Wednesday, February 17, 2016

2016 NASCAR Week 1 Preview: Daytona

Daytona 500

Daytona International Speedway


By Richard Tix

Every year Miami-Homestead passes and it feels like NASCAR is so far away; the offseason feels like it drags on. When in reality NASCAR has one of the shortest offseason's in major sports. When you add in the Media tour, Hall of Fame Induction, and Speedweek's it actually is a very short time for offseason filler.

For the past couple months NBTW has worked on helping all the fans get through the offseason. Driver reviews, driver previews, Media Tour coverage, sponsor updates, the latest news, and 2016 Paint Scheme releases have been at the forefront. But finally, we can get back to racing.

Starting the year off at Daytona is a huge highlight of the NASCAR season. Nothing beats starting the year off with a win at the biggest race of the season (other then winning the last if you're still in the Chase). Even without looking it is easy for most NASCAR fans to start rattling on the last dozen Daytona 500 winners, that's how well it stick's when you win.

So, who will lock themselves into the 2016 Chase race one? Who will be remembered forever as the 2016 Daytona 500 winner?

**This section is just a quick look at some of Cup drivers latest finishes. This is not a tool for fantasy purposes and NBTW only is looking at end results. No deep statistic's are involved, but rather it is just a quick way to get ready for the race and get caught up on who has finished well at each track**

The Good
  • Dale Earnhardt Jr- In the last five Daytona races, no driver has five straight top 10's, however five drivers have four top 10's in the last five including Junior. Dale also has two wins in those five races including the 2014 Daytona 500. 
  • Jimmie Johnson- At a track that has so many moments for mistakes, JJ has strayed from those very mistakes lately. In his last five races he has four top 10's and all four have been top 5's. He also had a win in that same time span (2013 Firecracker 400.
  • Denny Hamlin- The only driver of those five that have four top 10's in the last five races to have four straight is Denny Hamlin. He hasn't won at Daytona but his last four have come to finishes of 3rd, 4th, 6th, and 2nd. His early career was rough here, but he has seemed to figure it out and he might be a dark horse to win.
The Middle
  • Clint Bowyer- Bowyer is actually one of the more underrated superspeedway drivers. YOu tend to forget about him during the race and then when you look back you see another top 10 finish. He also has four top 10's in his last five like the drivers above but only one of those was a top 5. Look for another strong run on Sunday.
The Bad
  • Martin Truex Jr- I actually HATE doing this category at superspeedways. A lot of it is a roll of the dice anyways and bad luck plays a huge part. Truex has either been in a crash or had engine troubles in four of his last nine Daytona attempts. However, even when on the track he hasn't had much luck lately. 8, 15, 24, 17, and 12 were his results in the other five races. 
  • Brad Keselowski- Talk about bad luck, here is another case. I have seen BK run a ton up front at Daytona, but unlike Dega, he always seems to find trouble. His last three have produced finishes of 29th, 41st, and 18th. Add in finishes of 3rd and 21st to round out his last five Daytona attempts.
  • Kyle Larson- Its early in his career, and its another case of bad luck, but how else do you describe his first four starts at Daytona. Crash finish of 38th, 36th, crash finish of 34th, and crash finish of 39th. He could hang out in back all race, stay away from trouble, and still finish a career best.

About the Track
Track Stats
  • Jimmie Johnson was the first driver since Bobby Allison in 1982 to win both stops at DIS in a single season
  • The last Pole win in the Daytona 500 was in 2000 by Dale Jarrett. There have been 5 Pole winners since then in the other stop at DIS (Firecracker 400) including 2015: Dale Earnhardt Jr
  • Tony Stewart won from 42nd starting position 7/7/12, which is the farthest back anyone has won from (Firecracker 400)
  • 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 Toyota only has one win at DIS (Kyle Busch 2008) and no Daytona 500 wins
  • Chevy has won 8 of the last 13. Ford has won the other 5 of 13
  • Trevor Bayne is still the youngest Daytona 500 win (19 years old. 2011 Daytona 500). It is still his only Cup win.
Track Info
  • Surface
    • Asphalt
  • Length
    • 2.5 miles
  • Banking
    • Turns: 31 degrees
    • Tri-Oval: 18 degrees
    • Back Straight: 2 degrees


Daytona International Speedway
Race
Winner(s)
St
Make / Model
1959-02
Bob Welborn
7
'59 Chevrolet
1959-03
Lee Petty
15
'59 Oldsmobile
1959-26
Fireball Roberts
1
'59 Pontiac
1960-03
Fireball Roberts
2
'60 Pontiac
1960-04
Jack Smith
1
'60 Pontiac
1960-05
Junior Johnson
9
'59 Chevrolet
1960-23
Jack Smith
1
'60 Pontiac
1961-03
Fireball Roberts
1
'61 Pontiac
1961-04
Joe Weatherly
1
'61 Pontiac
1961-05
Marvin Panch
4
'60 Pontiac
1961-32
David Pearson
2
'61 Pontiac
1962-03
Fireball Roberts
1
'62 Pontiac
1962-04
Joe Weatherly
3
'62 Pontiac
1962-05
Fireball Roberts
1
'62 Pontiac
1962-29
Fireball Roberts
4
'62 Pontiac
1963-05
Junior Johnson
2
'63 Chevrolet
1963-06
Johnny Rutherford
9
'63 Chevrolet
1963-07
Tiny Lund
12
'63 Ford
1963-29
Fireball Roberts
3
'63 Ford
1964-06
Junior Johnson
2
'64 Dodge
1964-07
Bobby Isaac
4
'64 Dodge
1964-08
Richard Petty
2
'64 Plymouth
1964-35
A.J. Foyt
19
'64 Dodge
1965-02
Darel Dieringer
1
'64 Mercury
1965-03
Junior Johnson
1
'65 Ford
1965-04
Fred Lorenzen
4
'65 Ford
1965-29
A.J. Foyt
11
'65 Ford
1966-03
Paul Goldsmith
8
'65 Plymouth
1966-04
Earl Balmer
6
'65 Dodge
1966-05
Richard Petty
1
'66 Plymouth
1966-28
Sam McQuagg
4
'66 Dodge
1967-03
LeeRoy Yarbrough
3
'67 Dodge
1967-04
Fred Lorenzen
6
'67 Ford
1967-05
Mario Andretti
12
'67 Ford
1967-28
Cale Yarborough
2
'67 Ford
1968-04
Cale Yarborough
1
'68 Mercury
1968-25
Cale Yarborough
4
'68 Mercury
1969-04
David Pearson
15
'69 Ford
1969-05
Bobby Isaac
1
'69 Dodge
1969-06
LeeRoy Yarbrough
19
'69 Ford
1969-28
LeeRoy Yarbrough
9
'69 Ford
1970-02
Cale Yarborough
1
'69 Mercury
1970-03
Charlie Glotzbach
2
'69 Dodge
1970-04
Pete Hamilton
9
'70 Plymouth
1970-24
Donnie Allison
15
'69 Ford
1971-02
Pete Hamilton
2
'71 Plymouth
1971-03
David Pearson
4
'69 Mercury
1971-04
Richard Petty
5
'71 Plymouth
1971-27
Bobby Isaac
21
'71 Dodge
1972-02
A.J. Foyt
2
'71 Mercury
1972-17
David Pearson
2
'71 Mercury
1973-02
Richard Petty
7
'73 Dodge
1973-17
David Pearson
6
'71 Mercury
1974-02
Richard Petty
2
'74 Dodge
1974-16
David Pearson
1
'73 Mercury
1975-02
Benny Parsons
32
'75 Chevrolet
1975-16
Richard Petty
13
'74 Dodge
1976-02
David Pearson
7
Mercury
1976-16
Cale Yarborough
2
Chevrolet
1977-02
Cale Yarborough
4
Chevrolet
1977-16
Richard Petty
5
Dodge
1978-02
Bobby Allison
33
Ford
1978-16
David Pearson
3
Mercury
1979-02
Richard Petty
13
Oldsmobile
1979-17
Neil Bonnett
2
Mercury
1980-02
Buddy Baker
1
Oldsmobile
1980-17
Bobby Allison
14
Mercury
1981-02
Richard Petty
8
Buick
1981-17
Cale Yarborough
1
Buick
1982-01
Bobby Allison
7
Buick
1982-16
Bobby Allison
9
Buick
1983-01
Cale Yarborough
8
Pontiac
1983-16
Buddy Baker
8
Ford
1984-01
Cale Yarborough
1
Chevrolet
1984-16
Richard Petty
6
Pontiac
1985-01
Bill Elliott
1
Ford
1985-15
Greg Sacks
9
Chevrolet
1986-01
Geoffrey Bodine
2
Chevrolet
1986-15
Tim Richmond
9
Chevrolet
1987-01
Bill Elliott
1
Ford
1987-15
Bobby Allison
11
Buick
1988-01
Bobby Allison
3
Buick
1988-15
Bill Elliott
38
Ford
1989-01
Darrell Waltrip
2
Chevrolet
1989-15
Davey Allison
8
Ford
1990-01
Derrike Cope
12
Chevrolet
1990-15
Dale Earnhardt
3
Chevrolet
1991-01
Ernie Irvan
2
Chevrolet
1991-15
Bill Elliott
10
Ford
1992-01
Davey Allison
6
Ford
1992-15
Ernie Irvan
6
Chevrolet
1993-01
Dale Jarrett
2
Chevrolet
1993-15
Dale Earnhardt
5
Chevrolet
1994-01
Sterling Marlin
4
Chevrolet
1994-15
Jimmy Spencer
3
Ford
1995-01
Sterling Marlin
3
Chevrolet
1995-15
Jeff Gordon
3
Chevrolet
1996-01
Dale Jarrett
7
Ford
1996-15
Sterling Marlin
2
Chevrolet
1997-01
Jeff Gordon
6
Chevrolet
1997-16
John Andretti
3
Ford
1998-01
Dale Earnhardt
4
Chevrolet
1998-30
Jeff Gordon
8
Chevrolet
1999-01
Jeff Gordon
1
Chevrolet
1999-17
Dale Jarrett
12
Ford
2000-01
Dale Jarrett
1
Ford
2000-17
Jeff Burton
9
Ford
2001-01
Michael Waltrip
19
Chevrolet
2001-17
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
13
Chevrolet
2002-01
Ward Burton
19
Dodge
2002-17
Michael Waltrip
7
Chevrolet
2003-01
Michael Waltrip
4
Chevrolet
2003-17
Greg Biffle
30
Ford
2004-01
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
3
Chevrolet
2004-17
Jeff Gordon
1
Chevrolet
2005-01
Jeff Gordon
15
Chevrolet
2005-17
Tony Stewart
1
Chevrolet
2006-01
Jimmie Johnson
9
Chevrolet
2006-17
Tony Stewart
2
Chevrolet
2007-01
Kevin Harvick
34
Chevrolet
2007-18
Jamie McMurray
15
Ford
2008-01
Ryan Newman
7
Dodge
2008-18
Kyle Busch
9
Toyota
2009-01
Matt Kenseth
39
Ford
2009-18
Tony Stewart
1
Chevrolet
2010-01
Jamie McMurray
13
Chevrolet
2010-18
Kevin Harvick
1
Chevrolet
2011-01
Trevor Bayne
32
Ford
2011-17
David Ragan
5
Ford
2012-01
Matt Kenseth
4
Ford
2012-18
Tony Stewart
42
Chevrolet
2013-01
Jimmie Johnson
9
Chevrolet
2013-18
Jimmie Johnson
8
Chevrolet
2014-01
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
9
Chevrolet
2014-18
Aric Almirola
15
Ford
2015-01
Joey Logano
5
Ford
2015-17
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
1
Chevrolet


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