The Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway is scheduled to start at 7:45 pm E.T. on NBC. This will be the second time in 2016 the NASCAR field will turn laps at this historic venue. It’s unlikely that pole position winner Greg Biffle will start out front from his qualifying efforts on Friday. This was Biffle’s first Coors Light Pole Position Award since midway through the 2012 campaign. Last year’s event was won by pole sitter Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Dale Earnhardt Jr.:
With over 60 restrictor plate races at Daytona International Speedway he has netted 10 wins and well over 20 top five’s. NASCAR’s fan favorite also has also led a whopping 1553 laps around this 2.5 mile paved oval. Dale Jr. leads all active drivers in that category.
The #88 Nationwide Hendrick Motorsports team has taken the checkered flag twice in the last five races and has four total victories here. Las Vegas is aware of his success and odds-setters have Dale Earnhardt Jr. at the top of their boards. The experienced plate track speedster is slated at 9/2 to take his fifth career victory at Daytona in the Coke Zero 400.
Jimmie Johnson:
Jimmie Johnson is no stranger to the winners circle at Daytona International Speedway. The six-time Sprint Cup Champion won both races here in 2013. He became the first driver to accomplish that goal since Hall of Fame inductee, Bobby Allison did it in 1982.
Recently, the #48 Lowe’s team has worked together to gather top five finishes in both contests in 2015. Johnson finished 16th in the Daytona 500 to kick-off the 2016 season. Line setters fully expect another strong run this week and has him pegged a little behind his teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. He is a 8/1 favorite to win the Coke Zero 400 on Saturday.
“We have had strong cars at super speedways this year,” Johnson said. “The Coke Zero 400 should be a good race to watch. If the race gets off to a slow start, you can probably bank on a wild finish. We have a special Lowe’s Chevrolet this weekend with the patriotic colors on it – would be nice to win this one to honor all the veterans.”
Denny Hamlin:
Denny Hamlin was the last racer on the circuit to take the checkered flag at Daytona International Speedway. He barely edged out teammate Martin Truex Jr. to post the biggest win in NASCAR’s biggest race of the year. The car that Hamlin was driving will not be running in this go around. the winner of the Daytona 500 has their car on display for all the fans to see for the remainder of the year.
The Joe Gibbs Racing veteran will field another car that also powered him to victory at this track. Hamlin will be buckling up in the machine that he won the Sprint-Unlimited race back in the spring race before the Daytona 500.
Joey Logano:
Joey Logano has driven his #22 Pennzoil Ford Fusion to two restrictor plate wins in last years campaign. He really showed some mettle in the second race at Talladega. It was rumored that many top veteran drivers were said to be targeting him for spinning Matt Kenseth the previous week. Logano didn’t let phase him as he took the checkered flag to win his second consecutive chase event.
I personally was present for his win at Talladega in the fall of 2015 and can attest to the ire the racing community felt about the aggressive driver. He also finished sixth in the Daytona 500 to kick off the 2016 season. Logano’s teammate Brad Keselowski, won at Talladega Super Speedway in the fall of 2015. Obviously, Team Penske is getting dialed in on the restrictor plate races. Las Vegas gives Logano a 10/1 chance to drive off to victory.
Kevin Harvick:
The #4 Jimmy Johns Freaky Fast Chevrolet driver is a two-time winner at Daytona International Speedway. Kevin Harvick’s last run to glory came in 2010. Last season the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion was runner-up in February for the Daytona 500. He turned in another impressive performance here in 2015, finishing fourth on the fourth in July.
Harvick backed that up with another fourth place finish in this years Daytona 500. Furthermore, he has a lot of “friends” in the plate races and doesn’t have trouble finding fellow racers to follow his lead in the draft. This is why Harvick might be an attractive wager to put on the board. The odds gurus say he has a 10/1 chance to do just that and take the checkered flag in the Coke Zero 400.
Erik the Huns Fantasy Picks for the Coke Zero 400:
A: Jimmie Johnson
B: Denny Hamlin Dale Jr. Matt Kenseth
C: Michael Annett
Staring Grid for the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway:
1. (16) Greg Biffle, Ford, 192.955 mph.
2. (19) Carl Edwards, Toyota, 192.748.
3. (18) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 192.336.
4. (17) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ford, 192.320.
5. (2) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 192.254.
6. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 192.254.
7. (20) Matt Kenseth, Toyota, 192.234.
8. (48) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 192.160.
9. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 191.975.
10. (41) Kurt Busch, Chevrolet, 191.865.
11. (22) Joey Logano, Ford, 191.400.
12. (21) Ryan Blaney ‥, Ford, 191.253.
13. (6) Trevor Bayne, Ford, 191.192.
14. (43) Aric Almirola, Ford, 191.115.
15. (78) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, 191.103.
16. (88) Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, 191.071.
17. (42) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 190.933.
18. (5) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 190.783.
19. (14) Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, 190.670.
20. (13) Casey Mears, Chevrolet, 190.476.
21. (4) Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 190.444.
22. (10) Danica Patrick, Chevrolet, 190.440.
23. (31) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 190.375.
24. (24) Chase Elliott ‥, Chevrolet, 190.359.
25. (34) Chris Buescher ‥, Ford, 190.275.
26. (47) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 189.877.
27. (27) Paul Menard, Chevrolet, 189.693.
28. (35) David Gilliland, Ford, 189.470.
29. (1) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, 189.211.
30. (44) Brian Scott ‥, Ford, 188.964.
31. (15) Clint Bowyer, Chevrolet, 188.727.
32. (32) Bobby Labonte, Ford, 188.391.
33. (46) Michael Annett, Chevrolet, 188.344.
34. (38) Landon Cassill, Ford, 188.249.
35. (98) Cole Whitt, Toyota, 187.629.
36. (83) Matt DiBenedetto, Toyota, 187.563.
37. (95) Michael McDowell, Chevrolet, 187.480.
38. (23) David Ragan, Toyota, 187.426.
39. (55) Reed Sorenson, Toyota, 187.025.
40. (7) Regan Smith, Chevrolet, 0.000.
