LARS
ANDERSON |
TOM
BOWLES |
LEWIS
FRANCK |
TIM
TUTTLE |
MARK
ZESKE |
| The winner of the Daytona 500 will be ... |
Jimmie Johnson
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Ricky Rudd
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Tony Stewart
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D. Earnhardt Jr.
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Tony Stewart
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| Why? |
| I'm sticking with Johnson, who was my pick two weeks ago, even though he hasn't been particularly impressive during Speedweeks. J.J. has had to lift off the throttle when driving into the turns because of handling problems. But I think he and his crew chief Chad Knaus will find speed during Friday's practice season and they'll have a great shot at winning on Sunday.
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There are so many veterans running well this week, like Tony Stewart, it's hard to believe a driver coming out of a one-year retirement will win in his first race back. But Rudd believes in this team, and this team believes in him; with the Fords running stronger at this track than they have in recent years, all the variables are in place for Rudd to pull a surprise upset.
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He's everybody's favorite for more than the reasons on paper. Sure , he's won the last three Cup-type races here -- the 400 in July, the Shoot-out last Saturday night and Thursday's 150-mile qualifier -- but Smoke's quest to win the 500 is taking on Dale Earnhardt-like proportions, only I don't think it will take him 20 tries to do it.
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The No. 8 showed plenty of strength in Thursday's Duel 150, finishing second to Tony Stewart after a fender bender with Michael Waltrip sent Earnhardt spinning into the grass. Earnhardt undoubtedly was saving a little for Sunday. He also has an impressive record at Daytona in the 500: a win, a second and a third in the past six races.
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Stewart is one of the best drivers in the history of racing and one of the few things missing on his résumé is a Daytona 500 victory. He's already proven that he's a Daytona firecracker, winning the past two summer races at the track. He ended 2006 as the hottest driver on the circuit and kept rolling this week by winning the Bud Shootout and his Daytona 500 qualifying race.
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| Keep an eye on ... |
Tony Stewart
Stewart is clearly the favorite. He's won his last three Cup starts at Daytona and, so far, no one has been able to catch him over the last ten days.
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David Stremme
Chip Ganassi Racing's been running strong all week, and none of the drivers has been smiling wider since they got here than Stremme; he qualified third and finished third in his duel. With low expectations, the second-year driver has nothing to lose ... and that's what may make him so dangerous Sunday.
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Matt Kenseth
After he lost crew chief Robbie Reiser to suspnension, he came from the back of the pack in his 150 to finish fifth. Does this remind of Jimmie Johnson's predicament last year? Don't forget Kenseth was very strong last year until he got punted by Stewart.
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Tony Stewart
He's built tremendous momentum by winning
the Shootout and Duel 150. He's been in the hunt the past four years in the 500, finishing second in 2004, fifth in '06 and seventh in '05 and '03. Stewart led 107 laps two years ago and was ahead in the late stages before fading in a green-white-checkered conclusion. Winning the 500 is at the top of Stewart's wish list.
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Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
Chevy runs the restrictor-plate tracks better than anybody else in NASCAR and have won the past four Daytona 500s, which bodes well for the Chevy-driving Dale Jr. Little E is in the final year of his contract and it is amazing how well athletes in all sports perform when their career is on the line. In 14 Cup races at Daytona, Earnhardt has two victories, six top-fives, and nine top-10s.
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| Don't expect much from ... |
Toyota Camrys
The fleet of Toyotas has struggled to gain speed over the last two weeks and I doubt any of the four Camrys in the field will finish in the top 15.
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Michael Waltrip
Yes, Waltrip pulled off nothing short of a miracle by qualifying for the 500 in a backup car. But the success should stop there; the two-time 500 winner hasn't finished in the top 10 in this race the last three years.
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Jamie McMurray
He's a fine driver, just not at Daytona Interanational Speedway. In eight races, including the July 400 miler, his average finish is 27.5.
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Jeff Burton
He's starting seventh and was third in the Stewart/Earnhardt Duel 150, but Burton hasn't run consistently well in the 500. He's been 32nd, 29th and 42nd in past three years and hasn't had a top-10 since finishing second in '00.
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Toyota
The Toyota contingent got a boost Thursday when four cars earned spots on the Daytona 500 starting line. But none will likely be much of a factor. David Reutimann and Dale Jarrett will start 40th and 43rd, respectively. Dave Blaney will start 37th. Michael Waltrip is a two-time winner and he'll start 15th, so you'll see him in the lead pack occasionally but he won't find any drafting help near the front.
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