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It’s the official start of the NASCAR season for 2017 this weekend as the biggest race of the year kicks off the schedule. Last week saw a 17-car field compete in The Clash at Daytona and now this Thursday night will see the Can-Am Duels which will help determine the starting spots for the rest of the field (the front row was set in qualifying on Sunday). Not only does Daytona bring the prestige of the track with it but it also brings the first crack on a restrictor plate track of the season. The idea behind the restrictor plates in the car is to reduce the speeds on the superspeedways (Daytona and Talladega) but it often has a side effect of creating pack racing and inducing big crashes. This week’s track data will show the last two years of races at Daytona International Speedway for all the drivers in the race as well as the top-15 drivers in the field at restrictor plate tracks in that span.
Track Data
| Avg. | Avg. | Laps | High | Low | Avg. | Difference | Laps Led | Laps Led | ||||||||
| Driver | Start | Finish | Races | Wins | Top 5's | Top 10's | Top 20's | Led | Poles | Finish | Finish | DNF | Rating | Pts. | Pts. | Pts./race |
| Denny Hamlin | 24.3 | 6.25 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 116 | 0 | 1 | 17 | 0 | 108 | 18.05 | 29 | 7.25 |
| Joey Logano | 13.5 | 8.25 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 37 | 0 | 1 | 22 | 0 | 94.5 | 5.25 | 9.25 | 2.31 |
| Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 5.8 | 15.25 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 143 | 0 | 1 | 36 | 1 | 98.7 | -9.45 | 35.75 | 8.94 |
| Brad Keselowski | 25.3 | 22.75 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 116 | 0 | 1 | 41 | 1 | 88.5 | 2.55 | 29 | 7.25 |
| Kevin Harvick | 18.8 | 12.25 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 39 | 1 | 88.4 | 6.55 | 0.25 | 0.06 |
| Jimmie Johnson | 12 | 14.5 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 92 | 0 | 2 | 35 | 1 | 93.1 | -2.5 | 23 | 5.75 |
| Kyle Busch | 6.7 | 7.33 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 35 | 0 | 2 | 17 | 0 | 92.3 | -0.63 | 8.75 | 2.92 |
| Martin Truex Jr. | 18 | 19.25 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 38 | 1 | 91.7 | -1.25 | 1 | 0.25 |
| Kurt Busch | 15.3 | 12.67 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 23 | 0 | 85.1 | 2.63 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Trevor Bayne | 19.5 | 17.5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 30 | 0 | 70.9 | 2 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 21.3 | 18.75 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 29 | 0 | 71.6 | 2.55 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Austin Dillon | 14.8 | 9.25 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 7 | 14 | 0 | 82.1 | 5.55 | 2.25 | 0.56 |
| Clint Bowyer | 18.5 | 14.75 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 33 | 0 | 66.8 | 3.75 | 0.5 | 0.13 |
| Kyle Larson | 19 | 21.5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 39 | 2 | 82.1 | -2.5 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Kasey Kahne | 13.5 | 21 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 9 | 32 | 0 | 81.1 | -7.5 | 1.25 | 0.31 |
| Ryan Newman | 25 | 18.75 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 38 | 0 | 53.2 | 6.25 | 0.5 | 0.13 |
| Michael McDowell | 33 | 18.6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 31 | 0 | 65.5 | 14.4 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Matt Kenseth | 16 | 25 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 41 | 0 | 14 | 35 | 0 | 72.3 | -9 | 10.25 | 2.56 |
| Chase Elliott | 12.5 | 34.5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 32 | 37 | 0 | 46.2 | -22 | 0.75 | 0.38 |
| David Ragan | 25.8 | 18.5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 29 | 0 | 56.2 | 7.3 | 0.5 | 0.13 |
| A.J. Allmendinger | 25.8 | 18.75 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 21 | 0 | 59.8 | 7.05 | 0.25 | 0.06 |
| Matt DiBenedetto | 32.3 | 33 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 26 | 40 | 1 | 49.7 | -0.7 | 0.25 | 0.08 |
| Michael Waltrip | 35 | 28 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 26 | 30 | 0 | 41.7 | 7 | 0.25 | 0.13 |
| Aric Almirola | 29.3 | 19 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 34 | 0 | 66.8 | 10.3 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Jamie McMurray | 14.8 | 23.25 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 34 | 1 | 82.8 | -8.45 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Ryan Blaney | 10.3 | 24 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 39 | 1 | 76.6 | -13.7 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Paul Menard | 22.3 | 23.75 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 36 | 1 | 76.3 | -1.45 | 0 | 0.00 |
| David Gilliland | 20 | 23.3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 40 | 0 | 66.4 | -3.3 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Landon Cassill | 24.3 | 27.5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 43 | 1 | 49.9 | -3.2 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Ty Dillon | 21.5 | 26.5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 28 | 0 | 64.7 | -5 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Danica Patrick | 21.3 | 29.5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 35 | 2 | 53.2 | -8.2 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Chris Buescher | 21 | 39.5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 40 | 2 | 51.8 | -18.5 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Brendan Gaughan | 43 | 28 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 28 | 0 | 42.5 | 15 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Reed Sorenson | 26.5 | 27 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 32 | 0 | 37.1 | -0.5 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Erik Jones | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Daniel Suarez | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Elliott Sadler | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Joey Gase | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Corey Lajoie | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Cole Whitt | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| D.J. Kennington | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Jeffrey Earnhardt | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Timmy Hill | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
Key Drivers at Restrictor Plate tracks
| Avg. | Avg. | Laps | High | Low | Difference | Laps Led | Laps Led | |||||||||
| Driver | Start | Finish | Races | Wins | Top 5's | Top 10's | Top 20's | Led | Poles | Finish | Finish | DNF | Rating | Pts. | Pts. | Pts./race |
| Joey Logano | 15.4 | 11.63 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 108 | 0 | 1 | 33 | 1 | 91.6 | 3.77 | 27 | 3.38 |
| Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 5 | 14.86 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 271 | 0 | 1 | 40 | 2 | 99.6 | -9.86 | 67.75 | 9.68 |
| Brad Keselowski | 17 | 19.5 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 252 | 0 | 1 | 41 | 2 | 94.7 | -2.5 | 63 | 7.88 |
| Denny Hamlin | 17.3 | 13.13 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 143 | 0 | 1 | 37 | 1 | 100.6 | 4.17 | 35.75 | 4.47 |
| Kevin Harvick | 19.6 | 11.75 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 15 | 0 | 2 | 39 | 1 | 91.6 | 7.85 | 3.75 | 0.47 |
| Jimmie Johnson | 9.8 | 15.38 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 176 | 0 | 2 | 35 | 1 | 91.3 | -5.58 | 44 | 5.50 |
| Kyle Busch | 11.2 | 10.83 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 60 | 0 | 2 | 30 | 0 | 89.1 | 0.37 | 15 | 2.50 |
| Kurt Busch | 14.9 | 10.29 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 23 | 0 | 88.6 | 4.61 | 0.5 | 0.07 |
| Martin Truex Jr. | 20.5 | 17.75 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 40 | 2 | 83 | 2.75 | 1.5 | 0.19 |
| Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 17.9 | 16.38 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 29 | 0 | 72.8 | 1.52 | 2.25 | 0.28 |
| Austin Dillon | 13.8 | 12.25 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 35 | 1 | 78.1 | 1.55 | 2.5 | 0.31 |
| Trevor Bayne | 16.8 | 19.88 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 22 | 0 | 3 | 41 | 1 | 72.3 | -3.08 | 5.5 | 0.69 |
| Ryan Blaney | 11 | 19.86 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 43 | 2 | 81.9 | -8.86 | 0.75 | 0.11 |
| Paul Menard | 16.1 | 17.88 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 36 | 2 | 79.9 | -1.78 | 0.5 | 0.06 |
Drivers to watch this week:
Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Jr. is finally back on the track after missing the final 18 races of the 2016 season with a concussion. He has already shown what he can do given a fast car with how he qualified on
Sunday, sitting P2 for the race. Add to that his history at restrictor plate tracks, 10 wins in his career, which is third most all-time, and you have the potential for a dominant performance on Sunday at the 500.
Denny Hamlin: Hamlin won both The Clash and the 500 last year, granted the latter being by six inches or so, and comes in to the race fresh off signing a contract extension with JGR on Thursday. He has a win and three top-five finishes in the last four races here and is tied for second in laps led with 116 in those contests. Hamlin is one of the favorites this week, but both DK and NASCAR Live salaries put him more in the bottom tier of elite-caliber drivers.
Brad Keselowski: Keselowski has become one of the more dominant drivers at restrictor plate tracks in the last few years. In fact he is second only to Dale Jr. in laps led and is tied for second in wins over the last two years, just behind Joey Logano. Keselowski is more affordable in NASCAR Live than DK though he makes a great argument to be in both lineups.
Joey Logano: Logano is fresh off his win at The Clash last Sunday in addition to having posted a win and three-top-10 finishes in the last four races here. He also has the third best average finish at Daytona at 8.25 and the best overall when taking Talladega into account. He may not lead a ton of laps, averaging just under 10 a race, but he is a proven winner and has a very fast teammate in Brad Keselowski to work with through the field.
Daniel Suarez: The rookie showed well in Sunday’s Clash, finishing eighth after running second for much of the day, which was his first time in a Monster Energy Cup car on the Daytona track. He has the skills to be a very good driver at the highest level and his performance last week is already showing that to his fellow drivers and the salary makers at DK and NL. Suarez is a mid-tier salary guy in draft kings and the same on NL, but that might be a big of a stretch this week with only having 75 laps of experience in race conditions in the car. I still like him, just not as much for cash lineups.
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