NASCAR Practice Notes & Driver Ratings
This Week's Race: Coke Zero 400 from Daytona International Speedway
Top 10 Driver Rating Following All Daytona Practice Sessions
Rating Driver Odds Practice 1 Qualified Daytona 500* Aaron’s 499*
1 Kevin Harvick 8/1 9th 31st 42nd 5th
Notes: Two-time winner including this race in 2010; using Talladega chassis that pushed Bowyer.
2 Kurt Busch 10/1 3rd 25th 5th 18th
Notes: Three-time runner-up; using winning Gatorade Duel car that finished fifth in Daytona 500.
3 Clint Bowyer 15/1 7th 3rd 17th 2nd
Notes: 13.2 average finish; using winning (2010) and runner-up (2011) chassis from Talladega.
4 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 8/1 19th 6th 24th 4th
Notes: Two-time winner, the last coming in 2004; using car that pushed Johnson to Talladega win.
5 Jeff Gordon 12/1 5th 4th 28th 3rd
Notes: Six-time winner, the last coming in 2005. Leads all active drivers with 12 restrictor-plate wins.
6 Jimmie Johnson 12/1 20th 8th 27th 1st
Notes: 2006 Daytona 500 winner with 16.6 average finish in 19 starts; using Talladega chassis.
7 Jeff Burton 25/1 8th 12th 36th 16th
Notes: 2000 winner, finished fifth in the race last year; using winning Gatorade Duel car this week.
8 Carl Edwards 12/1 21st 14th 2nd 6th
Notes: 2011 Daytona 500 runner-up, tied best finish from 2008; using Talladega chassis this week.
9 Greg Biffle 30/1 22nd 17th 35th 7th
Notes: 2003 winner with three other top-five finishes; using Talladega chassis that pushed Edwards.
10 Mark Martin 30/1 6th 1st 10th 8th
Notes: No wins in 52 career starts with nine top-five finishes; tandem racing with Gordon like at Talladega.
* Results from the February 20, 2011 and April 17, 2011 races at Daytona and Talladega, the only two restrictor plate races of the season thus far.
Driver Handicaps: Daytona
By: Jeff Wackerlin
To help you make your fantasy racing picks for the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway, Motor Racing Network brings you our weekly detailed look at some of the field for the 160-lap event.
Who's HOT at Daytona
• Three-time July winner Tony Stewart leads all drivers with 640 laps led.
• Kurt Busch has the best average finish (8.0) in the seven races with the COT.
• Jeff Gordon leads all drivers with six wins.
• 2008 July winner Kyle Busch has led the most laps (235) in the seven races with the COT.
• Carl Edwards has finished sixth or better in the last four Coke Zero 400s.
• Kevin Harvick is the defending race winner.
• Clint Bowyer leads all drivers with multiple starts in average finish (13.2).
• Trevor Bayne won the Daytona 500 in his first start.
• Two-time winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. has finished in the top five in two of his last three starts.
Keep an Eye on at Daytona
• Jimmie Johnson will return in the same car that he won with at Talladega Superspeedway in April.
• Denny Hamlin has combined to lead 75 laps in his last four starts at Daytona.
• Ryan Newman has combined to lead 43 laps in the four restrictor-plate races this season.
• Paul Menard is coming off his first top 10 at Daytona.
• Jeff Burton will return in the same car that he won his Gatorade Duel with.
• Along with Kevin Harvick, Jamie McMurray is the only multiple winner in the last 10 races on restrictor-plate tracks.
• David Gilliland (6.0) and Mark Mark Martin (9.0) have finishing averages of 10.0 or better in the two restrictor-plate races this season.
• AJ Allmendinger will return in the same car that he posted a 11.0 average finish with in both restrictor-plate races this season.
• Juan Pablo Montoya has finished in the top 10 in his last three of his last four starts at Daytona.
MotorRacingNetwork.com Staff Picks
Jeff Wackerlin: Kurt Busch
Pete Pistone: Carl Edwards
Craig Moore: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Steve Blevins: Kevin Harvick
John Singler: Paul Menard
Ricky Hamber: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Top 20 Driver Notes - Ordered by current standings
(All stats/notes are in regards to Daytona unless noted)
1. Carl Edwards: Coming off fourth consecutive finish of ninth or better; Second-place finish in Daytona 500 was second runner-up finish in 13 starts; Second-best average finish (8.6) among all drivers that have competed in all seven races with the COT; Best average finish (7.8) among all drivers that have competed in the last four races on restrictor-plate tracks (Daytona and Talladega); Will return in the same car (chassis No. 677) that he finished sixth with at Talladega Superspeedway.
2. Kevin Harvick: Defending event winner; Victory was second in 20 starts; Engine failure in the Daytona 500 dropped overall average finish to 15.8; Tied for the fourth-best average finish (14.9) among all drivers that have competed in all seven races with the COT; Fourth-best average finish (12.5) among all drivers that have competed in the last four races on restrictor-plate tracks (Daytona and Talladega); Will return in the same car (chassis No. 343) that he last finished fifth with at Talladega Superspeedway in April.
3. Jimmie Johnson: Winner of the 2006 Daytona 500; Last of nine top-10s (second) came in this event in 2009; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 628) that he last went to Victory Lane with at Talladega Superspeedway in April.
4. Kurt Busch: Coming off 12th top 10 in 21 starts; Has finished in the top 10 in seven of the last eight races; Best average finish (8.0) among all drivers that have competed in all seven races with the COT; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 632) that he won his Gatorade Duel and finished fifth in the Daytona 500 with.
5. Kyle Busch: Winner of this event in 2008; Coming off fifth top 10 in 13 starts; Has led the most laps (235) among all drivers that have competed in all seven races with the COT; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 296) in the Coke Zero 400.
6. Matt Kenseth: Winner of the 2009 Daytona 500; Has finished eighth or better in four of his last six starts; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 779) in the Coke Zero 400.
7. Dale Earnhardt Jr: Last of two wins came in the 2004 Daytona 500; 16.1 average finish in seven starts with Hendrick Motorsports; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 629) that he piloted to a fourth-place finish at Talladega Superspeedway in April.
8. Clint Bowyer: Best average finish (13.2) among drivers with multiple starts; Finished 17th in last two starts; Tied for the Fourth-best average finish (14.9) among all drivers that have competed in all seven races with the COT; Second-best average finish (9.2) among all drivers that have competed in the last four races on restrictor-plate tracks (Daytona and Talladega); Will return in the same car (chassis No. 294) that he last finished second with at Talladega Superspeedway in April.
9. Jeff Gordon: Last of six wins came in the 2005 Daytona 500; Third-place finish in this event last year was 18th top 10 in 37 starts; Third-best average finish (10.5) among all drivers that have competed in the last four races on restrictor-plate tracks (Daytona and Talladega).
10. Ryan Newman: Has yet to finish inside the top 20 since winning the 2008 Daytona 500; Led 37 laps and finished 22nd in this year's Daytona 500; Will debut a new wind tunnel tested car (chassis No. 664) in the Coke Zero 400.
11. Denny Hamlin: Worst track on the schedule based on 22.9 average finish; Has combined to lead 75 laps in last four starts; Only top 10 (third) in 11 starts came in this event in 2009.
12. Tony Stewart: Three-time winner of the July race; 2009 win was last of 12 top-10s in 25 starts; Third-best average finish (13.1) among all drivers that have competed in all seven races with the COT.
13. Greg Biffle: Winner of the 2003 July race; Last of four top-10s (third) came in the 2010 Daytona 500; Will return in the same car that he finished seventh with at Talladega Superspeedway in April.
14. Mark Martin: Coming off 18th top 10 in 52 starts; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 632) that he posted a 9.0 average finish with in both restrictor-plate races this season.
15. AJ Allmendinger: Led four laps and finished 11th in this year's Daytona 500; 23.5 average finish in six starts; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 722) that he posted a 11.0 average finish with in both restrictor-plate races this season.
16. Juan Pablo Montoya: Coming off third top 10 (sixth) in nine starts; Has combined to lead 18 laps in last three starts; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 902) that he last finished third with in both races at Talladega Superspeedway races in 2010.
17. Paul Menard: Scored first top 10 in eight starts with a ninth-place finish in this year's Daytona 500; 19.9 average finish; Fifth-best average finish (13.0) among all drivers that have competed in the last four races on restrictor-plate tracks (Daytona and Talladega); Will return in the same car (chassis No. 338) that he last finished 12th with at Talladega Superspeedway in April.
18. Martin Truex Jr: 20.0 average finish in three starts with Michael Waltrip Racing; Sixth-place finish in the 2010 Daytona 500 is only top 10 in 12 starts; Combined to lead 23 laps in the two restrictor-plate races this season.
19. Kasey Kahne: Finished 25th in his first track start with Team Red Bull in February; Best finish (second) came in this event last year with Richard Petty Motorsports; 18.1 average finish in 15 starts.
20. David Ragan: Led seven laps and finished 14th in this year's Daytona 500; Three top-10s and a 16.8 average finish in nine starts; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 691) that he last finished 20th with in his Gatorade Duel.