Only 10 races remain in the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series regular season, and we have a big one coming this weekend with the Coke Zero 400.
Many legends of the sport have been made at Daytona International Speedway, with one such driver in Dale Earnhardt Jr. looking to recapture glory on the track this Sunday. Will Earnhardt be able to do just that, or will one of the other top contenders on the circuit deny him of such an honor? Let’s find out below.
Regardless of his lackluster send-off season, the folks over in Vegas have still declared Dale Earnhardt Jr. as a favorite to win it all this week. No. 88 had announced his retirement from the sport by the end of the 2017 season, and what better way to bid farewell to him than with another patented victory at Daytona.
Earnhardt certainly makes a great case at winning his first race of the year given his four wins on the course (most amongst all active drivers), with one of those victories coming from the 2015 summer edition of the race. And considering that the likes of Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart have won late-season races to suddenly be thrown into the playoff picture during their respective farewell campaigns, a clutch victory from the 42-year-old isn’t far from happening just the same.
Joey Logano
Team Penske’s Joey Logano now has back-to-back top-15 finishes to snap out of his three-race slump of sub-20 finishes, and another trip to Daytona may just put him back atop the winner’s podium this week for his second win of the year.
As you might recall, Logano was the crowned the winner of the Daytona 500 in 2015. He even has top-six finishes in four of his last five starts at Daytona, and his average finish of 7.8 on the course is also tops amongst the field of drivers this week. With that in mind, “Sliced Bread” could very well be one of those contenders to stave off Earnhardt’s run for a playoff spot this week, not to mention strengthen his own position in the upcoming postseason.
Sleepers
Kevin Harvick
With his first victory of 2017 in the books from last week’s race at Sonoma, Kevin Harvick is seemingly in line to make a dominant run like his usual self once more.
With three top-four finishes in his last five and top 10s in six of his last seven at Daytona, Harvick will look to ride his consistency on the track this week. The California native hasn’t won here since 2010, but his two total victories on the fabled course are still feats that only a few drivers have been able to achieve.
Brad Keselowski
Brad Keselowski isn’t getting as much credit this week despite being the race’s defending champion, and that’s mainly because of his inconsistency leading up to Sunday. The former Cup Series champion has a couple of top-five finishes over the last five races, but his other three outings during than span saw him fall outside of the top 15.
Then again, there’s been a handful of drivers who’ve won the Coke Zero 400 in consecutive years; Tony Stewart from 2005-06 comes to mind as the most recent evidence. Having said that, there’s really no reason to doubt that Keselowski can very well add another win to his 2017 season this weekend when all is said and done.
Long Shot
Ty Dillon
All’s not lost yet for 25-year-old Ty Dillon, who’ll secure a spot in the playoffs with a win this week. However, the younger half of the Dillon siblings hasn’t been as competitive as his elder brother (Austin) this year to inspire much confidence for us bettors this week – let alone be considered as a real threat in Cup Series contention – as he only has one top-10 and five top-15 finishes this year.
Furthermore, Dillon hasn’t been able to exhibit great poise at Daytona either. He hasn’t cracked the top 20 in three-career Cup Series starts on the track, so don’t count on him to pull off a massive shocker this Sunday.
Writer’s Prediction
Logano bags his second-career win at Daytona.
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