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 Daytona 500 Starting Order

Can-Am Duel Results and Daytona 500 Starting Order

By Richard Tix

With the big race around the corner, here is a look at how the Can-Am Duels played out and what the starting lineup for the 2017 Daytona 500 will look like. 

Daytona Weekend Articles

• Preseason Power Rankings
• Daytona Race Preview
• Speedweek Schedule
• 2017 NASCAR Driver List and Changes
• 2017 NASCAR Paint Schemes

2017 Daytona 500 Starting Order

1. Chase Elliott- Hendrick Motorsports

2. Dale Earnhardt Jr.- Hendrick Motorsports

3. Jamie McMurray- Chip Ganassi Racing

4. Denny Hamlin- Joe Gibbs Racing

5. Kevin Harvick- Stewart-Haas Racing

6. Clint Bowyer- Stewart-Haas Racing

7. Brad Keselowski- Team Penske

8. Kurt Busch- Stewart-Haas Racing

9. Matt Kenseth- Joe Gibbs Racing

10. Austin Dillon- Richard Childress Racing

11. Trevor Bayne- Roush Fenway Racing

12. Danica Patrick- Stewart-Haas Racing

13. Aric Almirola- Richard Petty Motorsports

14. Ryan Newman- Richard Childress Racing

15. Joey Logano- Team Penske

16. Kyle Larson- Chip Ganassi Racing

17. Cole Whitt- TriStar Motorsports

18. Ty Dillon- Germain Racing

19. Daniel Suarez- Joe Gibbs Racing

20. David Ragan- Front Row Motorsports

21. Kyle Busch- Joe Gibbs Racing

22. Michael McDowell- Leavine Family Racing

23. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.- Roush Fenway Racing

24. Jimmie Johnson- Hendrick Motorsports

25. Matt DiBenedetto- Go Fas Racing

26. Kasey Kahne- Hendrick Motorsports

27. Landon Cassill- Front Row Motorsports

28. DJ Kennington (Open Team)- Gaunt Brothers Racing

29. Joey Gase- BK Racing

30. Michael Waltrip- Premium Motorsports

31. Corey LaJoie (Open Team)- BK Racing

32. Jeffrey Earnhardt- Circle Sport - The Motorsports Group

33. Paul Menard- Richard Childress Racing

34. Erik Jones- Furniture Row Racing

35. Martin Truex Jr.- Furniture Row Racing

36. Ryan Blaney- Wood Brothers Racing

37. Chris Buescher- JTG Daugherty Racing

38. AJ Allmendinger- JTG Daugherty Racing

39. Brendan Gaughan (Open Team)- Beard Motorsports

40. Elliott Sadler (Open Team)- Tommy Baldwin Racing

Duel One Results

1. Chase Elliott

2. Jamie McMurray

3. Kevin Harvick

4. Brad Keselowski

5. Matt Kenseth

6. Trevor Bayne

7. Martin Truex Jr.

8. Aric Almirola

9. Joey Logano

10. Cole Whitt

11. Daniel Suarez

12. Kyle Busch

13. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

14. Matt DiBenedetto

15. Landon Cassill

16. Chris Buescher

17. Joey Gase

18. Corey LaJoie

19. Brendan Gaughan

20. Paul Menard

21. Reed Sorenson

Quick Notes: The first duel was wild and crazy. Within it we got to see a bunch of really strong cars that will play a factor on Sunday. Chase Elliott was really the only guy to make a move on Brad Keselowski and have it stick, showing a ton of strength. Speaking of BK, Team Penske (including the No. 21 before an indecent with Ragan in Duel two) are all very strong. McMurray showed a ton of speed and also that he isn't afraid to be aggressive. Lastly, LaJoie got into Sorenson in a move where he really didn't have room and it ended in Sorenson missing the 500.

Duel Two Results

1. Denny Hamlin

2. Clint Bowyer

3. Kurt Busch

4. AJ Allmendinger

5. Austin Dillon

6. Dale Earnhardt Jr.

7. Danica Patrick

8. Ryan Newman

9. Kyle Larson

10. Ty Dillon

11. David Ragan

12. Michael McDowell

13. Jimmie Johnson

14. Kasey Kahne

15. D.J. Kennington

16. Elliott Sadler

17. Michael Waltrip

18. Jeffrey Earnhardt

19. Erik Jones

20. Ryan Blaney

21. Timmy Hill

Quick Notes: This Duel was a bit more tame then round one, but still interesting. Junior showed he still has a strong car especially when out front. Hamlin also showed he is one of the best at Daytona by charging up front and getting the right help at the right time -- JGR will be a factor on Sunday. Blaney was showing a strong car until Ragan got into the 48 and then into him (Ragan's second indecent) -- JJ will take a backup car to the back to start Sunday. Bowyer and AD also showed they can find a way to the front and make it stick.

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 Week 17: Daytona

Weekly Review and Power Rankings

Coke Zero 400

Photo: John Raoux /AP

By Richard Tix

Has the age of the NASCAR Night race passed us by? After every race Jeff Gluck (NASCAR writer for USA Today) runs a poll on twitter on "was it a good race?" The poll is taken after the race and it is always interesting to see the results.

Dover, Sonoma, and Auto Club all received 90% or better in approval, while the ASR, Coca-Cola 600 (both Charlotte), Kansas, and Texas were all 50% or below (all night races).

This weekend the Coke Zero 500 rounded out the night races so far of 2016 with only a 52% approval rate. So, what was interesting is when Jeff tweeted out the list with a far right column on if it was a day or night race. The five night races all go 52% or worse by the fans on Twitter, while the worst day race was Michigan with a 68% approval rating.

Has NASCAR lost it's touch on Saturday night racing? I for one enjoy the occasional night race, but I'll be honest many of them are hard to catch live. Summer evenings on the weekend are valuable time with friends and family. Look, I love NASCAR, but when it comes to making memories with my friends and family, they come first, always.

Photo: Chris Trotman

Sunday's are normally a much quieter time where many folks are happy to sit back and relax to watch a race (and maybe get some yard work in). In the USA we have been groomed to sit in front of a TV on Sundays (Sunday morning cartoons, NFL, NASCAR, etc). So, asking fans to take 3 hours out of a Sunday isn't as much to ask as a Saturday is. Heck, I bet people would have rated Daytona better if it was on a Wed. night (just ask Brad Keselowski and Dale Earnhardt Jr how they feel about a schedule mix up).

Maybe it's time to start looking into reviewing a few night races and moving them to new times (Sunday afternoon? Week night?). I have been in favor for a few years now of at least trying a weeknight race. During the NFL season it gives viewers something to watch during the week, a stand alone sporting event not competing with the NFL Sunday.

Maybe it works, maybe not, but it's worth trying once at the rate Saturday night races are going.

Oh, and Brad Keselowski won on Saturday.. Right now he is one of the best plate racers driving and it was a nice site to see him enjoy a win with his daughter in VL.

Pit Road Power Rankings Week 17 (Week 16)

1. Joey Logano (LW-3)- Oh, how I hate power rankings after plate tracks. Wrecks ruin days but it's tough to count too much against a guy for getting in a wreck at Daytona. Just ask Kurt Busch... Well, JoLo pushed his teammate and Kurt to finish out the race and take a weak week 17 No. 1 spot. Finish: 4th
2. Kurt Busch (LW-2)- Just ask Kurt how he feels about the guy ahead of him in the rankings this week... If it wasn't for Joey moving him Kurt would have had a nice finish and most likely the top spot this week. Finish: 23rd
3. Kevin Harvick (LW-1)- Another guy done in by a wreck. Not a ton to say about many of these guys. They have been the best drivers all year and wrecks happen all too often at these tracks. Finish: 39th
4. Brad Keselowski (LW-7)- BK finally got the Daytona bug off of his back. Some of us (me included) have noticed how well BK normally runs at resrictor plate tracks, but it is in full focus after his Firecracker 400 win on Saturday. Finish: 1st
5. Carl Edwards (LW-4)- Add Carl to the list involved in some sort of wreck on Saturday night. Interestingly Jeff Gluck's poll of the weekly races all have night races rated the worst...Finish: 25th
6. Kyle Larson (LW-8)- Larson was actually a guy to keep it mostly clean on Saturday and it paid off with another nice finish. He is putting it together, but its looking more and more like he will still need a win to get in. Finish: 6th
7. Kyle Busch (LW-10)- Kyle was a legit challenger to BK's win on Saturday. He hung out front with him a ton and even lead a few laps. Rowdy has started to turn it back around in his last two races. Finish: 2nd
8. Chase Elliott (LW-5)- This is the first time in a few weeks that Chase actually fell outside the top 5 on the NBTW rankings. However, a road course and plate track back to back is nothing to freak out about. Lets see how he bounces back this weekend. Finish: 32nd
9. Martin Truex Jr (LW-6)- Truex spent some time up front early but ended up being a part of the biggest wreck of the night like many others. Finish: 29th
10. Austin Dillon (LW-NR)- Austin started the race in the top 10 (6th) and ended it right about where he starter. Dillon has been a pretty good plate racer so it isn't a hug surprise to see a top 10 at Daytona. Finish: 7th
11. Matt Kenseth (LW-9)- Once again, another victum of the biggest wreck of the night, Kenseth just tried to salvage the race. It's dissapointing too, because he normally ends up being a factor at the front towards the end of plate races some way or another. Finish: 28th
12. Tony Stewart (LW-12)- For old times, Smoke is keeping his last spot in the rankings. To be honest, not a lot of guys are worthy of the 12th spot after a wreck filled Daytona, so Tony gets to keep the spot dispite a poor run. However, his finish still left him in the top 30 so he is in the Chase as of this race. Finish: 26th

Dropped Out: Jimmie Johnson (LW-11)

2016 NASCAR Week 17 Preview: Daytona

Firecracker 400 (Coke Zero 400)

Daytona International Speedway

By Richard Tix

84 races strapping in. 84 times another driver went to victory lane. Injuries. Drama. Car changes. Rule Changes. Legal battles. Lastly, numerous bold, no holds-bar, statements to remind us Tony was still with us. Anything you can imagine happening to break a man down happened to Tony Stewart in the last few years. Last Sunday it came full circle.

Smoke never gave up through all the frustration and personal issues that could have followed him. Even on Sunday at Sonoma he wasn't going to lay down after a mistake or two. Between his hard racing and say all attitude, its what has defined his career.

This week, with Smoke only trailing a Chase spot (top 30 spot) by 9 points, NASCAR heads to Daytona International Speedway. It's a place Tony has won at four times and its a race Tony has won four times. The reality is that Smoke never won a Daytona 500, but winning four Firecracker 400's is no small task. Of current drivers only Dale Earnhardt Jr has as many DIS wins as Stewart (4).

So, last week I begged the question at the end of my intro to Sonoma is a underdog like A.J. Allmendinger could win and steal a Chase spot. I also specifically asked if Smoke could get it done at Sonoma. He did, so now the next question is can he get to 50 wins and lock himself into the Chase by being top 30 in points with one more Firecracker 400?

**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- 2016 Daytona 500 winner will look to continue his Daytona dominance in the 2016 Firecracker. Hamlin has a streak of five straight top 10's that includes four top 5's at Daytona heading into this weekends race.
• Dale Earnhardt Jr- Even with his wreck in the Daytona 500, Junior still has the best average finish in the last 8 Daytona races (10). That's saying something about just how consistently good he has been here in the last few years.
• Jimmie Johnson- In the last eight races only Junior and JJ have multiple wins (both have two). JJ also has five top 5's in those last eight races.

The Middle

• Regan Smith- Yes, Regan Smith is stuck in the middle. No, I wouldn't trust he will have another quality finish, but his last three finishes have been 8th, 16th, and 8th. Before that he had finished of 34th, 24th, 24th, and 7th. 

The Bad

• Brad Keselowski- BK actually tends to find himself up front a ton at Daytona, but it never seems to unfold into more in the latest stops here. In 14 races he only has three top 10's. Don't be surprised to see him in the mix at some point but possible finish worse.
• Matt Kenseth- Speaking of a guy who can get in the mix at Daytona, Kenseth has two career Daytona wins, but his last seven runs here have had many mixed results. In those seven races he has one top 10 and only three top 20's.
• Paul Menard- Menard has seven straight finishes outside the top 15. Eight races ago was his last Daytona top 15 and it was 14th. The plus side is before that he had three top 10's.

About the Track: Daytona

Track Stats

• Jimmie Johnson was the first driver since Bobby Allison in 1982 to win both stops at DIS in a single season
• 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 two wins at DIS (Kyle Busch 2008 Firecracker and Denny Hamlin 2016 Daytona 500)
• Chevy has won 8 of the last 14. Ford has won 5 of 13. Denny Hamlin won the other.
• 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

Weekend Articles:

• Entry List
• TV Schedule
• Power Rankings
• Tony Stewart Tribute

2016 NASCAR Daytona Entry List

Firecracker 400 (Coke Zero 400)

By Richard Tix

The official entry list for the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway (From: Jayski.com)

2016 Daytona NASCAR Schedule: Firecracker 400

Firecracker 400 (Coke Zero 400)

By Richard Tix

**All Times are Eastern Time Zone (ET)**

Thursday June 20, 2016

• 2-2:55 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series first practice- NBCSN
• 3-3:55 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series first practice- NBCSN
• 4-4:55 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series final practice- NBCSN
• 5-5:55 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series final practice- NBCSN

Friday July 1, 2016 

• 2:10 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying- NBCSN
• 4:10 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying- NBCSN
• 7:30 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series Subway Firecracker 250 Powered by Coca-Cola (100 laps)- NBCSN

Saturday July 2, 2016

• 7:45 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola (160 laps)- NBC

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 Daytona 500 Starting Order

Can-Am Duel Results and Daytona 500 Starting Order

By Richard Tix

The Daytona 500 is almost here. Thursday we got two different Duel races (one with a bit of action and one with a lot of single file running until the end of the race). Both Duel's helped set the 2016 Daytona 500 starting lineup. Below we have the starting lineup plus Thursday Night's Duel results.

2016 Daytona 500 Starting Order
POS	Driver	Team
1	Chase Elliott	Hendrick Motorsports
2	Matt Kenseth	Joe Gibbs Racing
3	Dale Earnhardt Jr.	Hendrick Motorsports
4	Kyle Busch	Joe Gibbs Racing
5	Joey Logano	Team Penske
6	Jamie McMurray	Chip Ganassi Racing
7	Ryan Blaney	Wood Brothers Racing
8	Kurt Busch	Stewart-Haas Racing
9	Kevin Harvick	Stewart-Haas Racing
10	Carl Edwards	Joe Gibbs Racing
11	Denny Hamlin	Joe Gibbs Racing
12	Ty Dillon	Circle Sport-Leavine Family Racing
13	Kasey Kahne	Hendrick Motorsports
14	Kyle Larson	Chip Ganassi Racing
15	Greg Biffle	Roush Fenway Racing
16	Danica Patrick	Stewart-Haas Racing
17	Chris Buescher	Front Row Motorsports
18	Brian Vickers	Stewart-Haas Racing
19	Ricky Stenhouse Jr.	Roush Fenway Racing
20	Matt DiBenedetto	BK Racing
21	Austin Dillon	Richard Childress Racing
22	Michael Annett	HScott Motorsports
23	Trevor Bayne	Roush Fenway Racing
24	Landon Cassill	Front Row Motorsports
25	Brad Keselowski	Team Penske
26	Jimmie Johnson	Hendrick Motorsports
27	Regan Smith	Tommy Baldwin Racing
28	Martin Truex Jr.	Furniture Row Racing
29	David Ragan	BK Racing
30	AJ Allmendinger	JTG Daugherty Racing
31	Clint Bowyer	HScott Motorsports
32	Casey Mears	Germain Racing
33	Bobby Labonte	Go Green Racing
34	Aric Almirola	Richard Petty Motorsports
35	Brian Scott	Richard Petty Motorsports
36	Michael Waltrip	BK Racing
37	Paul Menard	Richard Childress Racing
38	Ryan Newman	Richard Childress Racing
39	Michael McDowell	Circle Sport-Leavine Family Racing
40	Robert Richardson Jr.	BK Racing

**Matt Kenseth to the back (backup car). Jimmie Johnson to the back (backup car). Martin Truex Jr to the back (backup car). AJ Allmendinger to the back (backup car). Brian Scott to the back (backup car).

Duel One Results

1. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Hendrick Motorsports

2. Joey Logano Team Penske

3. Ryan Blaney Wood Brothers Racing

4. Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing

5. Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing

6. Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports

7. Kasey Kahne Hendrick Motorsports

8. Greg Biffle Roush Fenway Racing

9. Chris Buescher Front Row Motorsports

10. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Roush Fenway Racing

11. Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing

12. Trevor Bayne Roush Fenway Racing

13. Brad Keselowski Team Penske

14. Michael McDowell Circle Sport – Leavine Family Racing

15. Regan Smith Tommy Baldwin Racing

16. David Ragan BK Racing

17. Josh Wise The Motorsports Group

18. Clint Bowyer Michael Waltrip Racing

19. Bobby Labonte Go FAS Racing

20. Brian Scott Team Xtreme Racing

21. Paul Menard Richard Childress Racing

22. Cole Whitt Phil Parsons Racing

Duel Two Results

1. Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing

2. Jamie McMurray Chip Ganassi Racing

3. Kurt Busch Stewart-Haas Racing

4. Carl Edwards Joe Gibbs Racing

5. Ty Dillon Leavine Family Racing

6. Kyle Larson Chip Ganassi Racing

7. Danica Patrick Stewart-Haas Racing

8. Brian Vickers Stewart-Haas Racing 

9. Matt DiBenedetto BK Racing

10. Michael Annett HScott Motorsports

11. Landon Cassill Front Row Motorsports

12. David Gilliland Front Row Motorsports

13. Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports

14. Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row Racing

15. AJ Allmendinger JTG Daugherty Racing

16. Matt Kenseth Joe Gibbs Racing

17. Casey Mears Germain Racing

18. Robert Richardson Jr. BK Racing

19. Aric Almirola Richard Petty Motorsports

20. Michael Waltrip BK Racing

21. Reed Sorenson Hillman Smith Motorsports

22. Ryan Newman Richard Childress Racing