Week 17 -- Daytona
We're under the lights tonight for one of the best (in my personal opinion) gNA$hCAR races of the season -- the Pepsi 400. One of the best because everyone loves night racing, everyone loves the wide-open high speed thrills of the restrictor tracks, and at 400 miles it is one of the shortest races of the year.
Now, for who's going to win? How about who's NOT going to win. Answer: Anyone not involved with Roush, Hendrick or Gibbs. Those are the three teams that have been dominant lately, with Gibbs the late entry in the persona of Tony Stewart, who won last week, finished second the week before and sits on the pole today.
GLENN'S TEN:
* Tony Stewart (winner) -- I think this might finally be Tony's day... er, night... at Daytona. He wants to win a restrictor race very badly, and since the Busch victory at Daytona back in February he's looked stout in practice and qualifying. He got hung out to dry in the Daytona 500, but if he has any of his teammates around to help him at the end he'll be able to pull this one off.
REST OF THE TOP 10 (in no particular order):
* Greg Biffle -- New points leader and former Pepsi 400 winner will back it up with a good finish.
* Jeff Gordon -- Hendrick cars didn't look all that dominant in qualifying, but don't be misled. Gordon is the defending winner here and has dominated the plate tracks for the past two seasons. He has every incentive to do well, given his recent slump. He's just a few points outside the 400-point threshold for making the Chase.
* Jimmie Johnson -- Best Hendrick qualifier at third. May be a dark horse to win.
* Michael Waltrip -- Mikey always runs well here. But will he get help from the #8, which doesn't look strong today?
* Kurt Busch -- Always finds a way at the plate tracks. Just wonder if he'll be in position to make the winning move for a change rather than pushing someone else across the line.
* Joe Nemechek -- I'll chance it and pick him. He has a strong engine program, and that's a large part of what you need to run well here. Historically he's been a top 10 finisher.
* Mark Martin -- Last call for this track. He'll go out well.
* Elliott Sadler -- I keep underestimating Elliott. Not today.
* Dale Jarrett -- If Elliott can do it, so can his teammate. DJ has won this race before and seems to be turning up the heat ever so slightly.
ALSO WATCHING: Scott Riggs (#10 always fast here, but seems to be fraught with bad luck)... Kevin Harvick (Starts near the front, but he'll find a way to screw it up)... Rusty Wallace (No plate track wins, and that record will stand)... Brian Vickers (If he avoids the Big One he might sneak in.)
SENTIMENTAL FAVORITES: Boris Said (Starts an awesome 4th, but won't last there too long)... Ryan Newman (Just doesn't qualify well here (27th), but he might finish well if he catches some breaks. I'm predicting he won't. 8-( )
