2018 NASCAR Pit Road Week 1: Daytona

Weekly Review and Power Rankings

Daytona 500

By Richard Tix

What We learned. What We Saw. What We Heard.

Bubba Wallace is an emotional dude

• I mean, most of us paying attention already knew this. When he won at Eldora he absolutely showed us fans what we all clamor for: "more emotion out of drivers!!!" Well, the man finished second and broke down with his family around him during post race. It was fantastic. Bubba literally always wear's his feelings on his sleeve which is exactly what I love seeing in this sport. It's great for him, it's great for RPM, and it's great for NASCAR. Yet, this kid has had trouble finding sponsorship for too long....

The young guns are going to go all out for the win

• AD wasn't lifting, not on the last lap of the Daytona 500. You know, when I type that all I can think of is "who would?" Yet, I saw so many people complaining about AD's move. IMO, Aric's block had as much impact on that incident ad AD's not lifting... Aric seemed to understand and it was a risk he was willing to take because it was the freaking Daytona 500! AD had a run before Aric came up and he just didn't lift. It isn't like he spun him when he had a nose in front of him. No, he bumped that crap out of him, got him loose, then tried moving a bit down which hooked Aric. It's no where near the worst dump I have seen and most drivers seemed to understand the move and didn't blame AD one bit. 

The 3 team got Daytona 500 tattoo's

• The question of, "where" is the best part. Rumor has it (not a rumor, AD confirmed), the tattoo is right on the posterior of everyone who partook. Yup, it's the freaking Daytona 500 and these kids are crazy. Oh, and how great was it to see the No. 3 in victory lane at DIS and the No. 43 in second!?!?

The Ford's were fast

• Ok, we saw the Ford's fast all weekend but that doesn't really mean we learned anything because Daytona is way different then the 1.5 mile tracks we will be heading to. However, it should still be mentioned because BK, JoLo, Blaney, McDowell, Menard, Harvick, etc all had their moments (especially the Team Penske crew). It may not translate going forward, but lock it into your memory for the second trip to Daytona and the two trips to Talladega. If Ford does struggle with the 1.5 mile program, those superspeedways will be key tracks.

Pit Road Power Rankings: Preseason

1. Martin Truex Jr (LW-1)- Superspeedways are always a mess. Starting the season off at a superspeedway is a bigger mess when it comes to power rankings. So, without overacting to too much, Truex stays on top. The 78 was involved in a late wreck, but still came out 10th in points.
2. Denny Hamlin (LW-4)- Hamlin was my favorite going in and spent most of his day up front (after his early penalty on pit road), including leading 22 laps. He was in position late in the race, but luck didn't fall his way when the 3 turned the 10.
3. Ryan Blaney (LW-10)- Blaney led 118 laps on Sunday which was the most of anyone. He also won a stage and finished 7th. Not a bad day in his first official start with Team Penske.
4. Joey Logano (LW-9)- Basically if you looked up at any time mid race you would have noticed the 22 in second trailing the 21. JoLo was one of the strongest Ford's all day/weekend and it showed with a 4th place finish.
5. Chase Elliott (LW-6)- What a crazy up and down speedweek's for Chase. He and BK were towards the front when Chase went spinning, but he was a contender most of the race.
6. Austin Dillon (LW-NR)- What a start for AD and RCR. He is practically locked into the Playoffs and in dramatic fashion by winning the Daytona 500, in the No. 3, with a last lap fiasco. Hats off to Austin.
7. Kyle Larson (LW-3)- Larson got caught up early and salvaged his day for 19th. 
8. Brad Keselowski (LW-7)- BK had plenty of fast Ford Fusions all speedweek, but luck didn't fall his way. 
9. Kevin Harvick (LW-5)- Ditto for Harvick on what I said about BK. Kind of a quiet week for Harvick, but ATL should provide a bounce back to the spotlight.
10. Kyle Busch (LW-2)- What. A. Day. Early tire trouble and then a early spin left the No. 18 with a day to forget. Expect him to show up fast next week.
11. Bubba Wallace (LW-NR)- How cool was that? The No. 3 winning the race and the No. 43 coming in second. I really hope RPM has a bounce back season in 2018.
12. Paul Menard (LW-NR)- Menard quietly had a really good speedweeks and Menard and team had that No. 21 up front a bunch in each event. Nice way to start off his first start with Wood Brothers (currently third in points).

Dropped Out: Jimmie Johnson (LW-8), Erik Jones (LW-11), and Jamie McMurray (LW-12)

Just Missed: Michael McDowell, Aric Almirola, Ryan Newman, and Chris Buescher

The Next Team Power Rankings will likely be next week. I want to get at least a race or two in before I refocus on them. I mean, it's not like Daytona gives us a good grasp on where teams are anyway. However, if you want to see the preseason rankings, scroll down here: 2018 NASCAR Pit Road Preseason

2018 NASCAR Week 1: Daytona

Daytona 500

Daytona International Speedway

By Richard Tix

What to Watch For?

New Faces in New Places (or Numbers)

• Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Matt Kenseth are out and new fresh faces are in. It's just another step in the changing NASCAR scene the last few years (Stewart, Gordon, Biffle, etc all out of full time rides). So, who will step into the spotlight and take over as NASCAR's next star? A Daytona 500 win for Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, or Ryan Blaney would take them to the next level. Speaking of, Elliott changed to the number nine, Blaney moved to an official Team Penske car (No. 12), and a bunch of other changes were had. The 500 will give us as fans a chance to fully catch up on the moves and start adjusting to the new places drivers landed.

The New Chevy Camaro

• Sure, Daytona won't be much of an early season test for the new Camaro as that test will come when we head to Atlanta in week two. However, that doesn't mean we can't keep an eye on them and how nice they look on the banks of Daytona! Can a Team Chevy driver bring home a win in the first race for the brand new Camaro? Keep and eye on Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Larson, and the underdogs Austin Dillon and Jamie McMurray.

**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

• Joey Logano - JoLo has thre straight top tens in the Daytona 500 including a win (2015). He has been a strong starter so expect a bounce back early in 2018.
• Denny Hamlin - Hamlin won the 2016 Daytona 500 and has five top tens in the last eight races at DIS. 
• Kevin Harvick - Harvick has had three straight rough finishes at DIS, but the three before that were finishes of 4th, 4th, and 2nd. He hasn't won at DIS since 2010, and his only Daytona 500 win was in 2007, but he should be a favorite heading into 2018.

The Middle

• Clint Bowyer - Bowyer has an average finish of 15.6 (which is the third best of current full time 2018 drivers), yet only has two top tens in his last four and has never won at DIS. But, he plays it safe and could find himself with a shot at it late.

The Bad

• Martin Truex Jr - Truex really hasn't fared will here at DIS in his career. In his last 15 starts at DIS he only has two top tens and five top 15's.
• Jamie McMurray - JMac does have two DIS wins but he also doesn't have a top ten since 2013 (eight races).
• Kyle Larson - Lot of bad luck included in Larson's stats, but only two top tens in his eight career DIS starts. Five times Larson finished 29th or worse in those eight races.

2018 NASCAR Pit Road Preseason

Weekly Review and Power Rankings

Preseason

By Richard Tix

The 2018 season is almost upon us. Not only will changes be made in NASCAR (new Camaro, no Dale Earnhardt Jr, drives changing places, etc), but changes will be had around the blog. As time goes on and priorities in life change, sometimes things take a back seat. My love for NASCAR hasn't changed, but my free time for running Behind the Wall and producing content is running more and more dry by the season.

Now, I just do this as a hobby and never really saw it going somewhere too serious. I loved the aspect of my own power rankings and keeping a better tab on the sport and because of creating content it made me accountable to myself to stay in the know. I also loved that getting out my opinion also let me engage with many other fans and even make some online friendships through it. Now, if this was a serious ambition towards a career in NASCAR it would end up much higher on my priority list, but as of right now it is not that. So, this season I maybe cutting back on some content (which follows a trend from the end of last season).

However, I will still be here and on Twitter to interact as much as possible. The plan is to still do as many race previews and reviews (with power rankings taking the spotlight) as possible. I will more then likely link the TV schedules and entry lists instead of posting them myself. I am going to add to my weekly power rankings by doing a Team Power Rankings every 3-5 weeks (because week by week team power rankings may not change enough). 

So, no fear, NBTW will still be around... However, I do apologize that the up to date news will not be added to the content near as much and the Paint Schemes pages may take longer to get updated. Hit me up on Twitter (@NASCARBTW) as I will be active on there all season longer (whether it be races or personal content).

As always, lets get ready for a fun 2018! Below are some preseason driver and team power rankings for your enjoyment!

Pit Road Power Rankings: Preseason

1. Martin Truex Jr - Who else would be on top? Truex is still riding high after winning the 2017 Championship.
2. Kyle Busch - Toyota should still be fast, Chevy has to adjust to a new model, Ford hasn't made a change, and none of it matters to Kyle because all he cares about is winning. 
3. Kyle Larson - Larson started his rise into true NASCAR stardom last year and with a new Chevy Camaro it should only continue this season.
4. Denny Hamlin - I'm expecting a quick start to the year for the top Toyota drivers including Hamlin who should be one of the favorites to win the Daytona 500 to start 2018.
5. Kevin Harvick - Childers mentioned that last year they tried to actually reign it in so NASCAR wouldn't put the spotlight on them for being so fast. Rodney also mentioned that he hates that and has zero intention of doing that in 2018.
6. Chase Elliott - Chase has one heck of a season last year and will look to get the win less monkey off of his back. Once he does get a win, I still expect a bunch to pile up.
7. Brad Keselowski - BK made the final four in 2017, but really wasn't in the running at Homestead (except for a brief moment mid race where they gambled on strategy). He remained very vocal all season about the lack of gains Ford has made lately, will he be right? Will it help push Ford to make a move? Or is it a lost cause? NASCAR politics....
8. Jimmie Johnson - This might be the lowest I have ever started JJ out in my preseason rankings. He still put up three wins last season and should still be a threat in 2018 especially if the Camaro is a hit.
9. Joey Logano - Is anyone happier to get a fresh start in 2018? JoLo is ready for a full redemption tour and never has to hear "encumbered" again, well at least in an "official" way...
10. Ryan Blaney - Blaney is switching from the Penske affiliated No. 21 Wood Brothers ride to a new third Penske ride (No. 12). It should be a smooth transition for one of the bright young stars of NASCAR.
11. Erik Jones - Another young gun part of the youth movement, Jones should make a big jump in year two in Cup. 
12. Jamie McMurray - JMac once again pointed his way to the Playoffs in 2017 and will be back with Ganassi in 2018. He and teammate Kyle Larson have a good shot to both make the 2018 playoffs again. 

Team Power Rankings

1. Furniture Row Racing - 2017 Champions, check. Returning the combo of Cole Pearn and Martin Truex Jr, check. Until further notice, the defending Champion team stays on top even with the loss of a second car (No. 77).
2. Joe Gibbs Racing - Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin are in their prime years, meanwhile Daniel Suarez and Erik Jones gain another year of experience. Toyota coming off a dominating 2017 finish so JGR will be towards the top to start 2018.
3. Team Penske - Penske had a final four driver (BK), a win that was encumbered (JoLo), and an affiliated young gun who won his first race and made the playoffs (Blaney) in 2017. Now all of them are part of one team. The only question is will Ford be a step behind the other two manufacturers?
4. Hendrick Motorsports - HMS is now JJ and the young kids. Junior has retired from full time Cup driving and the team and Kasey Kahne separated ways. To put a cherry on top of all the moving parts, Chevy is bringing the new Camaro to Cup this season. Chevy seemed to be at a disadvantage in 2017, so the Camaro move could push them up this list quickly, but it will be a learning curve as will having so many new young names (Elliott, Bowman, and Byron).
5. Chip Ganassi Racing - Ganassi has arguably been the better Chevy team as of late, compared to HMS. They put Larson and McMurray in the Playoffs two years in a row and it looks like Larson is becoming a star in the sport. Can they take the next step and get to Homestead?
6. Stewart Haas Racing - The top end of SHR has been good, actually, great. Harvick has been holding up SHR for years now and Kurt Busch has held his own, but the questions continue to be the other two cars. Same can be said about SHR entering 2018 with Clint Bowyer back and Aric Almirola joining for his first year.
7. Richard Childress Racing - Last season RCR got two cars into the playoffs, but that really skews how well they ran (hint, not very well). Still, we can't look past RCR's two wins (Newman and Dillon) and the fact that they might get new life with the new Camaro.
8. Wood Brothers Racing - Wood Brothers will go from Ryan Blaney to Paul Menard in 2018. Menard should provide them some week to week stability compared to last season, but likely won't be front runners as often either. 
9. Roush Fenway Racing - RFR had a great season for them when comparing to the previous couple years, but work still needs to be done. Superspeedways and short tracks were surprisingly a strength, but the schedule is made up of a ton of 1.5 mile tracks and RFR isn't even close with their 1.5 mile program.
10. Germain Racing - I was surprised when RCR parted ways with Paul Menard and they didn't bring in Ty Dillon from Germain. However, that is a good thing for Germain as Ty gives them stability coming into 2018 with a chance to advance up the standings. 
11. Leavine Family Racing - Leavine made big strides over the years with Michael McDowell and took the plunge to make a larger splash by bringing in Kasey Kahne. If the Kahne signing works out they could be the next Furniture Row (bold statement alert). I am not saying they will, but they're following some of the footsteps FRR made.
12. Richard Petty Motorsports - Rounding out the top 12 is RPM. RPM will once again be a one car team in 2018 but made the big move from Ford to Chevy. They also moved on from Aric Almirola and brought in Darrell Wallace Jr. to take over the legendary No. 43.

2017 NASCAR Pit Road Week 1: Daytona

Weekly Review and Power Rankings

Daytona 500

By Richard Tix

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series rings in its new sponsorship with the No. 41 Monster Energy Stewart Haas Racing Ford Fusion in Victory Lane. No, really, you can't even make that up or script it even better.

Oh, and before you go all conspiracy theory -- I know some of you already have somehow decided it was rigged -- NASCAR can not script 35 of 40 cars getting in a wreck and somehow Kurt Busch keeps it together enough to get to Victory Lane. Even if they wanted to, they couldn't script it that he gets the lead on the very last lap or goes through the grass earlier in a wreck but the splitter doesn't come flying off.

But, here we are with a Monster Energy car in Victory Lane in a Monster Energy sponsored series, pretty cool. You know what's even cooler? The post race emotion when Tony Gibson was interviewed on his box on pit road. Man, he showed every emotion he had in his body and laid it on the line which was fantastic to see.

After a week of working and fighting for every second of speed, it paid off for the No. 41 team and to see Tony show us all what it meant to him and his friends and family was great. 

When it comes to the race it had a lot of just about everything. The race started out clean and organized after a weekend filled with beat up and flying cars/trucks. Then stage right comes JGR and the Toyota crew that started bringing us plenty of strategy to gnaw on. We had lead changes and some close calls, and eventually the cautions started to act up. Once they started it was like a leaky faucet that just couldn't be turned off -- folks, that's plate track racing if you haven't noticed.

The rule package on this February Sunday afternoon wouldn't have mattered, the gimmick of plate racing will lead to these types of races from time to time. Yet, each year no matter the rules, cars, or anything else, fan's go the easy route and blame it on whatever recent change NASCAR has made. That's a simple mind blaming changes on something after one race without really taking it in fully and seeing it play out at different types of tracks.

That's because no one want's to really point out it's more based on the nature of plate racing and not the current scoring option chosen by NASCAR, Monster, its drivers, and it's teams. Daytona and Talladega are two huge names on the NASCAR schedule to outside fans so actually partially blaming something only found at those track's is the hard thing to do so why not take the easy way out?

Look, I still enjoy the heck out of plate racing, but I understand the race right now is more gimmick then skill. Yes, skill is needed to navigate and make your way to the front. Yes, tons of skill goes into understanding aero on these tracks and knowing how to use it to your advantage. But, that's a huge but, at any moment 15 cars can be taken out by the simplest move and take all that knowledge and skill right out of the race. The percentage odds of that happening at a plate track compared to other tracks is just so much higher that it's hard to judge a new rule or package solely on this race.

So, sit back and enjoy Atlanta next week. Let the point system and new rules really set in before attacking media members with tweets complaining about NASCAR and what they did this time to screw up the sport.

Now, enough about plate racing because we will put it behind us for a few weeks, lets get into this weeks Behind the Wall Power Rankings! Oh and one last thought about the upcoming season after Daytona -- more GRONK in NASCAR!

Pit Road Power Rankings: Week 1 (Preseason)

1. Joey Logano (LW-3)- JoLo had a rough start as he hit pit road early, but he fought back and gave himself a shot late in the race. He finished second in the second stage and was part of the last group standing in the closing laps.
2. Kevin Harvick (LW-5)- Guess who's fourth in points after only completing 197 of 200 laps? Yeah, this team will love the stage points because of how consistently fast they are week in and week out.
3. Kurt Busch (LW-11)- What a win. Tony Gibson showed just how much the Daytona 500 means to him and his team. Kurt put on the perfect move at the perfect time in what was an entertaining 500.
4. Chase Elliott (LW-6)- For awhile it looked like it was Elliott's to lose, and in the end it was. He had an issue late and was mysteriously holding the high line -- instead of the low line. Either way, he was impressive all weekend long and will take lessons learned with him to Atlanta.
5. Kyle Busch (LW-2)- The Toyota's were on their own strategy from the start but because of how things played out we never got to see how it would fully work out. Unfortunately for Kyle he randomly lost a tire and took a bunch of guys with him.
6. Ryan Blaney (LW-17)- Wow, was Blaney impressive all day. Heck, Ryan showed he was ready in year two all weekend. He couldn't get a late push tp help him get to Kurt's back bumper, but he still displayed some impressive moves.
7. Jimmie Johnson (LW-1)- Well, JJ's week could have gone better. It's like everyone said "lets take out JJ this week in Daytona."Just like that David Ragan, Trevor Bayne, and Jamie McMurray took care of business. JJ will be back in Atlanta.
8. Kyle Larson (LW-8)- What could have been. Larson moved his way up front only to come up short on fuel late that had him fall way back. 
9. Denny Hamlin (LW-9)- Another Toyota caught up in a bunch of messes, DH and team still fought through and came away with the ninth most points even after only finishing 199 laps.
10. Kasey Kahne (LW-16)- At one point Kahne fans were breathing more heavily yet trying to act like they weren't noticing it in case they would jinx him. Well, it didn't work, but it was still refreshing seeing him in a spot to contend late in the race.
11. Martin Truex Jr (LW-4)- After that horrid start to the race it was impressive to see the No. 78 up front with that right front taped up and a chance to win.
12. Brad Keselowski (LW-7)- A fast car all weekend with some nice stage points, BK couldn't escape all of the wreckage and eventually got caught up.

2017 NASCAR Week 1: Daytona

Daytona 500

Daytona International Superspeedway

By Richard Tix

The day has finally come. No, not Daytona Day -- because as much as I love the publicity for NASCAR, its the Daytona 500 and is the one race in the year that doesn't need a cheesy name attached to it to get peoples attention.

It's finally the Daytona 500 and the start of the 2017 season. Fans have waited 98 days this offseason to see, smell, and hear cars back on the track -- just don't let Denny Hamlin know you were counting down...

A ton has happened in that short amount of time where NASCAR left Homestead and arrived in Daytona, which is weird because they're in the same state.

Monster Energy jumped on board to be NASCAR's title sponsor which to most was exciting news. Monster brings new life and new energy to the sport still trying to find it's way through the old school fan's and new fan's it so desperately desires. 

Along with the possibility of Monster girls, they also brought in a new points system for 2017. Ok, it wasn't just Monster, but rather a mix of them, NASCAR (management, drivers, and teams), and TV partners. The social media meltdown most of us assumed would happen was actually pretty mellow as many fan's took the points idea and ran with it.

Tony Stewart, Brian Scott, and Carl Edwards....Yes, Carl Edwards... They all up and left the sport after the 2016 season. We knew about Smoke (announcing before the year) and Scott was surprising, but not as shocking as Twitter-less Carl taking the year off. It left fans with a ton of question's to start the season about why?

However, one door closing just gave another driver a door to open wide open. That driver is Daniel Suarez who will take over the No. 19 and compete head to head to head with fellow Toyota (JGR development driver) driver Erik Jones and RCR driver Ty Dillon. 

Young guns always bring optimism to the sport as does a fresh slate. So, as the haulers rolled into Daytona and fresh rubber gets laid down on the high banks, everyone has a bright new outlook on the season ahead. 

So, as the sun rises over a dark track on Sunday morning while the haziness starts to pass, fan flags start to rise and the seats start to fill, cars will roll off pit road while the crowd intensifies and everyone will have a grand new plan on how the 2017 season will go -- oh and it wouldn't hurt if Hans Zimmer was playing in your head, hello Days of Thunder. 

So, lets drop the hammer on 2017 and kick it off with a bang. I thank all of you who check Behind the Wall out weekly for continuing to do so. I do this because I love the sport and its a fun hobby, but it means so much more than that because I get to interact with so many other fan's because of it. So, I look forward to continuing that in 2017!

As in years past, every preview will have an intro to the week. Sometimes it is a opinion on a topic of the week that gets stuck in my head, sometimes it's just an intro on the track, and sometimes it's both. As always, I will do a short write up on the "Good, Middle, and Bad" drivers at each track. 

**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

• Denny Hamlin- Well, it's not a huge shock to see the 2016 Daytona 500 champ on this list, but the question is can he go back to back in 500 wins? Before his 17th place finish in the Firecracker his 500 win marked five straight top ten's and three straight top fives.
• Joey Logano- You can not go wrong with either Penske driver at Daytona as both navigate the crowd very well. JoLo last won the 2015 Daytona 500 and since has finishes of 22nd, 6th, and 4th.
• Austin Dillon- Don't overlook Austin when thinking about Daytona. He is one of the most consistent drivers here in the last six races (seven career starts). He has a top five and five top ten's in those siz races and it wouldn't shock me if he competed for a win.

The Middle

• Dale Earnhardt Jr- If we just rolled all of 2016 into a ball and threw out the numbers, Junior would be in the group above. However, He was 100% healthy (to our knowledge) to start last season, He got caught up in a wreck with "Amelia" in the 500 and finished 36th. But, we all know he know's how to navigate DIS so he has just as good of chance as any to win the 2017 Daytona 500.

The Bad

• Danica Patrick- I hate talking about the "Bad" drivers at tracks especially superspeedways like Daytona. But, Danica's track record here isn't amazing past two very quality 8th place finishes. The biggest isue is she has an average running position of 20th or more in six of her nine attempts. Meaning? Well, the middle of the pack at Daytona is the worst spot to be in which leads to tough results.
• Paul Menard- Eight straight races at Daytona without a top 15 and the last time he did it was 14th. Menard has shown in the past he can run up front, but he hasn't done that much lately leading to some poor finishes.
• Kasey Kahne- The last eight for Kahen haven't been pretty either. He does have a top ten and two top 15's in that time, but that's where the feel good runs out. He has five finishes of 30th or worse in those eight which include a handful of crashes. 

2016 NASCAR Pit Road: Preseason

Weekly Review and Power Rankings

Preseason

By Richard Tix

It's that time of year again. The weather is starting to turn the corner -- heck in Minnesota it is going to be in the 50's this week and might hit the 60's this weekend -- and the cars are about to roll off pit lane.

Haulers are being packed with tools and equipment and the cars are being loaded. Next stop, DAYTONA!

To start Daytona off right, I let the world of twitter decide which article would drop today. Apparently everyone want's to see how the Power Rankings will start before we even see a Cup car hit turn one at DIS. Fine by me! Since it is the preseason I will even dig deeper into this weeks Power Rankings. Most weeks only 12 drivers will make the cut, but to start the season off right I have listed 29 drivers in order. Sure, next week it will turn into 12, but for this week 29 drivers get to share the spotlight. 

Look out for the Behind the Wall Playoff predictions, Championship predictions, and the Daytona 500 Preview to be coming soon.

Pit Road Power Rankings: Preseason

1. Jimmie Johnson - Seven Cup Championships, 80 wins, 218 top fives, 330 top tens, and counting. Sometimes people do not realize it until it's too late, but we're witnessing greatness between JJ and Chad.
2. Kyle Busch - Rowdy couldn't go back to back in 2017, but he did make the final four again and gave himself a shot at a second title. He is just now hitting his prime, which is scary since he has a championship, 38 wins, 147 top fives, and 219 top tens already. 
3. Joey Logano - Ok, ok, so the first three all made the final four last year, what gives? Well, they were some of the better drivers of 2016 with no questions surrounding them in 2017. JoLo finished the year with six straight top tens that included two wins.
4. Martin Truex Jr - This team got to a point last season where they were finally able to "test" during races like the "big" teams of JGR, HMS, and Penske. At least that's what it felt like and the results seem to correspond. FRR was less consistent then in 2015, but won three more races in 2016. It will be interesting to see how a second FRR car mixes in with the No. 78's weekly speed.
5. Kevin Harvick - Fifth... No, I don't expect this to be long, but SHR does have to prove a few things with Ford until I fully trust "Happy." Then again, fifth to start the season also isn't a bad spot either.
6. Chase Elliott - Sophomore Slump? Maybe, but until it happens I am putting my faith in Chase to take another step in 2017. Sure, I had that same faith in Kyle Larson but that should just help me gain odds on my side. He's proved he can run consistently at times, but the real question is, when will he get his first win?
7. Brad Keselowski - BK was in a small handful of drivers who could have been considered the best driver of the 2016 regular season, however, that means nothing without the production in the Chase. The No. 2 team had a terrible finish to 2016 so a strong start in 2017 will be key.
8. Kyle Larson - One of the hardest drivers at the Cup level, can he take the next step after his first win of his career and first playoff appearance last season? 
9. Denny Hamlin - Hamlin had one of his best season's of his career last year and things at JGR are starting to become the Denny and Kyle show with Carl leaving and Kenseth aging. This might be the year where Hamlin makes a title push.
10. Matt Kenseth - Speaking of Kenseth, he still has something left in the tank for all these young guys, but will it be enough? I expect him to continue his consistency but he may fall short once again of the final four.
11. Kurt Busch - Year three at SHR was a lot like year two for Kurt and that's a pretty good thing as both were pretty good season's. He now has a win in all three years with SHR and will look to continue that in 2017.
12. Austin Dillon - AD finally took a step in the right direction at the Cup level after two years of no positive movement. So, after taking a nice step with four top fives and 13 top ten's, will he stall out again, or continue to be the best RCR driver like in 2016?
13. Dale Earnhardt Jr - First one left out on the normal rankings. I expect Junior to be inside the top 12 most of the season, but after missing a bunch of the end of 2016 it's only fair to other drivers that he slides a bit to start out.
14. Ryan Newman - Newman's consistency took a step back last season which left him a long way looking in at the playoff picture. He still is a threat to steal a win, but it hasn't happened in a long time so was it his last?
15. Clint Bowyer - The move to SHR could move him up the rankings fast or it could solidify his career down here. One thing's for sure, can't be worse than last year.
16. Kasey Kahne - Here we are again, talk of Kahne never ends with HMS faithful. Is this the year Kahne wins again? He shows flashes, but can lightning strike once again?
17. Ryan Blaney - How will year two go? Blaney's on track production was shadowed by Chase Elliott, but he started to become a social media star with Bubba Wallace as the season progressed.
18. Erik Jones - The talented JGR product moves up into the brand new No. 77 at FRR. He will head a nice rookie class along with Daniel Suarez and Ty Dillon.
19. Jamie McMurray - Can JMac win at a superspeedway in 2017?
20. Daniel Suarez - How will Suarez fill the shoes that were so abruptly left in the entry way by Carl Edwards?
21. Paul Menard - 2016 was not a good season for Menard. Heck, it was his worst since 2009 so it's only right that he turns it around at least a little in 2017.
22. Ricky Stenhouse Jr - If, IF, RFR can gain any type of speed in 2017 then I do believe Stenhouse could make some big strides. 2016 was his best year as a Cup driver but it still only ended with four top fives and six top ten's. Room for improvement is there if RFR can start to right the ship.
23. AJ Allmendinger - Road courses. Once again a road course win is the key for AJ, but he did have his most consistent season with JTG last year which will no doubt help his 2017 season.
24. Ty Dillon - Ty steps into the No. 13 and will try and take them to a level higher then where Mears had them capped at. However, will he be capable of doing that?
25. Landon Cassill - Landon is now the focus of FRM in 2017 after having his best season consitency-wise in 2016. Breaking the top 25 in the standings will be a nice move for he and the team.
26. Trevor Bayne - Just like Ricky, Bayne took a small baby step in the right direction last season. Will it continue this year? 
27. Danica Patrick - No top fives last season, but she still tied a career high for standing's finish (24th). How will she and SHR cope with all the sponsor drama heading into the season, though?
28. Aric Almirola - One RPM team left standing. 2016 was a big step back from 2015 and 2014 for the No. 43. Now a one car team, it will be interesting to see how they respond in 2017.
29. Chris Buescher - A win in 2016 put him in the Chase, how will 2017 shake out if it doesn't happen again? 

2017 Daytona 500 Speedweek Schedule

Daytona 500

By Richard Tix

All Times are Eastern Time Zone (ET)

Friday February 17, 2017

• 5-5:55 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series first practice for The Clash at Daytona
• 6:30-7:25 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series final practice for The Clash at Daytona

Saturday February 18, 2017

• 12:30-1:25 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series first practice 
• 2:30-3:25 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice
• 8 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Advance Auto Parts Clash at Daytona (75 laps)- FS1

Sunday February 19, 2017

• 3:10 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 Qualifying (single car/two rounds)

Thursday February 23, 2017

• 12-12:55 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series first duels practice
• 1-1:55 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series second duels practice
• 2-2:55 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series first practice
• 4-4:55 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series final practice
• 7 p.m.: First Can-Am Duel race (60 laps)- FS1
• 9 p.m. (approx.): Second Can-Am Duel race (60 laps)- FS1

Friday February 24, 2017

• 12-12:55 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series first practice
• 1-1:55 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 practice
• 2-2:55 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series final practice
• 3-3:55 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 practice
• 4:30 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Qualifying (single car/two rounds)
• 7:30 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series NextEra Energy Resources 250 (100 laps)- FS1

Saturday February 25, 2017

• 10:30 a.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series Qualifying (single vehicle/two rounds)
• 1-1:55 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 final practice
• 3:30 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series Powershares QQQ 300 (120 laps)- FS1

Sunday February 26, 2017

• 2 p.m.: Daytona 500 (200 laps)- FOX

NASCAR's Biggest Winner's and Losers after the 2016 Daytona 500

Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press

By Richard Tix

Each NASCAR season starts with the Daytona 500 and only one driver, one Crew Chief, and one team can leave as winners of the "Great American Race." Denny Hamlin and crew is that team in 2016. They not only win one of the biggest races of the season, but they all but lock up a spot in the 2016 Sprint Cup Chase.

However, if we look past the technicality of the other 39 drivers actually losing the 500, we can look at how some teams really left a winner in different ways. Some, however, still came away losers and do not have a ton of moral victories to hang onto except that next week is a new race and a new start to 2016.


Sunday's Winners

Denny Hamlin

• As stated above for obvious reason's, Hamlin and crew are the big winners. He made the big move to end the race after a dominating day. The team did have a late race slip up on pit road, but the overcame it with a strong car and a strong move to go for the win late in the race.

Martin Truex Jr

• The guy who loses by 0.011 seconds rarely comes away a winner after a race and I am sure he didn't feel like a winner in the moment. However, the Furniture Row move from Chevy to Toyota could have been a slow transition, but after Daytona it looks like the move will work out. Truex, part of a single car shop, now seems to have four other teammates in JGR.

NASCAR Safety

• For all of speedweeks NASCAR's safety was on display. From 9 barrel rolls to Matt Dibenedetto hitting the wall head on, NASCAR's strives in safety were on display. Lucky for everyone that we have made such big moves and everyone could walk off mostly unharmed.

Toyota Racing

• I won't sit here and continue to label all the other JGR drivers, because each one left a "winner" from Daytona. Carl Edwards took a beat up Camry and had it up front at the end of the day. Kyle had no move after Denny took his move, but he was in contention and we already touched on Truex and race winner Hamlin. Atlanta will prove if the Toyota hot streak really is continuing from 2015, or if it was just a product of a superspeedway and teamwork.

Sunday's Losers

Jimmie Johnson

• Backup car. Charge to the front. Run up front for awhile. Pit crew over the wall too early. That was the race in a nut shell for JJ. Once he served that penalty it was too much too late for him to make up. Weird mess up for the #48 team.

Two ROY Candidates

• Chase Elliott and Chris Buescher make up two of the three best rookies in this ROY class and both had their Daytona 500 ended by wrecks. Chase started on the pole but his day ended very early when he got loose and his splitter and the infield grass took over and killed his car. Both were looking ahead to Atlanta far before most drivers on Sunday.

Dale Earnhardt Jr and "Amelia"

• I think everyone saw this coming when they came to #NBTW to read this. After the Duel win the take was who could beat Junior? Well, Toyota and JRG was who. After Jr lost the leas earlier in the race, he just wasn't able to get back through those Toyota's. In the end he got loose and Amelia took her tole and left him with a tough finish.

2016 NASCAR Pit Road Week 1: Daytona

Weekly Review and Power Rankings

Daytona 500

By Richard Tix

The 2016 NASCAR season has officially kicked off at Daytona. Speedweeks are over and the excitement of another opening race at Daytona International Speedway has come and gone. A long weekend of superspeedway testing, tuning, and practicing for the Daytona 500 has all lead to Sundays running of the great American race.

Everything kicked off with a Denny Hamlin Sprint Unlimited win last Saturday and then a Chase Elliot Daytona Qualifying Pole win last Sunday. Duels came and went with mixed results per fan review and finally we had the big one this Sunday.

However, the real "big one" that most fans know at superspeedways never came (which was a good thing).

Chase Elliott brought the field to green but was an early victim to some poor handling cars on longer runs. He spun out early and had his car saved until he hit the infield grass at which point his splitter took over leaving wreckage behind. He did get back out on the track, but his day was over.

A few others were also victims of poor handling cars later in runs including Daytona and fan favorite Dale Earnhardt Jr and "Amelia" (the name of this specific car/chassis).

The big story all day was how dominate the Toyota Camry's were, especially those of JGR. For most of the race they seemed to be the cars to beat. Even down the stretch a beat up and battered Carl Edwards #19 was at the front of the pack.

As the race came to a close it was a Toyota front pack with Matt Kenseth, Martin Truex Jr, Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, and Carl Edwards all lined up along the bottom groove.

Eventually on the last lap Denny made his move when he saw the #4 of Kevin Harvick coming in the high line and thought it was his one shot at a win (Denny still claims he was blocking Harvick to keep him out of the top 3). It was the only shot Hamlin had at a win and he left the single line behind for a shot at the Daytona 500 win.

Well, he got a huge shot from Harvick in the top line and when Kenseth went high to block him he split the middle between the #20 and Truex. Kenseth tried to battle him but lost it and started to fall back.

Meanwhile Hamlin and Truex beat and banged down the front stretch and Hamlin, using a bit of side draft, just nudged out the #78 by 0.011 seconds at the line.

It was a fantastic finish to a quality Daytona 500. The loose cars left for a ton of entertainment and interesting strategy all race long. The first green flag stops came late in the race that also really shook a few things up down the stretch, but everything and everyone will remember this race for the finish at the line that will be talked about for years.

**2016 Daytona 500 Race Results

Pit Road Power Rankings Week 1 (Preseason)

1. Denny Hamlin (LW-6)- I was high on Denny for 2016 heading into the year (just see last weeks Power Rankings). He came out with a bang after the Unlimited and Daytona 500 wins. JGR already looks strong, but it is hard to put a finger on how good they could be while at a superspeedway. Finish: 1st
2. Kyle Busch (LW-1)- Next week will really show if JGR is continuing where they left off in 2015. If Daytona was any indication, the rest of the field has some catching up to do. Finish: 3rd
3. Kevin Harvick (LW-3)- Overlooked for the most part because of the finish, Harvick was the key pusher in the Denny Hamlin win. Finish: 4th
4. Joey Logano (LW-2)- He may not have the Championship at Penske, but he maybe the favorite on that team to win one in 2016. Finish: 6th
5. Martin Truex Jr (LW-10)- So, so close. I think a ton of NASCAR fan's were pulling for him on the front stretch. Putting the second place finish behind us, it looks like the relationship with JGR will do them well in 2016. Finish: 2nd
6. Carl Edwards (LW-9)- He struggled much of the day, especially compared to his teammates. However, he took his beat up car and still finished in the top 5. Finish: 5th
7. Kurt Busch (LW-8)- It was a quiet day for Kurt, but he was still towards the front when it counted. Finish: 10th
8. Jimmie Johnson (LW-4)- He led some laps, but in the end had some rough luck. They fought through and finished the race out with a decent spot. Finish: 16th
9. Matt Kenseth (LW-11)- Kenseth might deserve to be higher, but his last move sent him backwards. However, he had to make that move if he wanted to win, and that is what it is all about. I am just glad he saved it and the field didn't get wadded up in the process, applause for everyone on that. Finish: 14th
10. Ryan Newman (LW-12)- Who realized Newman finished 11th? With about 20 to go I thought to myself "they haven's talked about Ryan all day." Then noticed he was in back riding around. So to see him towards the top 10 in the final laps was amazing. Finish: 11th
11. Brad Keselowski (LW-5)- Up and down day for the #2. BK was towards the front and also the back. He never could get up and run with JGR and eventually got stuck in the middle and the results show that. Finish: 20th
12. Kyle Larson (LW-NR)- LarSON hung out towards the front a ton on Sunday. Didn't seem like he or JMac had enough for JGR, but they held their own. In the end it was a good start to 2016 for Kyle after a disapointing 2015. Finish: 7th

Dropped Out: Dale Earnhardt Jr

Just Missed: Kasey Kahne and Austin Dillon

Honorable Mention: Regan Smith (battled to a 8th place finish), Michael McDowell (took the non Chartered spot in the #59 and finished higher then Grandpa's boy (Ty Dillon). McDowell finished 15th), and Ryan Blaney (finished 19th but had the #21 in contention most of the day).

NASCAR leaves Daytona Beach and we start to really shape the 2016 at Atlanta Motor Speedway next week. Will someone top the JGR dominance next week? Will Harvick and Logano continue to be the strongest competition in the field? Will rookie Chase Elliott bounce back in his second start of his rookie season and at his "home track?" All these things will be fun all week leading up to the second race of 2016.

2016 NASCAR Pit Road: Preseason

Weekly Review and Power Rankings

Preseason

(Photo Credit: AP Photo: Terry Renna)

By Richard Tix

NASCAR Behind the Wall's Power Rankings are back. I know that is what you have all been waiting for, right? Oh, you've actually been waiting for NASCAR to be back? Well, I guess I can live with that.

Since NASCAR is back and on the track I think it is time to get the Preseason Power Rankings and season hype going. Coming up will be Chase Predictions and Champion Predictions, but until those are released check out the Power Rankings as we head into a new season. 

Last season's Cup Champions (Kyle Busch) started the year out in 10th in 2015 (Check out last years Preseason Power Rankings). Meanwhile, some of the other strong cars started on top (Harvick 1st and Logano 3rd). Don't forget, last years final four driver Martin Truex Jr wasn't even on the preseason list.

So, a 2016 contender might not even make this list, but that is what make preseason forecasts, predictions, and rankings so much fun.

Pit Road Power Rankings: Preseason

1. Kyle Busch- The 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion keeps his spot. He is not only healthy, but shouldn't have as much trouble going through metal detectors in 2016.
2. Joey Logano- "Sliced Bread" gets to try and redeem his season after becoming squished bread via Matt Kenseth last in 2015. He was one of the strongest cars all last year.
3. Kevin Harvick- Havrick has proven he will continue to be a force while at SHR. As expected last year, he should again be a tough guy to beat in 2016. 
4. Jimmie Johnson- 5 more wins in 2015, one of these seasons he will put it together in the Chase and be a tough out. Is 2016 the year?
5. Brad Keselowski- Only one win in 2015, seems crazy when you think about that white #2 being up front a ton. He should notch multiple this season.
6. Denny Hamlin- I am pretty high on Denny and most of JGR this season, but even I will admit it is a toss up which JGR car will finish the highest. 
7. Dale Earnhardt Jr- Junior has been on an impressive stretch in his career and it doesn't seem like it will slow down heading into 2016. Will he finally make the final four in year three?
8. Kurt Busch- Last year I doubted the comeback (it was hard not to with everything that was going on). This year it is safe to say he will be a contender.
9. Carl Edwards- This might be low, but I have no idea which talented JGR driver will finish the highest, so for now Carl has to settle for the back half of the top 10.
10. Martin Truex Jr- Moving from Chevy to Toyota shouldn't be a tough move, but it is enough to move him back a bit to start 2016.
11. Matt Kenseth- For some reason I am low on Kenseth. Do I have him winning and making the Chase? Heck yes, but I have a weird feeling it might be a bit of a low season for him. Then again, he is with JGR and I could be totally off.
12. Ryan Newman- Rounding out the top 12 is Mr. Consistent. He is a guy in and out of the bubble spot so why not start there in 2016?

Just Missed: Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson, and Jamie McMurray

Just Missed the Just Missed: Kasey Kahne, Paul Menard, Ryan Blaney, and Clint Bowyer

Missing Out on the Just Missed: Aric Almirola, Danica Patrick, Chris Buescher, Greg Biffle, Ricky Stenhouse Jr, and Tony Stewart

2016 NASCAR Daytona Entry List

Daytona 500

By Richard Tix

The official Daytona 500 Entry List (From Jayski.com)

Can-Am to Sponsor 2016 Daytona Duel

2016 Can-Am Duel at Daytona

By Richard Tix

This Speedweek the Duel will look a bit different. Can-Am will take over sponsor ship of the two 150 mile races that help qualify and set the field for the 2016 Daytona 500. The Duel, most recently sponsored by Budweiser (2013-2015), will be held Thursday February 18th (Full Speedweek Schedule).

Can-Am is a producer of motorized recreational vehicles and engines for BRP (Bombardier Recreational Products), which is a Canadian Corporation. "We feel that there’s a natural fit with NASCAR racers and their fans. Thanks to our association with Kappa, Cyclops Gear and the GOFAS race team, we are now a sponsor in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and the title sponsor of the Can-Am Duel, the ultimate test before the Daytona 500," said Anne Bélec, senior vice-president, Global Brands and Strategy for Can-Am.

NASCAR moves on from Budweiser as they re-brand towards there Busch brands and move onto a new and exciting involvement with Can-Am. "We’re excited about developing this new partnership with BRP, the world leader in recreational vehicles,” Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III said. “With two thrilling and unpredictable 150-mile qualifying races, the Can-Am Duel At Daytona will provide a great platform for BRP to promote their Can-Am products at the ‘World Center of Racing."

It's good news to see someone step right in and seem like a nice fit for NASCAR and it's fans. Maybe BRP's involvement with a larger item like the Duel will push them even further into the sport as a sponsor? One thing is known for sure, "The Twins" will now once again go by another name and are something to look forward to.

2015 Week 1 Preview: Daytona

Daytona International Speedway

Daytona 500

By Richard Tix

It is finally here! The NFL season is in the dust, MLB players are reporting to Spring Training, March Madness is around the corner, but one thing is ready to go. Finally, this week NASCAR starts it's 2015 season off with the crown jewel of the sport, the Daytona 500.

It seems like a while ago that fans were complaining about a win-less Ryan Newman in the Finale, the shock of a Joey Logano pit stop keeping him from a title, and obviously Kevin Harvick winning his first Cup Championship. Even though it was a pretty short time ago, it feels like it was six month's of down time. 

NASCAR heads into 2015 on a fresh slate. This season they left the Chase and points system as is and we will get to see if year two is as fun as year one. The big change is the testing ban and the new car package that reduces HP. We wont get to really judge those changes this week at Daytona, but it will be interesting to watch as the season progresses.

The other big news is that 2015 will be Jeff Gordon's last full-time season at the Cup level. One thing we do know (as long as he sticks to his word) is that the 2015 Daytona 500 will be Gordons last Daytona 500 of his career. Even if he runs a short schedule in the next few years he said he will not run the 500. So, fans of racing soak this last Daytona 500 in as he is one of the greatest drivers in NASCAR history. 

So, lets move on. Just like last season we will look at some of the Good, Middle, and Bad drivers of each track each week in track previews. This is not a full run down, but rather a focus on some of the drivers in each category. NASCAR Behind the Wall takes a look at recent results to determine each category and not full career statistics. 

If you need a reminder of how it works, take a look back at some past Week Previews. 

The Good

• Dale Earnhardt Jr- Last years Daytona 500 winner makes his first appearance in the "Good" category in just his first opportunity. A lot of that is due to the fact that in the last 5 Daytona International Speedway races he has a Cup best 8.0 average finish. In that time he has 3 top 10's and no worse than a 15th place finish.
• Jamie McMurray- His overall statistics don't show it, but that's because bad luck and wrecks ruin a day so much at superspeedways, but JMac has a knack for finding the front at restricter plate tracks. I would not count him out this Sunday even though he only has one top 10 in his last nine at Daytona.
• Austin Dillon- He has a short Cup track record at Daytona (3 races) but he has a pole and two straight top 10's coming into the 2015 500 (9th in 2013 and 5th in 2014). He and his brother, Ty, might be underdogs to keep your eye on.

The Middle

• Joey Logano- In 12 starts at Daytona he has finished in the top 20 8 times. In his last 7 races here he has kept it fairly clean (other than his 40th place finish in 2013). In that time he has 3 top 10's, 4 top 15's, and 6 top 20's. JoLo seems to be a guy who can stay on the track here and that is half the battle at restricter plate tracks.

The Bad

• AJ Allmendinger- Over his career he has seemed to find trouble at Daytona more often than not. He only has two top 10's in 11 career starts and has crashed in 2 of his last 3. Is never that a driver can't get a good finish here, but rather about playing the odds.
• Aric Almirola- Before his rain out win at the Firecracker in July, Aric had only 2 finishes better than 30th in six career starts. Three out of those six were crashes. So, the question is of bad luck or just putting yourself in a bad spot? 
• Trevor Bayne- Yes, the driver that won his first and only race at Daytona, for the 2011 Daytona 500, at the age of 19 is on the "bad" list. True, he has new life and for the first time a full Cup ride with Roush Fenway this season, but in his last 7 starts he has one top 20 (20th) which is also his only top 25 finish as well. But, he has a chance to turn it around now with RFR and a new shot.

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 4 Pole winners since then in the other stop at DIS (Firecracker)
• Tony Stewart won from 42nd starting position 7/7/12, which is the farthest back anyone has won from (Firecracker)
• 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)
• Chevy won four straight at Daytona before Aric Almirola (Ford) won the 2014 Firecracker 400. 
• Chevy has also won 7 of the last 11. For has won the other 4 of 11.
• Trevor Bayne is still the youngest Daytona 500 win (19 years old. 2011 Daytona 500). It is still his only Cup win.
• Dale Earnhardt Jr has the best career average finish of current drivers at 13.4 (30 races)
• Jimmie Johnson has the best career average start of current drivers at 10.2

More Daytona Articles

• 2015 Pit Road Preseason (Power Rankings)
• 2015 Budweiser Duels Starting Order
• 2015 Daytona Weekend
• 2015 Daytona 500 Entry List
• Predicting a NASCAR Champion: 2015
• 2015 Chase Predictions
• 2015 Budweiser Duels

Also new to NASCAR Behind the Wall is Driver Profile pages! They can be found under the "Driver" tab above. The stats will show through the 2014 season, but it will be a great link to check out their specific driver spotlights and also almost all the career cars they have ever driven. Come back and keep checking them out as more will continually be released.

Thanks for checking out NBTW and lets get this season going!

2015 Daytona Weekend

Sprint Unlimited and Qualifying News and Results

By Richard Tix

The 2015 NASCAR season started off with a bang. It was like NASCAR picked up right where it left off in 2014. First up was the 2015 Sprint Unlimited on Saturday Night. Finally after months of waiting, fans got to see Cup cars back on the track.

Early in the Unlimited things started to unwind when Kyle Larson and Brad Keselowski go together which left BK out of the race early. The fireworks continued time and time again until NASCAR was down to about 11 cars (2014 got down to a handful of cars as well). Luckily for all the drivers involved it was a non points race and no drivers were hurt by any of the incidents. 

In the end Matt Kenseth pulled away on a late restart and no one could catch him even while in the draft. After a 2014 season that came with no wins, Kenseth got back to VL in the first race of 2015 (non points, but non the less). 

Full Sprint Unlimited Results:

1 Matt Kenseth

2 Martin Truex Jr.

3 Carl Edwards

4 Casey Mears

5 Kyle Larson

6 Joey Logano

7 Jeff Gordon

8 Kyle Busch

9 Dale Earnhardt Jr.

10 Danica Patrick

11 Kevin Harvick

12 Ryan Newman

13 Tony Stewart

14 Greg Biffle

15 Kurt Busch

16 Ricky Stenhouse Jr

17 Austin Dillon

18 Aric Almirola

19 Denny Hamlin

20 Clint Bowyer

21 Paul Menard

22 Jimmie Johnson

23 Kasey Kahne

24 Jamie McMurray

25 Brad Keselowski

After an exciting Saturday night that got many fans even more ready for the 2015 season to officially kick of NASCAR held its Daytona 500 qualifying Sunday afternoon. Coming into the qualifying many fans and drivers had there opinions on what the format would bring. As normal I tried to stay in the middle until I saw the results at the 500.

Well early in round one of Group A Reed Sorenson and Bowyer got caught up and caused a wreck that involved a few other cars. The red flag had to come out and the social media world blew up. 

I love the idea of group knock out qualifying most tracks, but after today I noticed how much I don't like it at Superspeedways. True, it does add an edge of excitement and some extra strategy, but at a track like Daytona it also adds in extra danger to each and every driver. A wreck can happen at anytime, so don't get me wrong NASCAR will always have that element of danger it has to deal with, but when underfunded teams and high rolling teams are out there with different strategies it just doesn't work. The fact that qualifying is mainly just to qualify for the Budweiser Duels add another element that seems to be over kill to a qualifying process that was out of control on Sunday. 

I know people also complain about how long single car qualifying takes, but during the season opener I think it would still work. Fans are so giddy to see cars on the track that an "old school" and traditional style would still work for the 500 in my opinion. It would take out the element of another big one during a weekend that is just waiting for wrecks to happen. 

Bowyer said it right, these guys work hard for months to just tear up a car in a few minutes because a guy is driving for his underfunded team to get into the 500. Its ten fold for those small teams because Reed wasn't even sure if he would have another car in Daytona (they announced they were sending one down for Thursday later after the wreck). So, its exciting and might help a few more fans get into the stands, but it also adds a lot of extra danger on pit road and on the track that isn't needed.

Now, onto the qualifying results. In the end Jeff Gordon who announced that 2015 will be his last full-time season won the pole in his last Daytona 500 of his career. It will be a great story line heading into the 2015 Daytona 500.

Qualifying Results:

1 Jeff Gordon

2 Jimmie Johnson

3 Denny Hamlin

4 Matt Kenseth

5 Kyle Busch

6 Kasey Kahne

7 Carl Edwards

8 Ty Dillon

9 Austin Dillon

10 Dale Earnhardt Jr.

11 Jamie McMurray

12 Martin Truex Jr.

13 Johnny Sauter

14 Greg Biffle

15 Trevor Bayne

16 Sam Hornish Jr.

17 Aric Almirola

18 Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

19 Brad Keselowski

20 Ryan Blaney

21 Joey Logano

22 Michael Waltrip

23 J.J. Yeley

24 Bobby Labonte

25 Paul Menard

26 Alex Bowman

27 A.J. Allmendinger

28 Ryan Newman

29 Kevin Harvick

30 Kurt Busch

31 Tony Stewart

32 Danica Patrick

33 Casey Mears

34 Brian Scott

35 Michael Annett

36 Justin Allgaier

37 Kyle Larson

38 David Gilliland

39 Michael McDowell

40 Jeb Burton

41 Clint Bowyer

42 Reed Sorenson

43 Justin Marks

44 David Ragan

45 Cole Whitt

46 Josh Wise

47 Landon Cassill

48 Mike Wallace

49 Ron Hornaday Jr.

So everything is set for this Thursday Night at Daytona. The 2015 Budweiser Duels will help decide who makes the 2015 Daytona 500. No matter what way you look at it Sunday was exciting and Thursday should also be a blast and the 2015 season is finally underway!

• 2015 NASCAR Budweiser Duels
• 2015 Daytona 500 Entry List

2015 Daytona Entry List: Daytona 500

Daytona 500 Entry List

Daytona International Speedway

By Richard Tix

Entry list from Jayski.com

*Joe Nemecheck has dropped out from the list

As normal, its a large crowd trying to make the first race of the 2015 season. Doing well at Daytona can help a small team in huge ways down the road because it may lead to entering more races. 2015 seems to be bringing in even more drivers than normal as 50 total drivers are on the entry list.

Grab Your Crew

Journey to Daytona #GrabYourCrew

By Richard Tix

This year Fox Sports North is sending a lucky winner and four of there friends to the 2015 Daytona 500. Voting takes place from now until February 10th for the 11 finalist's already chosen by FSN. The five winners get to go to the Daytona 500 with there regions Fox Sports Girl and soak in all the racing glory and history surrounding the 500 at Daytona Beach.

I bring all of this up because a friend of mine has been picked as a finalist and wants to take her pit crew to Daytona.

Her name is Tina Davis from Minnesota. She has been racing for years in MN at Raceway Park until it shut down. She now races out of Elko, MN at Elko Speedway (which I have mentioned in the article NASCAR in Minnesota). I know Tina's family, friends, and pit crew mean a ton to her and for that I ask your help in sending them to Daytona. I know many of you are fans of not only NASCAR but the roots of racing, small town tracks. Many people across the country enjoy a Summer Saturday night at there local track. Some real rubbing, bumping, and racing can be found at these tracks every weekend. So, help me send my friend Tina Davis and her Pit Crew to the 2015 Daytona 500.

You can vote once a day from each device you have (Computer, Lap Top, Phone, Tablet, etc). It would be an awesome opportunity for an awesome person trying to take her pit crew/friends to Daytona. She wants to give them this opportunity because she gives them so much credit for the opportunity to race each weekend that she just wants to give back. 

Just follow the following link and vote for "Lady Racing Pit Crew." If you don't see the name you can follow the pictures below so you know you have the right "crew!"

Voter Profile: http://grabyourcrew.foxsports.com/profile/?id=34

Vote HERE: http://grabyourcrew.foxsports.com/submissions/

Thanks from NASCAR Behind the Wall for any help I can get them!