Get the BEST NASCAR coverage starting with the Daytona 500 from the back-to-back FSWA NASCAR Writer of the Year!

Are we all recovered from the Clash last weekend and that crash fest that it turned into? Well, don’t get too comfortable as we’ve got the Daytona 500 this Sunday to kick off the start of the regular season for the Cup series. It might not be quite as big a crash fest as the Clash typically is, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be crash-free either.

Daytona International Speedway is a 2.5-mile long Tri-Oval track that has some of the steepest banking all the way around of any track on the Cup schedule with the turns banked at 31 degrees and the frontstretch or the Tri-Oval as it’s known is tilted at 18 degrees as well. The steepness of the banking leads to incredibly fast speeds being run here with speeds reaching 204 mph in the middle of the pack during the Clash entering into Turn 1. That’s remarkably fast but now consider you have 39 of your closest competitors in a two-by-two pack 20 rows deep going around the track door-to-door and bumper-to-bumper without a blink of eye’s worth of time to correct a mistake. That’s how intense this racing is.

The reason this track, and Talladega, are known as Plate tracks is because up until last year, there were restrictor plates in the engines to reduce the horsepower and speeds the cars were pumping out to make them theoretically safer, though the consequence of that is that it has created pack racing as alluded to above and that means that wrecks are more prevalent with a near 26-percent DNF rate across the fields in the last eight Daytona 500s.

There will be a bit of a new look this year to the Track Breakdowns as the Last Four race tables have been broken down by tiers based on salary as well as the Momentum tables (when we get to that in the sixth race of the year). There will also be some new stats presented in the Last Four tables as well as the Last Eight Races as well and for a breakdown of what those stats show, check out the updated Track Data Legend for a full description of every stat in all of the tables.

With that in mind, let’s breakdown how the drivers have done for this week’s race.

Drivers To Watch

Last Four Daytona 500s

Tier 1

  Avg.Run.Avg.Pos. TopTopTopTop
Driver#StartPos.FinishDiff.W5101520
Joey Logano47.311.352.302444
Denny Hamlin46.812.85.51.323334
Brad Keselowski424.516.422.81.700011
Chase Elliott462025.3-19.300012
Kyle Busch41716.117002222
Kevin Harvick45.813.720.8-1501111
Martin Truex Jr424.514.8177.501123

  LapsLaps LedFastestFast LapsTop-15QPAvg.Laps.LC
Driver#Led/RaceLaps/RaceRate/RaceRatingComp/Race
Joey Logano4307.5194.876.0%206.597.1814.0203.5
Denny Hamlin414736.8164.063.4%129.596.8813.0203.3
Brad Keselowski430.8102.553.7%177.563.6652.0163.0
Chase Elliott44611.5215.349.5%142.371.9661.0165.3
Kyle Busch47418.5112.857.4%108.883.7710.0177.5
Kevin Harvick45012.5102.562.9%206.593.0696.0174.0
Martin Truex Jr482.0215.357.4%118.093.4795.0198.8

Tier 2

  Avg.Run.Avg.Pos. TopTopTopTop
Driver#StartPos.FinishDiff.W5101520
Ryan Blaney41510.114.80.201223
Kurt Busch49.816.115.5-5.711122
Alex Bowman21.59.414-12.500012
Ricky Stenhouse Jr41418.523.8-9.800011
Clint Bowyer413.320.325-11.700001
Aric Almirola42314.814.88.201133
William Byron21713.922-500000
Jimmie Johnson425.519.924.31.200112
Erik Jones323.324.326-2.701111

  LapsLaps LedFastestFast LapsTop-15QPAvg.Laps.LC
Driver#Led/RaceLaps/RaceRate/RaceRatingComp/Race
Ryan Blaney413333.3215.379.7%206.3100.0797.0199.3
Kurt Busch4174.3205.060.8%188.088.0794.0198.5
Alex Bowman2136.5126.039.3%152.084.7412.0206.0
Ricky Stenhouse Jr4276.8102.540.7%128.078.4737.0184.3
Clint Bowyer400.0160.033.8%114.847.9732.0183.0
Aric Almirola430.8194.858.2%151.884.8796.0199.0
William Byron24422.0105.025.7%109.587.5401.0200.5
Jimmie Johnson4256.3153.847.4%156.573.1593.0148.3
Erik Jones3113.7165.324.8%93.773.5369.0123.0

Tier 3

  Avg.Run.Avg.Pos. TopTopTopTop
Driver#StartPos.FinishDiff.W5101520
Kyle Larson423.514.711.312.200234
Matt DiBenedetto422.520.926-3.500111
Ryan Newman42119.213.57.500133
Austin Dillon416.317.511.3511224
Chris Buescher422.525.329-6.501111
Ross Chastain13630.7102600011
Christopher Bell0000000000
Cole Custer0000000000
Tyler Reddick13923.4271200000
Bubba Wallace21021.720-1001111
Daniel Suarez319.72533-13.300000
Michael McDowell429.318.61118.301224
Ryan Preece1212181300111

  LapsLaps LedFastestFast LapsTop-15QPAvg.Laps.LC
Driver#Led/RaceLaps/RaceRate/RaceRatingComp/Race
Kyle Larson4164.0215.352.9%173.085.9811.0202.8
Matt DiBenedetto44912.3174.334.9%73.577.2679.0169.8
Ryan Newman410.3246.039.9%86.069.2812.0203.0
Austin Dillon492.3205.041.5%98.871.8811.0202.8
Chris Buescher400.0102.522.0%48.555.8615.0153.8
Ross Chastain100.044.02.6%7.049.1207.0207.0
Christopher Bell0000000000
Cole Custer0000000000
Tyler Reddick100.033.03.4%60.061.9191.0191.0
Bubba Wallace200.052.524.1%133.077.5376.0188.0
Daniel Suarez300.041.322.1%108.058.6390.0130.0
Michael McDowell420.5287.038.2%112.373.9814.0203.5
Ryan Preece100.044.06.5%50.062.3207.0207.0

Tier 4

  Avg.Run.Avg.Pos. TopTopTopTop
Driver#StartPos.FinishDiff.W5101520
Brendan Gaughan331.322.320.710.600011
Ty Dillon418.824.125-6.200111
Corey Lajoie331.735.327.34.400001
David Ragan42225.128.5-5.500000
John H. Nemechek0000000000
Justin Haley0000000000
JJ Yeley0000000000
BJ McLeod13833.6191900001
Quin Houff0000000000
Brennan Poole0000000000
Reed Sorenson0000000000

  LapsLaps LedFastestFast LapsTop-15QPAvg.Laps.LC
Driver#Led/RaceLaps/RaceRate/RaceRatingComp/Race
Brendan Gaughan300.0113.717.8%45.056.5595.0198.3
Ty Dillon400.0160.019.2%64.356.7606.0151.5
Corey Lajoie300.031.00.3%1.732.2401.0133.7
David Ragan410.0162.514.8%73.562.2685.0171.3
John H. Nemechek0000000000
Justin Haley0000000000
JJ Yeley0000000000
BJ McLeod100.000.00.7%4.037.0200.0200.0
Quin Houff0000000000
Brennan Poole0000000000
Reed Sorenson0000000000

Top-20 Drivers Over Last Eight Races at Daytona

  Avg.Run.Avg.Pos. TopTopTopTop
Driver#StartPos.FinishDiff.W5101520
Denny Hamlin89.61515.9-6.323335
Erik Jones622.221.218.53.712333
Ricky Stenhouse Jr811.415.217.8-6.412234
Austin Dillon815.11716.3-1.211446
Kurt Busch811.917.320-8.111133
Brad Keselowski81416.124.8-10.811122
Justin Haley13430.513311111
Joey Logano87.413.815.4-803555
Kyle Busch81315.917.1-4.103344
Ryan Newman819.320.211.3802467
  Avg.Run.Avg.Pos. TopTopTopTop
Driver#StartPos.FinishDiff.W5101520
Michael McDowell826.617.312.114.502357
Martin Truex Jr819.516.919.40.102234
Chris Buescher823.923.123.50.402234
Ty Dillon721.619.9183.601334
Aric Almirola720.417.115.4501245
Jimmie Johnson817.517.121.3-3.801234
Ryan Blaney812.91321.9-901234
Clint Bowyer8151820.9-5.901223
Bubba Wallace520.419.216.83.601124
William Byron41615.819.5-3.501111
  LapsLaps LedLapsLCAvg.
Driver#Led/RaceComp/RaceRating
Denny Hamlin817521.91309163.683.9
Erik Jones6213.5825137.575.2
Ricky Stenhouse Jr89712.11353169.187
Austin Dillon8556.91328166.076.3
Kurt Busch8253.11288161.078.7
Brad Keselowski816220.31064133.083.7
Justin Haley111.0127127.063.5
Joey Logano8769.51224153.089.9
Kyle Busch89411.81225153.182.8
Ryan Newman820.31431178.968.2
  LapsLaps LedLapsLCAvg.
Driver#Led/RaceComp/RaceRating
Michael McDowell8202.51420177.575.9
Martin Truex Jr8293.61289161.175.9
Chris Buescher810.11162145.363.1
Ty Dillon7101.41064152.070.3
Aric Almirola730.41239177.076.1
Jimmie Johnson8394.91134141.881.8
Ryan Blaney814317.91283160.492.2
Clint Bowyer8101.31336167.070.8
Bubba Wallace500.0833166.675.7
William Byron45614.0592148.083.1

Top-20 Drivers Over Last 16 Restrictor Plate Races (Talladega and Daytona)

  Avg.Run.Avg.Pos. TopTopTopTop
Driver#StartPos.FinishDiff.W5101520
Brad Keselowski1610.513.121.4-10.933466
Joey Logano169.911.212.9-3.028101111
Denny Hamlin1612.315.314.7-2.4267911
Ricky Stenhouse Jr168.814.414.5-5.7267810
Aric Almirola1519.415.811.57.91591112
Kurt Busch1611.31415.8-4.513699
Chase Elliott165.914.820.6-14.713468
Austin Dillon1614.617.817.4-2.8127811
Ryan Blaney1613.812.119.7-5.9124610
Erik Jones1219.121.223.3-4.212445
  Avg.Run.Avg.Pos. TopTopTopTop
Driver#StartPos.FinishDiff.W5101520
Justin Haley23626.116.519.511111
Kyle Busch1614.814.616.7-1.905589
Ryan Newman1619.62212.67.00481112
Michael McDowell1624.920.419.75.203469
Clint Bowyer1614.718.820.4-5.702457
Kevin Harvick1610.915.922.2-11.302336
Chris Buescher1626.122.622.63.502247
Martin Truex Jr1615.918.422.6-6.702245
Jimmie Johnson1615.417.521.1-5.701467
Ty Dillon1322.819.215.96.9013610
  LapsLaps LedLapsLCAvg.
Driver#Led/RaceComp/RaceRating
Brad Keselowski1641025.62503156.490.8
Joey Logano1631919.92709169.398.3
Denny Hamlin1625015.62699168.783.3
Ricky Stenhouse Jr1617510.92851178.288.1
Aric Almirola15352.32747183.180.5
Kurt Busch161579.82780173.887.7
Chase Elliott1619011.92594162.183
Austin Dillon16573.62781173.874.7
Ryan Blaney1621813.62757172.392.9
Erik Jones12262.21633136.171.1
  LapsLaps LedLapsLCAvg.
Driver#Led/RaceComp/RaceRating
Justin Haley210.5307153.566
Kyle Busch1617210.82724170.386.2
Ryan Newman16110.72931183.266.8
Michael McDowell16201.32657166.167.6
Clint Bowyer16332.12788174.371.3
Kevin Harvick1616010.02503156.483.3
Chris Buescher1630.22571160.761.6
Martin Truex Jr16422.62604162.874.1
Jimmie Johnson16442.82535158.479.8
Ty Dillon13201.52200169.271.9

Finishes By Starting Spot Ranges

This table is new for the 2020 season, it shows how many wins, top-fives, top-10s, and top-15s, have come from starting spot ranges in groups of five (i.e. 1-5, 6-10) over the last four of this week’s specific race.

Start TopTopTop
RangeW51015
1-504610
6-102567
11-152378
16-200036
21-250168
26-300267
31-350336
36-400238
Total4204060

Scoring Averages Over Last Five Daytona 500s

DraftKings

Driver20182017201620152014Last 2 AvgLast 5 AvgDK Seas. Avg.
Joey Logano44.2544.2555.53860.7544.2548.5546.01
Denny Hamlin63.549.514.582.2579.556.5057.8549.37
Brad Keselowski57.512-1.529.754.534.7520.4540.89
Chase Elliott31-15.530.25-25.75 7.755.0035.96
Kyle Busch82.258.5-647.25 45.3833.0061.74
Kevin Harvick-4-121947.553.5-8.0020.8050.73
Martin Truex Jr-1335.557.570.538.7511.2537.8558.36
Ryan Blaney-0.75658215.5-2132.1328.1537.22
Kurt Busch7.512.555.7532.5 10.0027.0636.37
Alex Bowman2816.25   22.1322.1333.96
Driver20182017201620152014Last 2 AvgLast 5 AvgDK Seas. Avg.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr28-0.75620.52213.6315.1521.86
Clint Bowyer1125.5-12.5134118.2515.6029.33
Aric Almirola-11.562.255356.54925.3841.8529.41
William Byron16.533.5   25.0025.0030.72
Jimmie Johnson463.55.254346.7524.7528.9026.62
Kyle Larson60.54741.545.57.553.7540.4037.98
Erik Jones71-16.252  27.3818.9232.18
Matt DiBenedetto13.252853.5-16 20.6319.6931.51
Ryan Newman39.5451762.75-6.542.2531.5535.61
Austin Dillon33.564.7519.7548.254849.1342.8524.74
Driver20182017201620152014Last 2 AvgLast 5 AvgDK Seas. Avg.
Brendan Gaughan291563.5  22.0035.8336.7
Chris Buescher-145712.5-16.5 21.509.7530.28
Ross Chastain62    62.0062.0022.33
Christopher Bell       0
Cole Custer       0
Tyler Reddick30.5    30.5030.5035.33
Bubba Wallace-1949.5   15.2515.2522.74
Daniel Suarez2-125  -5.00-1.6729.67
Michael McDowell715337.5587.562.0045.4017.76
Ty Dillon59-10.53.572124.2516.0028.43
Driver20182017201620152014Last 2 AvgLast 5 AvgDK Seas. Avg.
Corey LaJoie40.5-428  18.2521.5022.97
Ryan Preece51    51.0051.0023.52
David Ragan10.52.51417.2538.56.5016.5515.22
John H. Nemechek       26.17
Justin Haley       35.42
JJ Yeley    -9.75 -9.7521.2
BJ McLeod44    44.0044.0015.82
Quin Houff       13.86
Brennan Poole       0
Reed Sorenson    -5 -5.0014.56
Chad Finchum       0
Joey Gase  27.5   27.5014.27
Timmy Hill       13.67

FanDuel

Driver20182017201620152014Last 2 AvgLast 5 AvgFD Seas. Avg.
Joey Logano58.858.561.154.568.458.6560.2642.50
Denny Hamlin71.260.437.477.576.765.8064.6450.90
Brad Keselowski61.218.718.543.61639.9531.6026.40
Chase Elliott44.5444.42.3 24.2523.8044.90
Kyle Busch78.929.56.660.4 54.2043.8525.00
Kevin Harvick22.9835.259.564.815.4538.0834.20
Martin Truex Jr1346.959.273.254.429.9549.3426.40
Ryan Blaney21.864.577.236643.1541.1043.80
Kurt Busch29.128.966.650 29.0043.6539.20
Alex Bowman46.237.8   42.0042.0030.10
Driver20182017201620152014Last 2 AvgLast 5 AvgFD Seas. Avg.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr46.322.819.337.533.834.5531.9444.76
Clint Bowyer33.944.18.826.955.339.0033.8048.30
Aric Almirola1663.761.76055.339.8551.3436.20
William Byron34.243.3   38.7538.7531.30
Jimmie Johnson56.77.415.451.858.732.0538.0040.20
Kyle Larson64.251.952.657.524.758.0550.1846.00
Erik Jones71.2-29.8  34.6026.3357.40
Matt DiBenedetto27.438.3600.1 32.8531.4551.34
Ryan Newman50.256.236.363.613.453.2043.9443.50
Austin Dillon47.570.338.158.155.358.9053.8655.90
Driver20182017201620152014Last 2 AvgLast 5 AvgFD Seas. Avg.
Brendan Gaughan41.231.364  36.2545.5042.76
Chris Buescher1264.719.70.1 38.3524.1351.58
Ross Chastain64.7    64.7064.7041.23
Christopher Bell       0.00
Cole Custer       0.00
Tyler Reddick39.1    39.1039.1045.40
Bubba Wallace7.463.2   35.3035.3044.53
Daniel Suarez22-0.121.1  10.9514.3350.78
Michael McDowell71.459.249.55826.365.3052.8840.59
Ty Dillon63.7-0.11929.534.831.8029.3849.99
Driver20182017201620152014Last 2 AvgLast 5 AvgFD Seas. Avg.
Corey LaJoie50-2.239.8  23.9029.2043.08
Ryan Preece60.2    60.2060.2045.90
David Ragan2714.232.332.149.820.6031.0839.36
John H. Nemechek       49.80
Justin Haley       39.20
JJ Yeley    9.7 9.7042.11
BJ McLeod51.5    51.5051.5034.28
Quin Houff       35.30
Brennan Poole       0.00
Reed Sorenson    20.3 20.3033.20
Chad Finchum       0.00
Joey Gase  40.6   40.6028.05
Timmy Hill       28.77

Weekly Rankings

The Race History, Daytona History, and Track Type History columns are ranked on average finish over those spans and the DK and FD average columns are ranked from highest to lowest scoring averages over those spans. Best=1 and Worst =40.

DriverDK$FD $Race HistoryDK Avg L2FD Avg L2DK Avg L5FD Avg L5Daytona HistoryTrack Type History
Joey Logano$10,500$14,0001864363
Denny Hamlin$10,400$13,0002312285
Brad Keselowski$10,200$13,50020111322243023
Chase Elliott$10,000$12,20025292831313419
Kyle Busch$9,800$14,000137812131310
Kevin Harvick$9,700$12,50018323121193125
Martin Truex Jr$9,500$11,00013272610101726
Ryan Blaney$9,300$11,00010121116162615
Kurt Busch$9,100$10,0001228271714197
Alex Bowman$8,900$10,300919121915414
DriverDK$FD $Race HistoryDK Avg L2FD Avg L2DK Avg L5FD Avg L5Daytona HistoryTrack Type History
Ricky Stenhouse Jr$8,800$8,2002126222923144
Clint Bowyer$8,600$9,00023231627222318
Aric Almirola$8,500$8,7001015148861
William Byron$8,300$8,50019161718181826
Jimmie Johnson$8,200$8,50022172415202421
Kyle Larson$8,000$8,00064799913
Erik Jones$7,900$9,50026142124291630
Matt DiBenedetto$7,800$8,30026222323252232
Ryan Newman$7,600$7,0008109131222
Austin Dillon$7,400$7,500665751011
DriverDK$FD $Race HistoryDK Avg L2FD Avg L2DK Avg L5FD Avg L5Daytona HistoryTrack Type History
Brendan Gaughan$7,200$2,50017201911111112
Chris Buescher$7,100$7,30031211830302726
Ross Chastain$6,900$6,000413112121
Christopher Bell$6,700$6,80040404040404040
Cole Custer$6,600$6,50040404040404040
Tyler Reddick$6,400$5,50028131514173334
Bubba Wallace$6,300$6,00016252028211217
Daniel Suarez$6,100$6,00032313232333533
Michael McDowell$5,900$5,00051256315
Ty Dillon$5,700$4,0002318252627158
DriverDK$FD $Race HistoryDK Avg L2FD Avg L2DK Avg L5FD Avg L5Daytona HistoryTrack Type History
Corey LaJoie$5,500$4,00029232920282520
Ryan Preece$5,300$5,50035434196
David Ragan$5,200$4,00030303025262929
John H. Nemechek$5,100$4,50040404040404040
Justin Haley$5,000$4,500404040404019
JJ Yeley$4,900$3,0004040403434524
BJ McLeod$4,800$2,50015910672731
Quin Houff$4,700$3,00040404040403636
Brennan Poole$4,600$2,00040404040404040
Reed Sorenson$4,500$2,00040404033323235
Chad Finchum$4,500$2,00040404040404040
Joey Gase$4,500$2,00040404040404040
Timmy Hill$4,500$2,00040404040404040

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