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Fantasy Fastlane: 2018 Daytona 500
By RJ Kraft | Published: February 12, 2018 18
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NASCAR Digital Media
Editor's note: Fantasy Fastlane will look at each race from a fantasy perspective, examining the top plays, several under-the-radar options and a play to avoid for NASCAR Fantasy Live.
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Alex Bowman
Hendrick Motorsports, No. 88 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: Bowman will sit on the pole for Sunday’s race. The 88 team had its share of success at plate tracks thanks to Dale Jr. Bowman finished third in last year’s Clash and his best average finish (by track) is Daytona. He's a wild card, but worthy of the play.
Hendrick Motorsports, No. 88 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: Bowman will sit on the pole for Sunday’s race. The 88 team had its share of success at plate tracks thanks to Dale Jr. Bowman finished third in last year’s Clash and his best average finish (by track) is Daytona. He's a wild card, but worthy of the play.
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Austin Dillon
Richard Childress Racing, No. 3 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: Of active drivers with multiple starts at Daytona, Dillon holds the best average finish of 15.2. He has five top-10 finishes in nine starts at the 2.5-mile track. That makes up nearly 20 percent of the fifth-year driver's career top 10s. He is a sneaky-good play.
Richard Childress Racing, No. 3 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: Of active drivers with multiple starts at Daytona, Dillon holds the best average finish of 15.2. He has five top-10 finishes in nine starts at the 2.5-mile track. That makes up nearly 20 percent of the fifth-year driver's career top 10s. He is a sneaky-good play.
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Kurt Busch
Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 41 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Busch’s win in last year’s Daytona 500 marked his first time winning a points-paying race at a restrictor-plate track. The 2004 champion has 17 top 10s in 33 starts at Daytona, including four such finishes in his last six races there.
Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 41 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Busch’s win in last year’s Daytona 500 marked his first time winning a points-paying race at a restrictor-plate track. The 2004 champion has 17 top 10s in 33 starts at Daytona, including four such finishes in his last six races there.
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Clint Bowyer
Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 14 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Bowyer has never won at Daytona in 24 starts but his 15.8 average finish is third-best among active drivers. On top of that, he has finished in the top 10 in more than half of his starts at the 2.5-mile track. Coming off an up-and-down season, this is a good spot to roster him.
Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 14 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Bowyer has never won at Daytona in 24 starts but his 15.8 average finish is third-best among active drivers. On top of that, he has finished in the top 10 in more than half of his starts at the 2.5-mile track. Coming off an up-and-down season, this is a good spot to roster him.
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Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Roush Fenway Racing, No. 17 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Stenhouse was the great restrictor-plate whisperer of 2017 with wins coming at Talladega and Daytona. The Mississippi native is a sound pick this weekend given that and Roush's strong superspeedway program.
Roush Fenway Racing, No. 17 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Stenhouse was the great restrictor-plate whisperer of 2017 with wins coming at Talladega and Daytona. The Mississippi native is a sound pick this weekend given that and Roush's strong superspeedway program.
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Joey Logano
Team Penske, No. 22 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Logano won the Daytona 500 in 2015 and had three straight top-six finishes in the 'Great American Race' until last year's 35th-place showing. Building a lineup around the Penske stable is a great idea – especially when 'Sliced Bread' is a bit of a wild card elsewhere after a down 2017.
Team Penske, No. 22 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Logano won the Daytona 500 in 2015 and had three straight top-six finishes in the 'Great American Race' until last year's 35th-place showing. Building a lineup around the Penske stable is a great idea – especially when 'Sliced Bread' is a bit of a wild card elsewhere after a down 2017.
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Jimmie Johnson
Hendrick Motorsports, No. 48 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: After last season, it's hard to know exactly where to trust Johnson (besides Dover). He has two Daytona 500 wins (and three total wins at the track). Another added reason to have 'Seven-Time' in your lineup, he had the 10th-most stage points in 2017.
Hendrick Motorsports, No. 48 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: After last season, it's hard to know exactly where to trust Johnson (besides Dover). He has two Daytona 500 wins (and three total wins at the track). Another added reason to have 'Seven-Time' in your lineup, he had the 10th-most stage points in 2017.
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Ryan Blaney
Team Penske, No. 12 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Blaney was the runner-up in last year's Daytona 500 and won the first Can-Am Duel on Thursday night. Last year, he scored 46 stage points in restrictor-plate races – nabbing points in all eight stages run ahead of the final stage. YRB is A-OK for this one.
Team Penske, No. 12 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Blaney was the runner-up in last year's Daytona 500 and won the first Can-Am Duel on Thursday night. Last year, he scored 46 stage points in restrictor-plate races – nabbing points in all eight stages run ahead of the final stage. YRB is A-OK for this one.
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Chase Elliott
Hendrick Motorsports, No. 9 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: In last year's Daytona 500, he led 39 laps and held the lead with three to go before running dry. He has won one of the Can-Am Duels in 2017 and, again this year. It's tempting to want to save Elliott for later races, but this is a good spot to field him.
Hendrick Motorsports, No. 9 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: In last year's Daytona 500, he led 39 laps and held the lead with three to go before running dry. He has won one of the Can-Am Duels in 2017 and, again this year. It's tempting to want to save Elliott for later races, but this is a good spot to field him.
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Denny Hamlin
Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 11 Toyota
Fastlane forecast: Hamlin won the Daytona 500 in 2016 on a late surge – and led 95 laps on the day as well. In the three Daytona 500s from 2014 to 2016, Hamlin had an average finish of 2.33. Of the non-Fords, Hamlin is one of the best plays and will start on the front row for Sunday's race.
Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 11 Toyota
Fastlane forecast: Hamlin won the Daytona 500 in 2016 on a late surge – and led 95 laps on the day as well. In the three Daytona 500s from 2014 to 2016, Hamlin had an average finish of 2.33. Of the non-Fords, Hamlin is one of the best plays and will start on the front row for Sunday's race.
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Brad Keselowski
Team Penske, No. 2 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Keselowski has one win at Daytona and his overall Daytona 500 history is pedestrian – two top-four finishes and an average finish of 24.0. However, he did win The Clash in very strong fashion. With six points-paying plate wins in his career, Kes is a contender.
Team Penske, No. 2 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Keselowski has one win at Daytona and his overall Daytona 500 history is pedestrian – two top-four finishes and an average finish of 24.0. However, he did win The Clash in very strong fashion. With six points-paying plate wins in his career, Kes is a contender.
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SLEEPER PICK: Michael McDowell
Front Row Motorsports, No. 34 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Would you believe that McDowell has the third-best average finish (11.0) in the past four Daytona races? That includes a career-best fourth-place result last summer. Front Row has a history of faring well here, too.
Front Row Motorsports, No. 34 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Would you believe that McDowell has the third-best average finish (11.0) in the past four Daytona races? That includes a career-best fourth-place result last summer. Front Row has a history of faring well here, too.
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SLEEPER PICK: David Ragan
Front Row Motorsports, No. 38 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Ragan has been strong on plate tracks his whole career, making for an intriguing play. His two wins have come at Daytona and Talladega. His three top 10s in 2017 came at those tracks as well.
Front Row Motorsports, No. 38 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Ragan has been strong on plate tracks his whole career, making for an intriguing play. His two wins have come at Daytona and Talladega. His three top 10s in 2017 came at those tracks as well.
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SLEEPER PICK: Danica Patrick
Premium Motorsports, No. 7 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: Three reasons to consider Danica: 1. She scored seven stage points in last year’s Daytona 500 and has two top 10s here, 2. Michael Waltrip got a top 10 with Premium here last year and 3. The usage limit is not a factor.
Premium Motorsports, No. 7 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: Three reasons to consider Danica: 1. She scored seven stage points in last year’s Daytona 500 and has two top 10s here, 2. Michael Waltrip got a top 10 with Premium here last year and 3. The usage limit is not a factor.
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SLEEPER PICK: Paul Menard
Wood Brothers Racing, No. 21 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Wood Brothers is no stranger to success at Daytona and Menard has been tough at plate tracks. He was the only driver to score top fives in both 2017 races at the World Center of Racing.
Wood Brothers Racing, No. 21 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Wood Brothers is no stranger to success at Daytona and Menard has been tough at plate tracks. He was the only driver to score top fives in both 2017 races at the World Center of Racing.
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STAY AWAY FROM: Martin Truex Jr.
Furniture Row Racing, No. 78 Toyota
Fastlane forecast: Sit the defending series champion? It's simple: I want Truex for every intermediate track and two others that maximize his value. This type of thought process applies to Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch and Kyle Larson for Daytona, as well.
Furniture Row Racing, No. 78 Toyota
Fastlane forecast: Sit the defending series champion? It's simple: I want Truex for every intermediate track and two others that maximize his value. This type of thought process applies to Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch and Kyle Larson for Daytona, as well.
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My lineup heading into the weekend:
Brad Keselowski
Joey Logano
Denny Hamlin
Austin Dillon
Ryan Blaney
Garage: Alex Bowman
Brad Keselowski
Joey Logano
Denny Hamlin
Austin Dillon
Ryan Blaney
Garage: Alex Bowman