From a NASCAR Fan’s View
There IS something special about NASCAR’s big season opening race at Daytona. I mean after all, this is the 67th running of the race at Daytona and this one looks like it will be as good as any that have come before. One thing is obvious, at least to this fan. There is excitement in the air and there is going to be some good racing.
There are a few things different this year at Daytona and some things just remain the same. The fords have once again shown up with good speed and that is really nothing new. Austin Cindric sits outside pole and it really wasn’t that much of a surprise that a Ford would be on the front row, at least from the way things looked since the cars first took to the track.
The Penske Fords definitely look to be contenders as possible winners on Sunday even though the way the lineup looks to be against them. Ryan Blaney, last year’s Cup Champion starts from the sixteenth position and Joey Logano starts from the tenth. So, Austin starting on the front row may not look like much for the Penske teams but this NASCAR fan thinks they will find themselves together along with a bunch of other Fords.
The Penske Fords weren’t the only Fords that showed up with speed. The RFK Fords also looked to catch up even though they may not have been all that fast off the trucks. I expect them to be up there in a pack of Fords that have managed to be able to work together in these type of races very well. I expect them to do the same this race also. I know I’ve only mentioned a few of the Fords so far but there are plenty of Fords that will run and help each other all race long. Well, that is until the final lap.
Probably the biggest surprise to me as a fan was the performance of the Hendrick Chevys. They looked to be struggling early on and, though things definitely have gotten better for them speed-wise, it still looks to this fan they are still playing catchup. Yeah, I know William Byron, last year’s winner of the 500, starts fifth but even he has had his own set of challenges so far this week.
Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman have also struggled so far and the Hendrick Chevys just look like they are lacking a little bit of speed. It may not make that much difference when the race starts and the field starts running in the big packs but I think they have their work cut out for themselves. Of course, pack racing can make a very big difference when it comes down to the final laps and I won’t rule them out of being able to be contenders when it comes down to the end of the race.
The surprise to this fan this season is the Toyotas. They have definitely shown up with speed and especially the JGR teams and I include the 23/XI teams as well. Although it is no big surprise JGR would show up to Daytona with fast cars it is a little different than years past. They did seem to struggle a bit in the past but they did manage to make a good showing during those times.
This year at Daytona, Chase Briscoe sits on the pole in his #19 JGR Toyota previously driven by Martin Truex Jr. No surprise that the #19 would make a strong showing although I’m not so sure a lot of people expected Chase to take the pole in his first 500 since leaving SHR racing and moving to JGR.
Another Toyota from the 23/XI camp made a strong showing and that was the #23 Toyota of Bubba Wallace. In the past he has shown himself to be good at the Super Speedways and usually runs up well at Daytona. Well, that is if he doesn’t get caught up in one of the “Big Ones” that usually happens at the Super Speedways.
Speaking of the “Big Ones,” that might be one of the things that changes the way this race ends up. From my view, the drivers have been very aggressive and that has been evidenced by all of the cars that have been damaged so far this week in all of the racing. There are a bunch of cars that have either been repaired and others had to go to back up cars. It happened in the Duels for the Cup teams and even in the Xfinity race last night. I honestly don’t think the race this afternoon will be much different. I think it is going to be wild and that might be the biggest understatement of this weekend.
In this Daytona 500, there very well could be an unexpected winner. Well… that is if they can survive the “Big Ones…”
Hey, this is Russ and that’s my view… See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
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