Smack: Harvick, Smoke, Martin all shine before 500

1. Does Kevin Harvick's victory in the Budweiser Shootout make him a favorite in Sunday's Daytona 500? If not, then who's going to win the race?

Joe Menzer: It makes him a challenger, which he already was anyway, but not the favorite. You know how these races go. Any one of about 12 guys could win, depending on who stays out of trouble and who's in the lead pack at the end.

Dave Rodman: He's certainly one of the favorites, but prohibitively so? No way. How about Jeff Gordon? With less than seven laps to go he went from 13th to leading in the space of two laps. A real "Big E-type" performance. And what about Jamie McMurray? Nice.

David Caraviello: Kevin Harvick sure has a sneaky way of winning at Daytona. That race Saturday reminded me of his 500 victory two years ago, when he was never a factor until the very end. No question he knows how to be in the right place at the right time on that race track. But I agree, guys. The way he kept getting shuffled out of the front, and even losing the draft, makes me wonder about his chances in a much longer event Sunday.

Joe Menzer: Thing is, if he IS in the lead pack at the end, I do like Harvick's chances. He's obviously proven he has the guts and talent and savvy to slip through the crowd and get to the checkered at this place. Having said all that, I'm not picking him.

David Caraviello: But Joe, couldn't you say that about anyone at Daytona? If anyone is in the mix with five laps remaining, they have a shot, regardless of what they've done to that point. That's the beauty of the place.

Dave Rodman: There were some very good people not in that race, also -- like Ryan Newman and Mark Martin, just to name a couple. And if he's fired-up, which a pole seems to indicate, you gotta throw Little Martin [Truex Jr.] into the mix.

David Caraviello: Remember, those DEI cars were very good the last time NASCAR competed on a plate track, at Talladega last fall.

Dave Rodman: They'll have a chance if someone goes with them at the right moment. If you ask me, that Shootout was a wonderful piece of table dressing for the 500. Lotta garbage left afterward, though.

Joe Menzer: Little Martin? I'm thinking maybe I'll take the Littler Martin, as in Mark. Or should I call him "Older Martin."

No guarantees

Kevin Harvick won the '07 Daytona 500 but it didn't lead to much else. A look at the 500 winners in the Chase era and how their seasons ended up.

• Complete story
• Video: Daytona Preview
• Video: Fantasy Report

Dave Rodman: Sorry Joe -- you've got to be a Northeasterner to pick up on that. When Martin Truex was racing -- and winning -- up there, "Little Martin" was just coming up. I like to hold onto my roots.

Joe Menzer: Deep as they are!

Dave Rodman: You got that right. Solid.

Joe Menzer: You are the "Older" guy on this staff, I might add.

David Caraviello: I was impressed that there were so many good cars Saturday night -- Gordon, Johnson, Kyle Busch, Earnhardt, Vickers, McMurray, Stewart, etc. It really seems like we have about 10 top contenders right now. And is Harvick in that bunch? He has to be, because he won the Shootout. But he wasn't one of the best cars Saturday, at least not until the very end. Of course, that's all that matters.

Joe Menzer: Yes, I think you have to put him in with that group. Again, he put himself in position to go for it at the end and then made a nice little move to get to the front at precisely the right time. Well done.

Dave Rodman: And dang proud of it. But we digress. I think it'll be more than that. Look at Clint Bowyer, even. If he and Shane Wilson mesh up and get on the same page in a hurry, you can't discount him. I dare say by the time we get through the Duels we'll have 20 possible winners. McMurray is only a dark horse at this point, based on recent history -- at least before the end of last year -- but Donnie Wingo made only one adjustment to the 26 car Saturday night, and that thing was awesome. If they make the same kind of progress the latter half of this week, they might be worth a wager.

Joe Menzer: Sadly, I guess James Hylton is not in that group. Remember him, Roadman? You probably went to high school with him.

David Caraviello: So often during Speedweeks a theme arises -- one car that's clearly better than everybody else and is the obvious favorite for the week. Dale Jarrett in 2000. Dale Jr. a few times. I don't think we have one of those this time around. It looks like a free-for-all.

Joe Menzer: It's also still early. Might be a little clearer after the Duels -- although as Roadman points out, it could get even murkier.

Dave Rodman: Funny you should say that, DC -- Saturday night, brass knuckles were legal. And just about required. (Continued)