{"id":27114,"date":"2019-07-04T14:20:18","date_gmt":"2019-07-04T19:20:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/?p=27114"},"modified":"2019-07-05T15:04:47","modified_gmt":"2019-07-05T20:04:47","slug":"nascar-weekend-preview-daytona-international-speedway","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/2019\/07\/04\/nascar-weekend-preview-daytona-international-speedway\/","title":{"rendered":"NASCAR Weekend Preview: Daytona International Speedway"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service<\/em><\/p>\n

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. \u2013 The intensity and gamesmanship is increasing weekly with nine races remaining to set the 16-driver Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoff field and Saturday night\u2019s Coke Zero Sugar 400 (7:30 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) has typically provided a dramatic summer twist in this title hunt.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Chase Elliott, driver of the #9 Hooters Chevrolet, and Alex Bowman, driver of the #88 Axalta Chevrolet race the pace lap prior to the start of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 7, 2018 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

Twice in the last five years \u2013 including last year with Erik Jones and 2014 with Aric Almirola \u2013 winning the summer Daytona race represented a driver\u2019s automatic entry in the Playoffs \u2013 both times the drivers jumped over several otherwise higher ranked drivers for the Playoff berth.<\/p>\n

A solid and safe position in the standings is obviously valued, but this season especially, \u201csafe\u201d is difficult to come by.<\/p>\n

Nine positions among the championship Top-16 changed just this week as a result of last Sunday\u2019s dramatic race at Chicagoland Speedway.<\/p>\n

Chicago race winner Alex Bowman guaranteed his Playoff spot with a victory. But the bigger shakeup happened farther down in the standings \u2013 with all 11 positions from 12th to 22nd changing in one form or another \u2013 all potentially affecting the crucial Playoff cutoff mark.<\/p>\n

Stewart-Haas Racing\u2019s Clint Bowyer took the biggest tumble \u2013 falling four positions from 12th to 16th in the standings after a frustrating 37th-place finish at Chicago in the No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford.<\/p>\n

On the upside, Jimmie Johnson\u2019s fourth place at Chicago vaulted him three positions upward in the series driver standings. Now instead of sitting one position off the cutoff in 17th – as he was before the Chicago race – he\u2019s now 14th and looking ahead \u2013 only 15 points behind 13th place Kyle Larson.<\/p>\n

As with Johnson, the Chip Ganassi Racing driver Larson is still looking for his first win of the 2019 season, but his runner-up finish at Chicago was good enough to move him up two positions in the standings.<\/p>\n

Johnson\u2019s Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron, who led nine laps and ran up front for much of last week\u2019s race, also benefitted from the effort. His eighth place at Chicago places him 12th in the championship, 27 points shy of 11th place Aric Almirola \u2013 the highest standing in the series championship the second-year driver Byron has ever achieved.<\/p>\n

On the downside, Daniel Suarez lost two championship positions \u2013 falling from 13th to 15th following a 24th place showing at Chicago. He trails 14th place Johnson by two points but holds only a three-point cushion on 16th place Clint Bowyer.<\/p>\n

Similarly, Ryan Newman lost two places in the standings, falling from 16th to 18th. He now trails Bowyer in the last Playoff transfer position by 20 points.<\/p>\n

XFINITY SERIES AT DAYTONA<\/b><\/p>\n

The championship situation in the NASCAR Xfinity Series continues to be an intense game of one-upmanship between three of the brightest young racing stars.<\/p>\n

Friday night\u2019s Circle K Firecracker 250 Powered by Coca-Cola (7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) may be a good opportunity for a new driver to celebrate in Victory Lane and earn a shot at this year\u2019s title.<\/p>\n

Entering the race, three drivers \u2013 Tyler Reddick, Cole Custer and Christopher Bell \u2013 have combined to win 11 of the season\u2019s 15 races, including Custer\u2019s win at Chicagoland Speedway just last week. A member of this trio has hoisted trophies in the last nine consecutive races.<\/p>\n

But Daytona International Speedway always presents a unique challenge\/opportunity. Only one time in the last decade has an Xfinity Series regular won this summer Daytona race \u2013 William Byron in his 2017 Xfinity championship season. Last year, Cup star Kyle Larson held off Xfinity title contender Elliott Sadler by a mere .005-second in the closest July race finish in history.<\/p>\n

Ironically, Reddick\u2019s win in February of 2018 \u2013 also over Sadler \u2013 marked the closest finish in NASCAR national series history \u2013 a photo finish .0004-second. The driver of the No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet is the only one of this year\u2019s Triumphant Trio to have won an Xfinity race previously at Daytona. He has a pair of top-10 finishes in five starts here.<\/p>\n

Bell, who drives the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, has two top-10 finishes in three Daytona starts and his team is undoubtedly eager to rebound from a disqualification last week at Chicago that dropped him from second to third in the title standings.<\/p>\n

Custer, the driver of the No. 00 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford, has yet to earn a top-10 in five starts at Daytona. His best showing is 14th and he\u2019s done that twice \u2013 in February, 2018 and 2019.<\/p>\n

Five other drivers scored their best result of the season at Daytona earlier this year, including Justin Allgaier \u2013 a five-time race winner in 2018 \u2013 that is still looking for his first victory of the year. He finished runner-up this February.<\/p>\n

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series<\/b><\/p>\n

Next Race: Coke Zero Sugar 400<\/b><\/p>\n

The Place: Daytona International Speedway<\/b><\/p>\n

The Date: Saturday, July 6<\/b><\/p>\n

The Time: 7:30 p.m. ET<\/b><\/p>\n

TV: NBC, 7:00 p.m. ET<\/b><\/p>\n

Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio<\/b><\/p>\n

Distance: 400 miles (160 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 50),<\/b><\/p>\n

Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 100), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 160)<\/b><\/p>\n

2018 Race Winner: Erik Jones<\/b><\/p>\n

What to Watch For:<\/b> There have been nine different winners in the last nine Coke Zero Sugar 400 summer races at Daytona. \u2026 Last year Erik Jones scored his career first victory in the race. Twice more in the last decade a race winner has earned his career first win in the summer Daytona race (David Ragan, 2011, Aric Almirola, 2014). \u2026 Jimmie Johnson (2013) is the last driver to have swept a season\u2019s races at Daytona. Bobby Allison did it previously in 1982. Denny Hamlin won at Daytona in February. \u2026 Fireball Roberts won the inaugural summer race in July, 1959. \u2026 Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch have the most Daytona starts (36) among active drivers. \u2026 Five active drivers made their first Cup start at the track \u2013 Brendan Gaughan (\u201904), Alex Bowman (\u201914), Daniel Suarez (\u201917), William Byron (\u201918) and Matt Tifft (\u201919). \u2026Only four drivers in Saturday\u2019s field have won previous pole positions for this race \u2013 Elliott, Harvick, Kyle Busch and Paul Menard. \u2026 Two active drivers won their first career pole position at Daytona (Harvick, Feb.,2002 and Menard, July, 2008). \u2026.Johnson leads active drivers in Daytona wins (3). Richard Petty is the all-time winningest driver (10). \u2026 Tony Stewart is the last driver to win consecutive Daytona summer races (2005-06).  \u2026 The pole position is the winningest starting spot on the grid at the track (nine wins). \u2026 The deepest in the starting field a winner has started is 42nd (Tony Stewart, July, 2012). \u2026 Martin Truex Jr. has made the most starts (28) at Daytona without a win. \u2026. Wood Brothers is the winningest team at the track with 15. Hendrick Motorsports has 14. \u2026 Kyle Busch has the most Daytona runner-up finishes (4) among active drivers. Buddy Baker holds the all-time record (8). \u2026 Tony Stewart holds the single race record for domination, leading 151 of 160 laps en route to the 2005 July win. \u2026 Kurt Busch has the most top-fives (13) and most top-10s (17) among active drivers. \u2026 The closest Margin of Victory in the July race is .005-seconds when Jamie McMurray beat Kyle Busch in 2007.  \u2026Seven times the Daytona race winner has led just one lap. Jones did that last year. \u2026Among the three current manufacturers, Chevrolet has the most Daytona wins (46) followed by Ford (37) and Toyota (4). \u2026 Toyota has won the last two Daytona races (Erik Jones, July, 2018 and Denny Hamlin Feb., 2019). \u2026 Over the last 10 races at DIS, Ford has five wins, Toyota has three and Chevrolet, two.<\/p>\n

NASCAR Xfinity Series<\/b><\/p>\n

Next Race: Circle K Firecracker 250 presented by Coca-Cola<\/b><\/p>\n

The Place: Daytona International Speedway<\/b><\/p>\n

The Date: Friday, July 5<\/b><\/p>\n

The Time: 7:30 p.m. ET<\/b><\/p>\n

TV: NBCSN, 7:00 p.m. ET<\/b><\/p>\n

Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio<\/b><\/p>\n

Distance: 250 miles (100 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 30),<\/b><\/p>\n

Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 60), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 100)<\/b><\/p>\n

2018 Race Winner: Kyle Larson<\/b><\/p>\n

What to Watch For:<\/b> Kyle Larson is the defending race winner, earning the trophy by a scant .005-second over Elliott Sadler last year \u2013 the second closest finish in the race\u2019s 17-year history. \u2026.There has never been a back-to-back July race winner. \u2026 Dale Earnhardt Jr. is the only driver to win both Xfinity races in a season at Daytona \u2013 earning the double in 2003. \u2026 William Byron (2017) is the last fulltime Xfinity Series driver to win the July race and the first since Martin Truex Jr. won it in 2005. \u2026 The July, 2012 race featured 42 lead changes \u2013 an all-time high for Xfinity competition at Daytona. \u2026 Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 38 wins in the 55 races. Chevy has won seven of the last 10 Xfinity races.  \u2026The farthest back a July winner has started on the grid is 23rd \u2013 Aric Almirola won from there in 2016. \u2026 The polesitter has won four Xfinity races at Daytona, the last being Clint Bowyer in July, 2009. \u2026The front row of the grid has produced the most race winners (11). \u2026 Dale Earnhardt holds the record for most consecutive Xfinity wins at Daytona \u2013 winning five straight from 1990-94. Dale Earnhardt Jr. won four of five between 2002-04. \u2026No driver has scored his career first Xfinity Series win in the July, Daytona race. \u2026 Five winless driver in 2019 scored their career best showing at the track. For 10 of the past 17 July Daytona winners, the victory at Daytona was his first of the season. \u2026 There are only three former Xfinity Series Daytona winners entered this week (Michael Annett, 2019, Tyler Reddick, 2018) and Joe Nemechek, the only former July race winner (2002). \u2026. Kyle Larson\u2019s .005-second win over Elliott Sadler in last year\u2019s race is the closest MoV in the summer race history and second closest in series track history. Tyler Reddick won the 2018 February race in an essential tie \u2013 0.0004-second. \u2026. The driver who led the most laps has won the race only once in the last five years \u2013 Larson led a race best 40 laps in his win last year.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. \u2013 The intensity and gamesmanship is increasing weekly with nine races remaining to set the 16-driver Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoff field and Saturday night\u2019s Coke Zero Sugar 400 (7:30 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) has typically provided a dramatic summer […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":676,"featured_media":20095,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[11],"tags":[287,16],"class_list":["post-27114","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nascar","tag-daytona-international-speedway","tag-nascar"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racedaysa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/356622.jpg?fit=3604%2C2536","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7hzTZ-73k","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27114","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/676"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27114"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27114\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27118,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27114\/revisions\/27118"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20095"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27114"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27114"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27114"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}