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NASCAR Power Rankings: Preseason edition
By Pat DeCola | Tuesday, February 12, 2019
Cindy Gonzalez | NASCAR Digital Media
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NASCAR.com's Pat DeCola ranks the top 20 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers following the Advance Auto Parts Clash and before the Daytona 500. This is the first edition of Power Rankings this season.
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Driver: Ryan Newman
Rank: 20
Change (from end of 2018): +2
Comment: As a former Daytona 500 winner, Newman can never be counted out (same goes for Jamie McMurray, though he's not ranked here). That said, the newest Roush Fenway Racing driver has just three finishes inside the top five -- and all were fifth, exactly -- in 21 starts since winning the "Great American Race."
Rank: 20
Change (from end of 2018): +2
Comment: As a former Daytona 500 winner, Newman can never be counted out (same goes for Jamie McMurray, though he's not ranked here). That said, the newest Roush Fenway Racing driver has just three finishes inside the top five -- and all were fifth, exactly -- in 21 starts since winning the "Great American Race."
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Driver: Austin Dillon
Rank: 19
Change: -1
Comment: The reigning Daytona 500 champion has a great shot to find his way to the front of the field on Sunday once again -- proving last year wasn't a fluke. Dillon has scored the second-most points (268) at Daytona over the past 10 races run there.
Rank: 19
Change: -1
Comment: The reigning Daytona 500 champion has a great shot to find his way to the front of the field on Sunday once again -- proving last year wasn't a fluke. Dillon has scored the second-most points (268) at Daytona over the past 10 races run there.
Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
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Driver: Daniel Suarez
Rank: 18
Change: -1
Comment: Suarez is turning a new page in 2019 with his arrival at Stewart-Haas Racing. Hopefully for him it turns around his Daytona prospects as well, because he owns the worst average finish among all active drivers (29.5) at the Florida track.
Rank: 18
Change: -1
Comment: Suarez is turning a new page in 2019 with his arrival at Stewart-Haas Racing. Hopefully for him it turns around his Daytona prospects as well, because he owns the worst average finish among all active drivers (29.5) at the Florida track.
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Driver: Kurt Busch
Rank: 17
Change: -1
Comment: Busch finally broke through for his first Daytona 500 win in 2017, but it was a long time coming. He's one of the top plate racers in the game, with the most top fives (13) and top 10s (17) among active drivers.
Rank: 17
Change: -1
Comment: Busch finally broke through for his first Daytona 500 win in 2017, but it was a long time coming. He's one of the top plate racers in the game, with the most top fives (13) and top 10s (17) among active drivers.
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Driver: Paul Menard
Rank: 16
Change: +3
Comment: Menard nearly won Sunday's Advance Auto Parts Clash, leading 51 laps before contact with Jimmie Johnson shortly before the race was called derailed everything. The Wood Brothers Racing driver continues to prove he's a capable restrictor-plate racer and will work with the Team Penske drivers to find the front of the field on Sunday.
Rank: 16
Change: +3
Comment: Menard nearly won Sunday's Advance Auto Parts Clash, leading 51 laps before contact with Jimmie Johnson shortly before the race was called derailed everything. The Wood Brothers Racing driver continues to prove he's a capable restrictor-plate racer and will work with the Team Penske drivers to find the front of the field on Sunday.
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Driver: Denny Hamlin
Rank: 15
Change: -2
Comment: Right now is the perfect time for Hamlin to quiet any doubters who claim he's washed up after a winless 2018. Hamlin not only won the Daytona 500 in 2016 -- he's the active laps led leader and has scored the most points (272) over the past 10 races at the 2.5-mile superspeedway.
Rank: 15
Change: -2
Comment: Right now is the perfect time for Hamlin to quiet any doubters who claim he's washed up after a winless 2018. Hamlin not only won the Daytona 500 in 2016 -- he's the active laps led leader and has scored the most points (272) over the past 10 races at the 2.5-mile superspeedway.
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Driver: Alex Bowman
Rank: 14
Change: --
Comment: Hendrick Motorsports obviously brought the power to Daytona -- as it routinely does -- and Bowman drove his way to another Daytona 500 front row starting spot. He'll have an excellent shot to ride to a victory on Sunday, especially when you consider the car number he's driving.
Rank: 14
Change: --
Comment: Hendrick Motorsports obviously brought the power to Daytona -- as it routinely does -- and Bowman drove his way to another Daytona 500 front row starting spot. He'll have an excellent shot to ride to a victory on Sunday, especially when you consider the car number he's driving.
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Driver: Erik Jones
Rank: 13
Change: -2
Comment: So far, Jones' Daytona 500 results are pretty subpar (39th- and 36th-place finishes). The good news is that his Coke Zero 400 results are incredible, with an average finish of 5.0 and a win in last year's July running. He's capable of winning if he stays clean, which is often just up to fate. He'll get a break in the 500 one of these days.
Rank: 13
Change: -2
Comment: So far, Jones' Daytona 500 results are pretty subpar (39th- and 36th-place finishes). The good news is that his Coke Zero 400 results are incredible, with an average finish of 5.0 and a win in last year's July running. He's capable of winning if he stays clean, which is often just up to fate. He'll get a break in the 500 one of these days.
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Driver: Kyle Larson
Rank: 12
Change: -2
Comment: Larson can wheel it any time, anywhere, on pretty much any type of track. His skills haven't ... quite ... translated to Daytona yet, where he's yet to finish in the top five and has only two top 10s in 10 starts. In his defense, he does seem to get collected in wrecks not of his doing -- he's finished just half of his Daytona races.
Rank: 12
Change: -2
Comment: Larson can wheel it any time, anywhere, on pretty much any type of track. His skills haven't ... quite ... translated to Daytona yet, where he's yet to finish in the top five and has only two top 10s in 10 starts. In his defense, he does seem to get collected in wrecks not of his doing -- he's finished just half of his Daytona races.
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Driver: William Byron
Rank: 11
Change: +4
Comment: Byron already seemed to be carrying a good bit of momentum coming into the 2019 season ... and then he went out and won the Daytona 500 pole. Chad Knaus knows how to win at Daytona (see: No. 48 car history) and could mark the start of a new era of winning on Sunday with Byron behind the wheel.
Rank: 11
Change: +4
Comment: Byron already seemed to be carrying a good bit of momentum coming into the 2019 season ... and then he went out and won the Daytona 500 pole. Chad Knaus knows how to win at Daytona (see: No. 48 car history) and could mark the start of a new era of winning on Sunday with Byron behind the wheel.
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Driver: Jimmie Johnson
Rank: 10
Change: +2
Comment: Does Jimmie have his mojo back? It's certainly starting to look like it, with Sunday's victory in The Clash looking like the "Seven-Time" of old. Johnson has the most Daytona wins (three) among active drivers, and it wouldn't be a major surprise to see him add a fourth this weekend.
Rank: 10
Change: +2
Comment: Does Jimmie have his mojo back? It's certainly starting to look like it, with Sunday's victory in The Clash looking like the "Seven-Time" of old. Johnson has the most Daytona wins (three) among active drivers, and it wouldn't be a major surprise to see him add a fourth this weekend.
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Driver: Brad Keselowski
Rank: 9
Change: --
Comment: If you're looking for a solid pick to win the Daytona 500, Keselowski is as strong as they come. You'd find few in the garage who would argue with the Team Penske driver's status as the sport's restrictor-plate ace, and Ford should show its strength as a whole on Sunday. Plus, that Mustang just looks fast
Rank: 9
Change: --
Comment: If you're looking for a solid pick to win the Daytona 500, Keselowski is as strong as they come. You'd find few in the garage who would argue with the Team Penske driver's status as the sport's restrictor-plate ace, and Ford should show its strength as a whole on Sunday. Plus, that Mustang just looks fast
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Driver: Clint Bowyer
Rank: 8
Change: --
Comment: Bowyer has a lot of strengths as a race car driver -- and as an entertainer off the track -- but driving a race car at Daytona hasn't shown to be one of them over the past decade or so. Since leading 31 laps in the 2011 Daytona 500, he's seen the front of the field for just 13 total laps and has never made the trip to Victory Lane.
Rank: 8
Change: --
Comment: Bowyer has a lot of strengths as a race car driver -- and as an entertainer off the track -- but driving a race car at Daytona hasn't shown to be one of them over the past decade or so. Since leading 31 laps in the 2011 Daytona 500, he's seen the front of the field for just 13 total laps and has never made the trip to Victory Lane.
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Driver: Aric Almirola
Rank: 7
Change: -1
Comment: Almirola will be out for blood Sunday after being in position to win the 500 on the last lap a year ago. A 2014 winner at Daytona, he makes for a really good pick that's teetering on the sleeper/favorite line.
Rank: 7
Change: -1
Comment: Almirola will be out for blood Sunday after being in position to win the 500 on the last lap a year ago. A 2014 winner at Daytona, he makes for a really good pick that's teetering on the sleeper/favorite line.
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Driver: Ryan Blaney
Rank: 6
Change: +2
Comment: As far as actual favorites, though, Blaney makes about as good of a case as any. There's a strong chance he'll be hoisting the Harley J. Earl on Sunday -- he was runner-up in 2017 and led 118 laps last year. It could all come together for him this weekend.
Rank: 6
Change: +2
Comment: As far as actual favorites, though, Blaney makes about as good of a case as any. There's a strong chance he'll be hoisting the Harley J. Earl on Sunday -- he was runner-up in 2017 and led 118 laps last year. It could all come together for him this weekend.
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Driver: Chase Elliott
Rank: 5
Change: --
Comment: Elliott is right up there, as well. He owns the best average start among actives, but bad luck has relegated him to the second worst average Daytona finish (28.7). Given Hendrick's strength so far, his fortunes are destined to be turned around.
Rank: 5
Change: --
Comment: Elliott is right up there, as well. He owns the best average start among actives, but bad luck has relegated him to the second worst average Daytona finish (28.7). Given Hendrick's strength so far, his fortunes are destined to be turned around.
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Driver: Martin Truex Jr.
Rank: 4
Change: --
Comment: Truex is going to win races this year. A lot of them. The fact that he's the active driver with the most winless Daytona starts (27) doesn't bode well for Sunday's chances, but he was the runner up in the closest-ever finish in 2016 -- to now-teammate Denny Hamlin -- and you have to think piloting a Joe Gibbs Racing entry gives him the best opportunity to win NASCAR's biggest race that he's ever had.
Rank: 4
Change: --
Comment: Truex is going to win races this year. A lot of them. The fact that he's the active driver with the most winless Daytona starts (27) doesn't bode well for Sunday's chances, but he was the runner up in the closest-ever finish in 2016 -- to now-teammate Denny Hamlin -- and you have to think piloting a Joe Gibbs Racing entry gives him the best opportunity to win NASCAR's biggest race that he's ever had.
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Driver: Kevin Harvick
Rank: 3
Change: -1
Comment: Apart from Johnson, fellow #oldguy Harvick is the only other driver with multiple Daytona wins among active drivers. That said, he hasn't won the Daytona 500 in 12 years But, really, are you going to ever bet against Kevin freaking Harvick? Didn't think so.
Rank: 3
Change: -1
Comment: Apart from Johnson, fellow #oldguy Harvick is the only other driver with multiple Daytona wins among active drivers. That said, he hasn't won the Daytona 500 in 12 years But, really, are you going to ever bet against Kevin freaking Harvick? Didn't think so.
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Driver: Joey Logano
Rank: 2
Change: +1
Comment: Defending series champion. Former Daytona 500 winner. Driving a Penske-powered, straight-bad-looking Mustang. What's not to like? Literally nothing. Logano has as good a shot -- if not better -- to win the Daytona 500 on Sunday and continue to build his potential Hall of Fame career.
Rank: 2
Change: +1
Comment: Defending series champion. Former Daytona 500 winner. Driving a Penske-powered, straight-bad-looking Mustang. What's not to like? Literally nothing. Logano has as good a shot -- if not better -- to win the Daytona 500 on Sunday and continue to build his potential Hall of Fame career.
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Driver: Kyle Busch
Rank: 1
Change: --
Comment: Look, you know by now that Kyle Busch's trophy case is basically just missing one thing: the Harley J. Earl Trophy. Though he's never won NASCAR's biggest race, it's hard to think he'll wrap up his career years from now without doing so. Positioned as the strongest driver entering the season, why not now?
Rank: 1
Change: --
Comment: Look, you know by now that Kyle Busch's trophy case is basically just missing one thing: the Harley J. Earl Trophy. Though he's never won NASCAR's biggest race, it's hard to think he'll wrap up his career years from now without doing so. Positioned as the strongest driver entering the season, why not now?
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