is scheduled for Monday.

It’s the sport’s most prestigious singular race and while the winner isn’t named the NASCAR Cup Series champion, it’s a great start to the season and is pivotal to a driver’s legacy.

Take Ryan Blaney for example.

He’s the reigning Cup Series champion, but he’s yet to win the Daytona 500 in his career. He has five top-10 finishes, including two second-place finishes in 2020 and 2017.

“I remember every little detail of how you run second,” Blaney said. “Drivers obviously remember it. You remember the ones you lose. The ones that sting I feel like you remember those even more.

“You just try to be rolling at the end of it and hopefully you’re there.”

So, who’s legacy will be impacted today?

Chase Elliott could use a strong start to his 2024 season.

The 2020 Cup Series champion only has two top-10 finishes in the 500, including a second place in 2021.

Elliott missed the playoffs entirely last season, but a win Sunday would cement him into the field this fall and get him the elusive Daytona win.

“The biggest thing is just getting competitive on a weekly basis,” Elliott said. “I want to win and want to put up big numbers like everyone does. But for me right now and our team, truthfully, the goal of mine is just being competitive on a weekly basis, just consistently be a contender. That’s all I’ve ever been after because I am a believer if you are a consistent contender each week, and if you are someone who shows up and has opportunities to win each week, you will get your share and be a car and driver that doesn’t surprise anyone with their results.”

Elliott has 18 career wins while Blaney has 10 and both have Cup Series titles.

Then you have a driver like Michael McDowell.

McDowell has only two career wins and two career playoff appearances and hasn’t seen the second round of the playoffs in his career.

However, one of those wins was a Daytona 500 and he’s in a great position as he’ll start this race Sunday in second behind pole-sitter Joey Logano.

“There’s been lots of years where I was wondering what the heck am I doing and why am I doing it?” McDowell said. “I always knew if I just kept grinding that one day everything will line up and go right.

“It’s been a tough road for me. I’ve had to spend a lot of years grinding it out.” 

There are also pair of rookie teammates looking to make a name for themselves in the Cup Series.

Carson Hocevar and Zane Smith are Spire Motorsports teammates and Hocevar will be making his Daytona 500 debut while Smith will compete for the second time.

“The bigger thing for me is just being in this field,” Hocevar, who is from Portage, Michigan, said. “Even having a Cup car, period, let alone racing in the Daytona 500. It all just seems so big. I’m just enjoying it. It’s how I was able to go into last year and not be so nervous. I thought it was a win just to be in the field, let alone focusing on performance or expectations.”

Kris Lodes is a writer for Sports News Highlights.

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