The flag that begins the 68th NASCAR Sprint Cup series is still five days from descending, but those who still believe in the value a racing dynasty already have cause for celebration.
Although Chase Elliott conceded his Xfinity series crown to Chris Buescher last fall, not one follower of NASCAR doubted his credentials for future stardom, as he prepared to fill the legendary No. 24 seat of retiring driver Jeff Gordon. Thus far, Elliott has lived up to the hype in emphatic style, becoming the youngest-ever polesitter at Daytona International Speedway.
Followers of the No. 24 car’s legacy have now been struck with a disquieting sense of déjà-vu, as Gordon himself burst emphatically onto the scene back in 1993, winning the Can-Am Duel and becoming the youngest ever winner at the circuit. Gordon then followed through with a fifth place finish at the Daytona 500, proving that his win in the preliminary event was no fluke.
There is no doubt that Elliott will be a regular feature in fantasy NASCAR management playbooks throughout the season, but for a strong victory lane contender in Group A, look no further than Sunday’s P2 starter Matt Kenseth.
GROUP A
STARTER – Matt Kenseth
For all the promise shown by Elliott, the power and pace of Joe Gibbs cars has already spoken volumes, as it did during a dominant summer in 2015.
Matt Kenseth endured a devastating end to what was a promising title campaign last year, receiving a ban after colliding with Joey Logano in the Eliminator round. However, he was back to his best in Daytona qualifying and is the hot favorite to reach victory lane on Sunday.
Though inconsistent in recent years, it is also worth noting that Kenseth has two wins from the last seven Daytona events under his belt, with a further two top-10 finishes.
RESERVES – Joey Logano & Kevin Harvick
With Joe Gibbs set to once again be the team to beat, reigning champion Kyle Busch should be saved for the races which come after the unpredictable STP 500 at Martinsville.
The aforementioned collision with Matt Kenseth ended a strong run of form for the No. 22 driver, but entering the Daytona 500 as the reigning event winner will provide a great confidence boost for the Connecticuter. Meanwhile, Kevin Harvick’s famed consistency and adaptability across different tracks will be an asset on Sunday.
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GROUP B
STARTERS – Carl Edwards & Martin Truex Jr
Truex was a revelation under the wing of Furniture Row Racing, repeatedly stunning the doubters with inspired performances that saw him included in the final four at Homestead Miami.
A finish of eighth in last season’s opener provided an upturn in Daytona fortunes for Truex, and it would be typical of his industrious nature if the No. 78 driver was to produce a similarly strong performance on Sunday.
With three top-10 finishes from his last six Daytona outings, Carl Edwards is one of the stronger Group B picks, and current bookmaker odds reflect this.
GROUP C
STARTER – Chase Elliott
Elliott’s odds of a filibuster start have shortened drastically since becoming the youngest Daytona polesitter, and his name alone belongs in this slot for the opening race.
RESERVE – Ryan Blaney
Behind Elliott, Blaney is (statistically) the second most popular starter in Group C. He managed only a 39th place finish in last year’s event, but managed a good return of top-20 finishes from a limited number of races in 2015.
The NASCAR Sprint Cup season begins with the Daytona 500 on February 21st. For the latest standings and statistics, visit Motorsport24.com
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