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Wednesday, July 1, 2015

2015 Week 17 Preview: Daytona

Daytona International Speedway

Firecracker 400 (Coke Zero 400)


By Richard Tix

Last time NASCAR started a Daytona preview it was to kick off the 2015 season. Kevin Harvick was just coming off his first Sprint Cup Title. Jeff Gordon had a fantastic 2014 season and announced he would be done full time racing after the 2015 season, and everyone hated Brad Keselowski...

Well, Harvick is still hanging tough, Gordon could use some bounce back but will still retire from full time Cup racing, and I think many people are still not BK fans. Some things never change in the NASCAR world.

Last year after this race Aric Almirola was all smiles as a rain shortened race gave him his first career win and also locked him into the 2014 Sprint Cup Chase. This year we head into Daytona with the same feeling, can an underdog win and make his whole season in one 400 mile race?




The Good
  • Dale Earnhardt Jr- Jr has the best average finish at Daytona of any active driver (13.1), which is pretty darn good considering how easy it is to get caught up in a wreck here. In his last 7 races here he has 5 top 10's which includes 4 top 5's and the 2014 Daytona 500 win. 
  • Jimmie Johnson- Kind of similar to Jr, JJ has four top 10's in his last five races at Daytona. JJ's stats include two wins in that time and all of those four were top 5's. The only thing that has got in his way lately was a crash in last years Firecracker 400.
  • Casey Mears- I have to give credit where credit is due, and lately Mears has been a top 10 finisher here at Daytona. Is it luck? Sure, but it is for anyone at superspeedways. But, it also take a lot of skill, timing, and awareness to keep a car clean and make your move. Mears has four straight top 10's that proves he can do that.
The Middle
  • Clint Bowyer- Bowyer has been borderline "Good" lately here with 3 top 10's in the last 4 races, but over his career it has been a roller coaster. He seems to sit back some and let things happen in front of him before making a move and happens to get mixed results.
The Bad
  • Kyle Larson- Can he catch a break at Daytona? This spot is ALL due to bad luck and being in the wrong spot at the wrong time, plus a short sample size. I think Larson can bounce back, but bad luck has him in the "Bad" company for now.
  • Sam Hornish Jr- Zero top 10's in 8 tries for Hornish at Daytona. At this years 500 he did manage a 12th place finish after starting 38th, so there might be a bright side.
  • AJ Allmendinger- Does AJ find trouble or does it find him at Daytona? The more Daytona starts he has the more I lean towards he finds it. I am a AJ fan, but his 12 starts with only 1 top 5 and 2 top 10's show he has some room to improve here.
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 has won 7 of the last 12. For has won the other 5 of 12
  • Trevor Bayne is still the youngest Daytona 500 win (19 years old. 2011 Daytona 500). It is still his only Cup win.
Track Info
  • Surface
    • Asphalt
  • Length
    • 2.5 miles
  • Banking
    • Turns: 31 degrees
    • Tri-Oval: 18 degrees
    • Back Straight: 2 degrees

Daytona International Speedway
Race
Date
Cars
Winner(s)
St
Make / Model
1959-02
2/20/1959
38
Bob Welborn
7
'59 Chevrolet
1959-03
2/22/1959
59
Lee Petty
15
'59 Oldsmobile
1959-26
7/4/1959
37
Fireball Roberts
1
'59 Pontiac
1960-03
2/12/1960
37
Fireball Roberts
2
'60 Pontiac
1960-04
2/12/1960
40
Jack Smith
1
'60 Pontiac
1960-05
2/14/1960
68
Junior Johnson
9
'59 Chevrolet
1960-23
7/4/1960
37
Jack Smith
1
'60 Pontiac
1961-03
2/24/1961
34
Fireball Roberts
1
'61 Pontiac
1961-04
2/24/1961
33
Joe Weatherly
1
'61 Pontiac
1961-05
2/26/1961
58
Marvin Panch
4
'60 Pontiac
1961-32
7/4/1961
30
David Pearson
2
'61 Pontiac
1962-03
2/16/1962
25
Fireball Roberts
1
'62 Pontiac
1962-04
2/16/1962
25
Joe Weatherly
3
'62 Pontiac
1962-05
2/18/1962
48
Fireball Roberts
1
'62 Pontiac
1962-29
7/4/1962
33
Fireball Roberts
4
'62 Pontiac
1963-05
2/22/1963
31
Junior Johnson
2
'63 Chevrolet
1963-06
2/22/1963
31
Johnny Rutherford
9
'63 Chevrolet
1963-07
2/24/1963
50
Tiny Lund
12
'63 Ford
1963-29
7/4/1963
35
Fireball Roberts
3
'63 Ford
1964-06
2/21/1964
23
Junior Johnson
2
'64 Dodge
1964-07
2/21/1964
23
Bobby Isaac
4
'64 Dodge
1964-08
2/23/1964
46
Richard Petty
2
'64 Plymouth
1964-35
7/4/1964
32
A.J. Foyt
19
'64 Dodge
1965-02
2/12/1965
21
Darel Dieringer
1
'64 Mercury
1965-03
2/12/1965
28
Junior Johnson
1
'65 Ford
1965-04
2/14/1965
43
Fred Lorenzen
4
'65 Ford
1965-29
7/4/1965
40
A.J. Foyt
11
'65 Ford
1966-03
2/25/1966
33
Paul Goldsmith
8
'65 Plymouth
1966-04
2/25/1966
33
Earl Balmer
6
'65 Dodge
1966-05
2/27/1966
50
Richard Petty
1
'66 Plymouth
1966-28
7/4/1966
40
Sam McQuagg
4
'66 Dodge
1967-03
2/24/1967
28
LeeRoy Yarbrough
3
'67 Dodge
1967-04
2/24/1967
28
Fred Lorenzen
6
'67 Ford
1967-05
2/26/1967
50
Mario Andretti
12
'67 Ford
1967-28
7/4/1967
39
Cale Yarborough
2
'67 Ford
1968-04
2/25/1968
50
Cale Yarborough
1
'68 Mercury
1968-25
7/4/1968
37
Cale Yarborough
4
'68 Mercury
1969-04
2/20/1969
27
David Pearson
15
'69 Ford
1969-05
2/20/1969
24
Bobby Isaac
1
'69 Dodge
1969-06
2/23/1969
50
LeeRoy Yarbrough
19
'69 Ford
1969-28
7/4/1969
40
LeeRoy Yarbrough
9
'69 Ford
1970-02
2/19/1970
30
Cale Yarborough
1
'69 Mercury
1970-03
2/19/1970
31
Charlie Glotzbach
2
'69 Dodge
1970-04
2/22/1970
40
Pete Hamilton
9
'70 Plymouth
1970-24
7/4/1970
40
Donnie Allison
15
'69 Ford
1971-02
2/11/1971
33
Pete Hamilton
2
'71 Plymouth
1971-03
2/11/1971
31
David Pearson
4
'69 Mercury
1971-04
2/14/1971
40
Richard Petty
5
'71 Plymouth
1971-27
7/4/1971
40
Bobby Isaac
21
'71 Dodge
1972-02
2/20/1972
40
A.J. Foyt
2
'71 Mercury
1972-17
7/4/1972
40
David Pearson
2
'71 Mercury
1973-02
2/18/1973
40
Richard Petty
7
'73 Dodge
1973-17
7/4/1973
40
David Pearson
6
'71 Mercury
1974-02
2/17/1974
40
Richard Petty
2
'74 Dodge
1974-16
7/4/1974
40
David Pearson
1
'73 Mercury
1975-02
2/16/1975
40
Benny Parsons
32
'75 Chevrolet
1975-16
7/4/1975
40
Richard Petty
13
'74 Dodge
1976-02
2/15/1976
42
David Pearson
7
Mercury
1976-16
7/4/1976
40
Cale Yarborough
2
Chevrolet
1977-02
2/20/1977
42
Cale Yarborough
4
Chevrolet
1977-16
7/4/1977
41
Richard Petty
5
Dodge
1978-02
2/19/1978
41
Bobby Allison
33
Ford
1978-16
7/4/1978
40
David Pearson
3
Mercury
1979-02
2/18/1979
41
Richard Petty
13
Oldsmobile
1979-17
7/4/1979
41
Neil Bonnett
2
Mercury
1980-02
2/17/1980
42
Buddy Baker
1
Oldsmobile
1980-17
7/4/1980
40
Bobby Allison
14
Mercury
1981-02
2/15/1981
42
Richard Petty
8
Buick
1981-17
7/4/1981
42
Cale Yarborough
1
Buick
1982-01
2/14/1982
42
Bobby Allison
7
Buick
1982-16
7/4/1982
40
Bobby Allison
9
Buick
1983-01
2/20/1983
42
Cale Yarborough
8
Pontiac
1983-16
7/4/1983
40
Buddy Baker
8
Ford
1984-01
2/19/1984
42
Cale Yarborough
1
Chevrolet
1984-16
7/4/1984
42
Richard Petty
6
Pontiac
1985-01
2/17/1985
40
Bill Elliott
1
Ford
1985-15
7/4/1985
41
Greg Sacks
9
Chevrolet
1986-01
2/16/1986
42
Geoffrey Bodine
2
Chevrolet
1986-15
7/4/1986
42
Tim Richmond
9
Chevrolet
1987-01
2/15/1987
42
Bill Elliott
1
Ford
1987-15
7/4/1987
41
Bobby Allison
11
Buick
1988-01
2/14/1988
42
Bobby Allison
3
Buick
1988-15
7/2/1988
42
Bill Elliott
38
Ford
1989-01
2/19/1989
42
Darrell Waltrip
2
Chevrolet
1989-15
7/1/1989
40
Davey Allison
8
Ford
1990-01
2/18/1990
42
Derrike Cope
12
Chevrolet
1990-15
7/7/1990
40
Dale Earnhardt
3
Chevrolet
1991-01
2/17/1991
42
Ernie Irvan
2
Chevrolet
1991-15
7/6/1991
41
Bill Elliott
10
Ford
1992-01
2/16/1992
42
Davey Allison
6
Ford
1992-15
7/4/1992
40
Ernie Irvan
6
Chevrolet
1993-01
2/14/1993
41
Dale Jarrett
2
Chevrolet
1993-15
7/3/1993
41
Dale Earnhardt
5
Chevrolet
1994-01
2/20/1994
42
Sterling Marlin
4
Chevrolet
1994-15
7/2/1994
43
Jimmy Spencer
3
Ford
1995-01
2/19/1995
42
Sterling Marlin
3
Chevrolet
1995-15
7/1/1995
43
Jeff Gordon
3
Chevrolet
1996-01
2/18/1996
43
Dale Jarrett
7
Ford
1996-15
7/6/1996
42
Sterling Marlin
2
Chevrolet
1997-01
2/16/1997
42
Jeff Gordon
6
Chevrolet
1997-16
7/5/1997
42
John Andretti
3
Ford
1998-01
2/15/1998
43
Dale Earnhardt
4
Chevrolet
1998-30
10/17/1998
43
Jeff Gordon
8
Chevrolet
1999-01
2/14/1999
43
Jeff Gordon
1
Chevrolet
1999-17
7/3/1999
43
Dale Jarrett
12
Ford
2000-01
2/20/2000
43
Dale Jarrett
1
Ford
2000-17
7/1/2000
43
Jeff Burton
9
Ford
2001-01
2/18/2001
43
Michael Waltrip
19
Chevrolet
2001-17
7/7/2001
43
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
13
Chevrolet
2002-01
2/17/2002
43
Ward Burton
19
Dodge
2002-17
7/6/2002
43
Michael Waltrip
7
Chevrolet
2003-01
2/16/2003
43
Michael Waltrip
4
Chevrolet
2003-17
7/5/2003
43
Greg Biffle
30
Ford
2004-01
2/15/2004
43
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
3
Chevrolet
2004-17
7/3/2004
43
Jeff Gordon
1
Chevrolet
2005-01
2/20/2005
43
Jeff Gordon
15
Chevrolet
2005-17
7/2/2005
43
Tony Stewart
1
Chevrolet
2006-01
2/19/2006
43
Jimmie Johnson
9
Chevrolet
2006-17
7/1/2006
43
Tony Stewart
2
Chevrolet
2007-01
2/18/2007
43
Kevin Harvick
34
Chevrolet
2007-18
7/7/2007
43
Jamie McMurray
15
Ford
2008-01
2/17/2008
43
Ryan Newman
7
Dodge
2008-18
7/5/2008
43
Kyle Busch
9
Toyota
2009-01
2/15/2009
43
Matt Kenseth
39
Ford
2009-18
7/4/2009
43
Tony Stewart
1
Chevrolet
2010-01
2/14/2010
43
Jamie McMurray
13
Chevrolet
2010-18
7/3/2010
43
Kevin Harvick
1
Chevrolet
2011-01
2/20/2011
43
Trevor Bayne
32
Ford
2011-17
7/2/2011
43
David Ragan
5
Ford
2012-01
2/27/2012
43
Matt Kenseth
4
Ford
2012-18
7/7/2012
43
Tony Stewart
42
Chevrolet
2013-01
2/24/2013
43
Jimmie Johnson
9
Chevrolet
2013-18
7/6/2013
43
Jimmie Johnson
8
Chevrolet
2014-01
2/23/2014
43
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
9
Chevrolet
2014-18
7/6/2014
43
Aric Almirola
15
Ford
2015-01
2/22/2015
43
Joey Logano
5
Ford




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