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Mash The Gas – Daytona Preview

The starting lineup for the 55th annual Daytona 500 has been set and all that’s left to do is drop the green flag on the world’s most prestigious stock car race. As usual the race is once again a crap shoot and this year it’s more wide open than ever as the unknown variables with the new Gen 6 cars means every driver in the starting line-up has a legitamate shot to win. Here’s a brief look at some of the favorites and main story lines that will play out on Sunday afternoon.

Kevin Harvick-Kevin Harvick currently has the “hot hand” at Daytona and he’s definitely on a roll during Speedweeks, having scored wins already in the Sprint Unlimited and Budweiser Duel qualifying race. He has shown an uncanny knack for finding the front of the field when the chips are down and his car has been fast enough to stay there. He’ll enter Sunday’s race with a heap of confidence but no one in the history of NASCAR has ever won the triple-crown at Daytona (Sprint Unlimited, Budweiser Duel, and Daytona 500). In fact, his Speedweeks performance to date this year is reminiscent of another Childress driver who would win all the preliminary events but usually fell short in the 500.

Tony Stewart-Stewart’s Chevy has shown plenty of speed all week long and he’s made it well known how much a Daytona 500 victory would mean to him. In years past he has found himself challenging for the win late in the event only to fall short at the checkered flag. His resume boasts 18 wins at Daytona among the major NASCAR series and this year could be when he finally chalks one up in the track’s biggest event. He spent a lot of time in the qualifying race covering teammate Danica Patrick but come Sunday he’ll only be concerned with capturing the ever elusive Daytona 500 crown.

Kyle Busch-With pack racing back at Daytona, the intensity level rises and no one is more intense than Kyle Busch. The #18 Gibbs Toyota has displayed plenty of horsepower to get to the front and Kyle Busch is quite possibly the hardest guy to pass on the final lap. He already has a win under his belt in his qualifying race and if he can maintain a level headed attitude during the 500 on Sunday, Busch should be in contention for the win as the checkered flag waves.

Matt Kenseth-Kenseth has captured Daytona 500 wins in two out of the last four years and he enters the 2013 edition driving for a brand new organization behind the wheel of the #20 Gibbs Toyota. Kenseth has also been extremely fast all week long and he definitely has the strategic smarts to avoid being in bad situations. That means he should be around to contend at the race’s conclusion. With quite possibly the fastest car on the track all week, Kenseth has had difficulty finding friends to work with on the racetrack as in most cases other drivers quite simply didn’t have the horses to keep up. Kenseth should rely on his teammates heavily on Sunday and a third 500 win could come down to his timing on when to make his charge toward the front.

Greg Biffle-The bodies on all the cars are new this year and while most teams have brought brand new chassis’ to the track for the Daytona 500, Biffle’s team has chosen to race the same chassis he drove to a close third place finish in this race last year. The car has been proven to be a good plate track piece as Biffle has been glued to Kevin Harvick’s rear bumper in each of Harvick’s Speedweeks wins this week. With a solid starting spot and an underlying desire to erase the ghosts of his “close but no cigar” 500 finishes in the last few years, Biffle could very well be Ford’s best shot at the win.

Jeff Gordon-Coming off a win in the 2012 season ending race at Homestead and beginning 2013 with a front row starting spot in the Daytona 500, Jeff Gordon brings the veteran racing experience necessary to overcome the many unknowns that will make up this year’s Great American Race. Of all the Henrick Motorsports cars, Gordon has performed the best this week, barely edging out teammate Kasey Kahne. It’s been eight years since Gordon has found victory lane in the 500, but if he can avoid mistakes like the pit road penalty that cost him in his qualifying race, we could see Gordon spraying the Daytona champagne for a fourth time in his career.

Danica Patrick-Can Danica Patrick really win the Daytona 500? After her historic pole position run, that question has been asked all week long and the answer is “yes”. But so can Josh Wise, Dave Blaney, and Michael McDowell. That’s how wide open this race is. Should Danica find herself in the lead pack in the waning laps, she’ll have to be plenty tough and aggressive as I can see her getting shoved out of the way by many who won’t be afraid to lay a fender to her. Still she has the ability and speed to be there when it counts and if she has made it this far, maybe, just maybe she could win it all. Maybe.

Mark Martin-Everyone’s sentimental favorite has to be Mark Martin. While everyone was genuinely happy for Darrell Waltrip and Dale Earnhardt Sr. after it took them 17 and 20 years respectively to win the 500, Martin is competing in the event for the 29th time without a win to show for it. A heartbreaking loss by inches to Kevin Harvick in 2007 was the closest Martin has come to tasting victory and with his years in competition dwindling, he has a car plenty capable of scoring the win on Sunday.

Long Shots:
Paul Menard-The Childress Racing cars have been among the fastest at Daytona all week and Menard was able to run down the lead pack a couple of times in his qualifying race. With the right strategy and race craft, Menard could slip by everyone and score a surprise win on Sunday.
Kurt Busch-Kurt Busch is one of the best plate track racers on the circuit and the #78 team has an alliance with Childress Racing who have had very fast cars this week. Aggressive drivers have been rewarded so far during Speedweeks with Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch scoring victories, and Kurt Busch can mix it up with the best of them. He’s pushed Jeff Gordon and Ryan Newman to Daytona victories in the past and Busch has to believe he’s about due for a shot at a Daytona 500 win.

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