WE ARE NOT PICKING FOR THE GATORADE DUELS, THERE WILL BE A SEPARATE THREAD FOR ALL OF THAT!!!

Daytona 500 Rundown!!!

No points or anything like that to go over for these first races.... so we basically just go straight ot the rundown

What I think the race will be

I don't know if the Sprint Unlimited was a good indicator or not. we saw some good racing with 19 cars on the track, but then when we knocked out 7 cars, it was like everyone got scared, plus, there just weren't enough cars on the track to mount a strong charge from behidn or anything.

But if the "Sprint Unlimited" was an indication, this race is going to come down to which 2-3 car tandem can hook up, get to the front, and then stay hooked up and work the lines behind them in a way that they stay in front.

Another thing to look out for when making Daytona picks is guys who are "snakebit." These are guys who have strong cars every year when they come to Daytona, but circumstances take them out of the race. When they stay in the back, they get crashe.d When they go to the front, they blow engines. They have a bad pit stop. Somthing gets them everytime.

So lets get into who had some strong cars...

Chevrolet

Obviously, those Chevy SS cars had some nice speed to them.. .especially when Harvick and Stewart joined up. But there were some other fast Chevy's that never got to really flex any muscle.

Hendrick

Johnson, Gordon, and even Junior seem snake bit. If a Hendrick car wins, I don't know if it will be either of those three. Kahne had a solid car but just didn't have any freinds to play with.

Stewart-Haas

Stewart was solid as always, but he seems to get snakebit in the Daytona 500. Will this be the year he finally pulls one out of the bag? We'll just have to see... it seems like he just has to win this thing eventually.

Newman is snakebit lately too....

Childress
Harvick seemed to be one of the only cars that could be without teammates and get to the front and stay there. That's pretty common for him in the Shootout, but we'll have to see how he does in the 500 with that car.

Burton and Menard are just another set of snakebit drivers... they'll be fast, but will they be lucky?

Furniture Row Racing

Kurt Busch has finished 2nd in more restricter plate races than anyone. Maybe he can push one of those guys to a win

Phoenix Racing

They love restricter plate racing, but neither of their guys is really known for restricter plate prowess. If they bring Regan Smith, you have to remember NASCAR took that Talladega win from him.....

Eanrhardt Ganassi
The only hope of this team is the new engines... it's a ship taht seems to have been sinking for 4 years.

Toyota Teams


Joe Gibbs Racing
The one Gibbs Toyota that was left in the race after the Big One in the Unlimited was Matt Kenseth. There just ddidn't seem to be any other strong cars that wanted to link up with him. If Kyle Busch or Denny Hamlin stay in the race, and they have cars equal to Kenseth ,then Kenseth will be a factor at the end of the Daytona 500!

Michael Waltrip Racing

Truex was just "alright" in the Shootout... he didn't seem to have any friends to play with. Bowyer is known for his abilities to pull out a win at Talladega, but he has never seemed to carry that luck to Daytona. "Ageless" Mark Martin is hard to read... but wouldn't we all love to see him win a Daytona 500, even if it is in a Toyota?

Ford Teams

The Ford's were also hard to read in the Unlimited. Biffle was fast, but Edwards just wasn't fast enough to help him. Mayeb that back up car isn't the car the primary was.

Roush

We don't know what Ricky Stenhouse is made of, so we'll have to see how he does in the duels. Biffle was really fast in the Unlmited, but just didn't have help. If Edwards Daytona 500 car is better, then he might be able to help Biffle out. It's hard to say. Edwards always seems to find trouble in the 500, but seems to always run well in the July race here.

Penske

Logano had a fast car in the Unlimited, and if Keselowski has a similarly fast car, and maybe they can work with Biffle, then they might have somthing. Logano is underrated at restricter plate racing, and Keselowski is known for trying what others won't.

ALSO, MAKE SURE YOU ARE CLEAR WHAT YOUR POLE PICKS ARE AND WAHT YOU RACE PICKS ARE!! IF THEY ARE THE SAME, MAKE THAT CLEAR!!

Petty

Almirola is getting better, whether we like it or not, and so is Ambrose. both guys seem to do well in the non points restricter plate races at Daytona, but trouble seems to come their way for the Daytona 500.



I hope this is helpful.


REMEMBER, WE ARE PICKING FOR THE POLL AND FOR THE RACE

For example:

My Daytona 500 Poll Picks will be:

1) Juan Pablo Montoya
2) Kevin Harvick
3) Kasey Kahne

 

Understood!

 

You guys do know that the qualifying is Sunday afternoon, February 17, right? right?

 

Thanks Duane!
Wait... oh crap thats today EEK!

1:00 pm on FOX!

My Daytona 500 Pole Picks!(tenatative)
Danica Patrick
Kevin harvick
Matt Kenseth

My Daytona 500 race/win picks
Kevin Harvick
Matt Kenseth
Dale Earnhardt Jr.

 

I dont quite understand whats going on for the pole, but heres 3 picks for the pole... Race picks to come later

Pole picks:
Kevin Harvick
Brad Keslowski
Greg Biffle

 

Keane be sure to do it like Duanes example...
My Daytona 500 pole picks
then your 3 picks below it
That alleviates any confusion..

Were just doing pole pics for the 500..
As far as I know...

Then after it you can put your race win picks.

 

He didnt make race picks. he is fine

 

So, whats this new thing?
We are doing a top 3 for pole?? so starting 1st 2nd and 3rd?

 

Pole:
Keselowski
Danica
Matt Kenseth

Race:
Jeff Gordon
Brad Keselowski
Tony Stewart

 

Yes, pick the top 3 in qualifying as best you can... I'll figure it out like this.


Driver who qualifies on pole: 46 points.
2nd place: 42 points
3rd place: 41 points.

It's the same way I do race picks, but without lap led points.