Coke Zero 400 (Firecracker 400)
Week 18
By Richard Tix
NASCAR is back to a track they have already been to in 2014, Daytona International Speedway. The first time around Dale Earnhardt Jr won the 2014 Daytona 500. The early season win has propelled him to a very good start to the 2014 season. With new points in place for the Chase Superspeedway races become an even bigger even because a small team driver may have a chance to steal a win.
So will this weekend be a race that someone steals a win? Or will a driver who has already won a race this year win his second and lock in a Chase spot? Maybe even a guy like Kenseth of Stewart will finally get there win in 2014 and take some weight off there shoulders.
One thing I know for sure, the Firecracker 400 is one of the main events of the season (at least for me). Nothing better then being able to enjoy our freedom, enjoy some time off with friends and family, and getting to watch some exciting night racing at Daytona all in the same weekend. So everyone enjoy your fourth of July weekend. Next up take a look back at some articles from the beginning of the year and also the good, middle, and bad column.
Previous Daytona Articles
- Week 1 Preview: Daytona
- Pit Road Week 1
- Daytona 500 Stepping Stone
- 2014 Budweiser Duels
- NASCAR Rookie Report: Week 1
The Good, Middle, and Bad
(This is just a review of each drivers recent past performance, generally about 5-10 past races)
The Good
- Dale Earnhardt Jr- Before the Daytona 500 he showed up in this very same category so after winning the 2014 Daytona 500 he has to still be here. He has three straight top 10 finishes at Daytona (2, 8, and 1).
- Matt Kenseth- For the week 1 preview Kenseth also made the "Good" list despite at that time having back to back 30+ finishes in his last two. It was because of what he did before those that he made the list. Well, its week 18 and last time we were at Daytona for the 500 he finished 6th. In the 500 he started slow but by the end of the race he worked his way up front and was a contender.
- Jamie McMurray- I'm giving the nod this week to Jamie Mac. He has had a good season so far and he tends to excel on the big tracks (Daytona and Talladega). He ran well in the 500 before finding bad luck, but still finished 14th.
- Exrta Credit: Brad Keselowski
The Middle
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr- Stenhouse doesn't have the longest track record here (only four starts in Cup) but he has come up with a better finish each time (20, 12, 11, and 7). He has yet to lead a lap at Daytona but has completed ever lap in his four starts at Daytona.
The Bad
- Kyle Busch- I didn't believe it until I looked at it, but the last four finishes at Daytona for Kyle Busch include zero top 10's and only one top 15. In his last 5 Daytona starts he has an average finish of 21.2 which is nothing to be happy with.
- Paul Menard- His last four finishes at Daytona include zero top 10's (32, 43, 21, and 14). That's not a very good streak for Menards. The flip side of it is, 5 races ago he finished 6th after starting 37th so it is possible for him to get to the front.
- Martin Truex Jr- He also showed up on this list before the Daytona 500. Truex's bad luck and 43rd place finish did not help his case. In his last 5 starts at DIS he has an average finish of 27.4.
- Extra Credit- Kasey Kahne (3 straight 30+ finishes)
Track stats
- Jimmie Johnson was the first driver since Bobby Allison in 1982 to win both stops at DIS
- The last Pole win in the Daytona 500 was in 2000 by Dale Jarrett. There have been 4 Pole winners since then in the other stop at DIS
- Tony Stewart won from 42nd starting position 7/7/12, which is the farthest back anyone has won from.
- However, Matt Kenseth won from 39th in the 2009 500, which is the farthest back anyone has won the Daytona 500.
- Of current drivers, Jeff Gordon has the most wins at Daytona with 6 (3 of them the 500). Stewart is second with 4 (None the 500)
- A Chevy has won the last four Daytona races and 7 of the last 10 (Ford won the other 3).
- A Toyota only has one win at DIS (Kyle Busch 2008)
- Last time Dale Jr won the 500 he finished 3rd in the Summer Daytona race (2004 Pepsi 400)
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