NASCAR season finally begins tomorrow with the 55th running of the Daytona 500. Danica Patrick will start on pole position, with Jeff Gordon starting in second position. Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch won the Duel races on Thursday and fill row two. Defending Cup champion Brad Keselowski will start fifteenth and defending Daytona 500 winner, Matt Kenseth will start twelfth. Here are some story lines to look forward to tomorrow.
Can Ford Three-Peat?
Chevrolet is the only manufacture to ever win three Daytona 500s in a row. With Matt Kenseth's win last year Ford went back-to-back in the Daytona 500 for the first time ever and now they look to add a third. With the addition of Penske Racing, Ford powers 15 of the 43 cars in tomorrow's race, with Greg Biffle being the highest starting Ford in fifth. However, since 2007, the winner in an odd number year has come from 30th or worse. Six Fords start worse than 30th (Scott Speed, Josh Wise, Trevor Bayne, Carl Edwards, Terry Labonte and Michael McDowell).
Can Toyota Break Through?
Since entering the Cup series in 2007, Toyota has amassed 49 victories in the Cup Series but has yet to win the Daytona 500. The Japanese manufacture came close in 2008 when Joe Gibbs Racing started running Toyota power but has not be able to break through. Kyle Busch is the best starting Toyota in fourth with Clint Boywer starting tenth. Eleven Toyotas will be in the field tomorrow.
Who Will Surprise Us?
What do Scott Wimmer, Scott Riggs, Kevin Lepage, Ken Schrader, Mike Wallace, Reed Sorenson, AJ Allmendinger, David Reutimann, David Gilliland, Bobby Labonte and Paul Menard all have in common? Each have at least one top-ten finish in the one of the last ten Daytona 500s and eight of those drivers have a top-five in the Daytona 500.
Each year, somebody surprises us with a great run and some surprise us with a win (see Trevor Bayne). In the 2011 race three of the top four finishers started 30th or worse (Bayne- 32nd, Gilliland- 39th, Labonte 31st). Who could sneak up and surprise us? Regan Smith starts 38th for Phoenix Racing. Aric Almirola is unsuspecting in 26th. And how about Casey Mears who quietly starts in 17th.
Prediction
Tony Stewart for the win. Danica Patrick gets a top-15. Six cars will be out of the race by lap 30. The highest finishing Ford will not be a Roush or a Penske. Sleeper: Kurt Busch.
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