Mash The Gas: Daytona Preview

Joey Logano (22), Carl Edwards (19) and Jimmie Johnson (48) in front of the pack at Daytona. [Russ Lake Photo]

by Dan Margetta and John Wiedemann

We have reached the halfway point in the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule as the series makes its traditional Independence Day weekend stop at the Daytona International Speedway for the Coke Zero 400.

Originally contested in the morning on the 4th of July and named the “Firecracker 400”, the race has evolved into a night race over the years with this year’s edition moving from Saturday night to Sunday evening.

The Coke Zero 400 marks the opening race for NASCAR’s new television partners at NBC who return to cover the sport from here to the finale in November. The Sprint Cup teams haven’t been on a restrictor plate track since Talladega and once again the close racing that accompanies that style of racing makes the race totally unpredictable.

Here are some storylines to watch as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series concludes the first half of 2015…

Kyle Busch (Dan Margetta)
Kyle Busch got his win out of the way last weekend with his victory at the road course in Sonoma and now must concentrate on finishing in the top 30 in points to make the Chase for the championship. Daytona is a wildcard in that quest as it is very easy to be swept up in someone else’s mistake or it is just as easy to be shuffled out of line at the end and be left with a poor finish despite running up front all night. Busch is faced with an interesting dilemma as he can’t afford another poor finish yet there is no way to play it safe here. Last year at Talladega he dropped to the back and still got caught up in a wreck which ended his championship hopes. I look for Kyle Busch to drive to the front Sunday night because as Darrell Waltrip so eloquently stated during last week’s race, “this kid’s all heart,” and Kyle Bush is determined to make the Chase this season. This is his first restrictor plate Cup race this season and it occurs at the same place he was injured at in February. Kyle Busch comes in at 15-1 odds this week and should be very determined Sunday night and he might just pick up win number two in his comeback.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. (John Wiedemann)
Dale Earnhardt Jr. has three wins at Daytona with one of them, his first Daytona victory, at this race in 2001. After a few down years where the results weren’t what we would expect from Junior at Daytona, he has been a solid pick at Daytona. In the last eleven races at the track, Earnhardt has finished in the top four six times with one win and three runner-up finishes. Junior wants a second win this season and a return to Daytona, where he led 32 laps and finished third in the season opening 500, is one of the best places for him to return to victory lane. Quick Stat Fact: Dale Earnhardt Jr. leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average finishing position at Daytona with a 13.065.

Jeff Gordon (DM)
It seems like we talk about Jeff Gordon every week and how this is the place for him to pick up his first win of the season. That’s the storyline again this week at Daytona as Gordon led many laps in the Daytona 500 and appeared to be the car to beat until the finish when he and the team failed to capitalize on the great run and finished a dismal 33rd. That opening race has seemed to set the tone for Jeff Gordon’s 2015 season to date and Daytona provides an opportunity to turn things around for the second half. He’s listed at 10-1 odds and we all now Jeff Gordon will be fast this week with the Hendrick power under the hood and now it is up to the team to approach this race and the rest of 2015 with a clean slate and get the second half started off on the right foot. It is most likely Jeff Gordon’s final race at Daytona and he surely would like to close it out with a win.

Jimmie Johnson (JW)
Staying with the Hendrick Motorsports theme and team, Jimmie Johnson is a great pick to win to add to his three victories at the Daytona International Speedway. Johnson has the six-best driver rating at the track but has been hot this year leading the series with four wins. Johnson is set for the Chase and is just looking to add to the win column and collect bonus points. This freedom lets Johnson and Crew Chief Chad Knaus throw caution to the wind and take chances with pit strategy. This win or bust attitude makes it hard to pick Johnson but the strategy is fun to watch. Quick Stat Fact: Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average starting position at Daytona with a 9.926.

Joey Logano (DM)
Joey Logano won the Daytona 500 and really hasn’t been heard from since. Logano and the #22 Penske team came out of the box as a major contender in the opening weeks but they have seemed to slip a bit as the series began the summer run. The Penske Fords have been fast on the restrictor plate tracks this season so Logano should be a contender this weekend as he comes in at 12-1 odds. Joey Logano and the #22 team need to remind everyone they are a legitimate championship contender and Sunday night will provide a good opportunity to do that in the Coke Zero 400.

Matt Kenseth (JW)
Matt Kenseth is looking for win number 33 in his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career and it could come this weekend. After winning the Daytona 500 for the second time in 2012, the results at the high banked track have been mixed. A third and a sixth place finish are mixed in with three finishes in the 30’s. Kenseth has one victory this season and currently is seeded eighth in the Chase standings. Another win would bump him up at least to a comfortable fourth place. Kenseth knows how to get it done at Daytona and a strong finish should be expected at the track of unpredictable results.

Greg Biffle (DM)
Greg Biffle is my long shot pick this weekend and he comes in at 40-1 odds. Biffle has always raced well on restrictor plate tracks although his finishes have produced some mixed results. He was tenth at the Daytona 500 and the restrictor plate tracks are where the Roush-Fenway cars have been their strongest. Biffle is savvy enough to stay out of trouble early and he has a knack for being there at the end of these restrictor plate lottery contests so look for him to be in contention Sunday night. This team desperately needs a win to qualify for the Chase and Daytona is probably their best chance to accomplish that feat.

Jamie McMurray (JW)
I believe that Jamie McMurray will find victory lane at least once this season and one of his best opportunities is this weekend at the Daytona International Speedway. McMurray is having a great season with a top finish of second (at Phoenix), two top five and seven top ten finishes in 16 races. McMurray has two Daytona wins to his credit, a win in this race in 2007 and the 2010 Daytona 500 victory. Currently the highest driver in the point standings without a victory, a win this weekend would solidify his Chase chances and move him up from 11th to somewhere around eighth in the Chase standings.

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