TOP FIVE DRIVERS

Quik Trip 500 from ATLANTA

The #5 driver is the winning-est current driver here, #24 Jeff Gordon. Jeff has five wins in 41 starts with 16 Top 5’s. Jeff’s first win came in spring of 1995 and his last was in 2011 – a span of 16 years. Jeff was, and still is, very good here. He looked good up until the end of the race in Daytona and needs a big finish here.

My #4 driver is coming off kind of a big win, #22 Joey Logano. He has eight starts, no wins and one Top 5. Joey has elevated his entire program over the last year. You have to throw out his stats. He has showed dramatic improvement everywhere and you should expect it here. Joey is #2 hottest over the last six weeks and finished in 2^nd two years ago. Joey is Top 5-rated for me at tracks like this.

The #3 driver is a former winner here, #88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Dale has 27 starts, one win, and nine Top 5 finishes. Dale is #4 hottest over the last six races and is #4 in highest average finish. It seems he hasn’t missed a step with his new crew chief and should have a big day here Sunday.

My #2 pick is another former winner, #11 Denny Hamlin. Denny has 15 starts, one win and three Top 5’s. His win came in 2012 and he finished 3^rd last year. Denny is also #3 hottest over the last six weeks. Joe Gibbs Racing is loaded (maybe over-loaded) with talent and early this year Denny is off to a good start ahead of the rest.

My #1 driver is also a former winner here in the A-T-L, #4 Kevin Harvick. Kevin has 23 starts, one win, and five Top 5’s. While Kevin doesn’t have the best large amount of Top 5’s in Atlanta, he is #3 highest average finisher here and six of his last eight races here were Top 10’s.

Monday look for our preview of the Kobalt Tools 400 from Las Vegas Speedway.

TOP 30 DRIVER RANKINGS

TOP 30 POWER RANKINGS

QUIK TRIP 500 from ATLANTA

1. KEVIN HARVICK #4
2. DENNY HAMLIN #11
3. DALE EARNHARDT JR #88
4. JOEY LOGANO #22
5. JEFF GORDON #24
6. MATT KENSETH #20
7. MARTIN TRUEX #78
8. JIMMIE JOHNSON #48
9. GREG BIFFLE #16
10. CARL EDWARDS #99
11. KYLE LARSON #42
12. RYAN NEWMAN #31
13. AUSTIN DILLION #3
14. JAMIE MCMURRAY #1
15. KASEY KAHNE #5
16. PAUL MENARD #27
17. BRAD KESELOWSKI #2
18. ARIC ALMIROLA #43
19. A. J. ALLMENDINGER #47
20. DANICA PATRICK #10
21. CASEY MEARS #13
22. RICKY STENHOUSE #17
23. REGAN SMITH#41
24. MICHAEL ANNETT #46
25. TONY STEWART #14
26. CLINT BOWYER #15
27. DAVID RAGAN #18
28. TREVOR BAYNE #6
29. SAM HORNISH #9
30. DAVID GILLILAND #38

Friday we break down the Top 5 drives to watch.

TOP TEN TEAMS

TOP 10 TEAMS POST DAYTONA

1. HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS
2. JOE GIBBS RACING
3. TEAM PENSKE
4. RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING
5. STEWART HAAS RACING

6. GERMAIN RACING
7. FURNITURE ROW RACING
8. JTG RACING
9. MICHAEL WALTRIP RACING
10. ROUSH/FENWAY RACING

One race into the season Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing and Team Penske.start strong in the Top 3. We find Stewart Haas Racing and Richard Childress Racing rounding out the Top5. The next three are our single car teams. Michael Waltrip Racing and Roush Fenway complete the Top 10. Look for this to shake up a little more in this first few weeks of the season.

Thursday look for our Top 30 drivers for the Quik Trip 500.

TOP TEN DRIVERS by TRACK TYPE

TOP 10: INTERMEDIATE TRACKS

1. JIMMIE JOHNSON #48
2. KEVIN HARVICK #4
3. MATT KENSETH #20
4. JOEY LOGANO #22
5. JEFF GORDON #24
6. DENNY HAMLIN #11
7. MARTIN TRUEX #78
8. GREG BIFFLE #16
9. CARL EDWARDS #19
10. JAMIE McMURRAY #1

Top 10 drivers on Intermediate tracks, Wednesday look for our Top 10 Teams and Thursday look for our Top 30 driver rankings for Sunday’s QUIK TRIP 500 from Atlanta Motor Speedway.

RACE PREVIEW

QUIK TRIP 500

ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY

March 1st, 1:00PM ET on FOX TV

1.54 Miles 24 Degrees of Banking

Atlanta is the fastest and probably the #1 favorite track amongst the drivers to drive on. Great sweeping turns and a smooth surface are two of the main reasons. At 1.54 miles it is a tad bigger than the many other “cookie cutter tracks.” But the date for this race has seen many changes over the years, now it is the second race of the year or really the first “real race”. Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing are the two most dominate teams here in the last 10 years. In the 16 races run JGR has five wins and HMS has four. Note though that JGR has three of the last five wins but HMS the other two. No question these two teams dominate here. Who will get the first non restrictor plate win of the year? We’ll find out on Sunday.

Tuesday look for our Top 10 drivers on intermediate tracks for week two. Thursday we rank the top 30 drivers for the QUIK TRIP 500.

TOP FIVE DRIVERS

Top 5 Drivers to Watch:Daytona 500

 

My #5 driver has his work cut out for him on Sunday, #2 Brad Keselowski. Brad has 11 starts, no wins and two Top 5’s. One of those top 5’s came here last year with his 3^rd place finish. He is #5 rated on restrictor place track. But since he starts 38^th it may take him most of the race to make it to the Top 5.

 

My #4 pick is a driver who won his first Sprint Cup race here in 2003, #16 Greg Biffle. Greg is my #3 rated restrictor plate driver and did very well in the Duel Race yesterday. Greg started 6^th and finished 4th and should be able to keep this momentum going on Sunday. Greg is confident because he has 23 starts, one win and three Top 5’s. Not a huge number of Top 5 finishes, but Greg is looking to change that this year.

 

My #3 driver to watch doesn’t have the best stats coming in here, #22 Joey Logano. Joey has 12 starts, no wins and two Top 5 finishes. Joey has struggled a little on plate tracks. Things are turning around for Joey as he qualified 5^th and finished in 3rd place in his Duel race after starting 10th.

 

The #2 driver is a former-winner here at Daytona, #31 Ryan Newman. Ryan has 26 starts, with one win in the 500 in 2008. He is #2 hottest coming off that #2 run for the championship last year. His team Richard Childress Racing, is not a stranger to success here at Daytona.

 

My #1 pick is a three-time former-winner, #88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Dale has 30 starts, three wins, and 11 Top 5’s. Dale is my #1 rated restrictor plate racer. His last points’ win came in this race last year and his most recent non-points win came in the first dual race last night. Current success plus knowing he has the #1 best average finish means you should look for Dale Jr. dominance to continue.

 

Monday look for our preview of the Quik Trip 500 from Atlanta.

TOP 30 DRIVERS

DAYTONA 500 from DAYTONA

1. DALE EARNHARDT JR #88
2. RYAN NEWMAN #31
3. JOEY LOGANO #22
4. GREG BIFFLE #16
5. BRAD KESELOWSKI #2
6. DENNY HAMLIN #11
7. MATT KENSETH #20
8. JEFF GORDON #24
9. KEVIN HARVICK #4
10. CLINT BOWYER #15
11. JIMMIE JOHNSON #48
12. AUSTIN DILLION #3
13. CARL EDWARDS #19
14. KYLE BUSCH #18
15. JAMIE MCMURRAY #1
16. KURT BUSCH #41
17. RICKY STENHOUSE #17
18. CASEY MEARS #13
19. TONY STEWART #14
20. PAUL MENARD #27
21. MARTIN TRUEX #78
22. DANICA PATRICK #10
23. KASEY KAHNE #5
24. MICHAEL WALTRIP #55
25. ARIC ALMIROLA #43
26. LANDON CASSILL #40
27. KYLE LARSON #42
28. JUSTIN ALLGAIER #51
29. BOBBY LABONTE #32
30. A. J. ALLMENDINGER #47

Friday we break down the Top 5 drivers to watch in Sunday’s Daytona 500.

TOP TEN TEAMS

TOP 10 TEAMS PRE DAYTONA 500

1. TEAM PENSKE
2. JOE GIBBS RACING
3. HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS
4. STEWART HAAS RACING
5. JTG RACING

6. CHIP GANASSI RACING
7. RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING
8. FURNITURE ROW RACING
9. ROUSH FENWAY RACING
10. MICHAEL WALTRIP RACING

Here are the Top ten teams ranked with the latest driver lineups for the Daytona 500. Look for this list to get shaken up after the race. Thursday look for our Top 30 drivers for the Daytona 500.

TOP 10 DRIVERS

TOP 10: RESTRICTOR PLATE TRACKS

1. DALE EARNHARDT Jr. #88
2. CLINT BOWYER #15
3. GREG BIFFLE #16
4. MATT KENSETH #20
5. BRAD KESELOWSKI #2
6. RYAN NEWMAN #31
7. RICKY STENHOUSE #17
8. DENNY HAMLIN #11
9. AUSTIN DILLION #3
10. CASEY MEARS #13

Top drivers 10 on Restrictor Plate tracks, Thursday look for our Top 30 rankings for Sunday’s DAYTONA 500 from Daytona Int Speedway.

DAYTONA 500 PREVIEW

DAYTONA 500

DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY

Feb 22^nd, 1:00 PM EST, FOX TV

2.5 MILES, 31 Degrees of Banking

Big banking and big stakes make this race different than any other. Last year’s winner, Dale Earnhardt Jr., received over $1,500,000 and nearly universal recognition: not a bad payday. On Sunday 43 drivers will hit the steep 31 degree banking of the Daytona International Speedway. After three months off, many days of practice, the Sprint Unlimited race, and the Budweiser Duel races, it’s time to start the 2015 season for real. Forty-nine drivers tried very hard to make this race and six drivers will be sitting in the stands on race day. With Danica Patrick and Jeff Gordon in the front, and their teammates doing well, I think you can say Chevrolet cars in general, and the Hendrick Motorsports motors in particular hold some advantage. Thirteen drivers that have won a points’ race here will be in the field. During the Sprint Unlimited race we saw a good amount of blocking and push drafting that has become a big part of restrictor place racing. Because of rule changes and the use of a restrictor plate we don’t know exactly what we’ll see, but we will get a hint Thursday during the Budweiser Duel races. We’ll be hoping we don’t see “the big one” – a major wreck that takes out most of the field. Four years ago Trevor Bayne burst on the scene and became instantly known in just his second Sprint Cup start, will we see another unknown become a known or will we finally see Jeff Gordon win his first 500 in his last start? We’ll know on Sunday!

Tuesday look for our Top 10 drivers on restrictor plate tracks in advance of the Daytona 500, Thursday we’ll rank the Top 30 drivers for the race.