Posted on by Staff Report

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The Chip Ganassi Racing No. 42 Chevrolet for driver Kyle Larson will drop to the rear of the field for Sunday’s Daytona 500 because of a transmission change.

Larson was scheduled to start 26th in the 40-car field for the Great American Race (2:30 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM). Instead, the pre-race adjustment will force him from the 13th row to the back of the pack during pace laps.

RELATED: Lineup | Sunday schedule | Fantasy advice | Story lines

Larson will be appearing in his sixth Daytona 500. His best finish in the Monster Energy Series season opener was a seventh place in 2016.

Other drivers joining Larson at the rear are the No. 40 for driver Jamie McMurray (gear change) and the No. 27 for driver Casey Mears (transmission change).

McMurray had qualified 16th in what may be the final Daytona 500 of his career. He won the “Great American Race” in 2010. Mears was slated to start 40th.

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Justin Allgaier knew the importance of timing a late move on leader Michael Annett for the win in Saturday’s Xfinity Series event at Daytona International Speedway.

Too soon, and that “was going to allow some of those guys that were fourth, fifth, sixth to get that momentum and kind of go by the field,” he said.

As the laps dwindled in Saturday’s season opener, Allgaier attempted a maneuver on his JR Motorsports teammate on the final lap by backing up to the No. 19 of Brandon Jones to get a run, but ultimately wasn’t able to pass him for the victory.

RELATED: Full Xfinity race results | Dale Jr.: ‘Day of redemption’ for Annett

“We were trying to wait until ideally getting into 1 on the last lap was where we wanted to do it, and I backed up to the 19 and didn’t really get the run that I thought I was going to get,” Allgaier said. “So then you kind of go into panic mode, right, because now everything you think you’re going to do didn’t really work out the way you wanted it to. So down the back, I lifted off of 2, got as much of a gap as I could get, and we just generated enough of a run to push the 1 back out in front. …I thought for sure we had it all figured out, and then when we tried it, it just didn’t really work out the way we thought it was going to.”

“If Justin had the opportunity, he was going to take it,” said crew chief Jason Burdett, echoing Allgaier’s sentiment in the garage to NASCAR.com. “… For whatever reason today, you couldn’t generate that big run to the guy in front of you unless you were in a big pack of cars and then you could get a little run. …”

“Obviously we’d rather win, but if you have to finish second, your teammate is who you want to finish second to.”

Annett’s win – his first in the Xfinity Series – marked JR Motorsports’ third win at Daytona in four races. And while Allgaier didn’t pace any laps around the World Center of Racing, the 32-year-old driver did notch his best finish since 2016 at Daytona. He recalled his season-opening run at Daytona in 2018, when he was sitting in the infield care center as teammates Tyler Reddick and Elliott Sadler crossed the start-finish line for the 1-2 finish.

To go into Atlanta with a runner-up result bodes well for the rest of the year.

“Oh, it’s huge,” said Allgaier, who visited Annett in Victory Lane Saturday to congratulate his teammate. “First and foremost, to have one‑two today, to have four cars finish this race, I don’t know that we got any damage today to any of the four cars. You know, that’s incredible. When you leave Daytona just to not have to go home and cut that thing apart and fix it, that in itself is a really strong boost of confidence.

“We go into a stretch here where we go to Atlanta, then we do the West Coast Swing, so all the parts and all the pieces that we can have at our disposal, the better,” Allgaier added. “So that’s big part of it.”

Allgaier is thankful he won’t have a huge points deficit to overcome to start the year, in comparison to last year’s 31st-place Daytona result that left him mired back in the standings.

“You don’t realize how much that puts a strain on you until you get to like race 2, 3, 4, and then you start looking, like, ‘man, I’m 20th in points leaving Daytona, even though I did everything right and I got stage points and I was running up front at the end of the race,'” Allgaier said. “So you put yourself into a hole. I think this really allows us to go into Atlanta, focus on our mile‑and‑a‑half program, what we’ve got to do come 2019 to be better, and really just gives us that confidence that we did what we needed to do today.”

Posted on by Holly Cain

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Jeffrey Earnhardt didn’t win Saturday’s season opening NASCAR Xfinity Series race, but his 15th-place finish tied for his third-best finish in the series ever — behind a pair of 12th-place results. His 29 laps led was a personal best, too.

He allowed a slight smile when told of his statistical achievements, but quickly reminded, “We didn’t lead enough.’’

“We didn’t lead the last one and that’s the most important one,’’ he said. “We made adjustments because I feel like I was complaining it was too free and we ended up getting it too tight and just struggled after that.

“I was getting my butt kicked side-drafting, just lack of experience and I’ll get better at it. That’s the first time I got to go racing up front like that.’’

Earnhardt – grandson of the late seven-time NASCAR champion Dale Earnhardt – started the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 18 iK9 Toyota on the outside of the front row – his best career starting position. His 29 laps out front was the most he’s led in his career – not only for a one race total but eclipsing the seven laps out front total in his previous 66 series starts. Only race winner Michael Annett (45) led more.

RELATED: Annett wins at Daytona | Full race results

Saturday’s race represented the best opportunity the 29-year old Earnhardt had ever had in the series. He’s competed full time in the Xfinity Series only one full season (2014) as he found his way in a sport that his family has established an amazing legacy in.

He is scheduled to make eight more 2019 starts for the Gibbs team – a two-time Xfinity Series championship organization.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s team won Saturday’s race with driver Michael Annett, but Earnhardt  also spoke about how proud he was of his nephew.

“Jeffrey’s worked really hard to get where he is today,’’ Dale Earnhardt Jr. said. “He’s sort of reinvented himself and really applied himself. So it’s built into what you see today. And he’s done that on his own. It’s who he is and authentic and I’m glad he’s in a good race car to go out there and run well.

“It will be exciting to see him at the other race tracks throughout the year.’’


Jeffrey Earnhardt  smiled widely standing on pit road after the race and asked about the huge reception he received from the fans at Daytona International Speedway, a place his grandfather is the all-time winningest driver and a place where his Uncle Dale won two Daytona 500s as well.

Many of the fans in the grandstands rose to their feet Saturday afternoon as Earnhardt led the field around – cheering loudly.

“I hope they were, I hope they were cheering,’’ Earnhardt said. “It’s cool to get out there and lead laps and have the opportunity I got. I’ve been very thankful for every opportunity, but man this one is pretty special.

His team owner Gibbs was cognizant of the warm reception too. And equally as encouraged by the job Earnhardt did behind the wheel.

“We’re just so excited to give him a chance, we’re thrilled to have him in our stuff,’’ Gibbs said on pit road after the race. “I think it’s going to be real interesting, I think there’s a lot of fan attention on him. Today we just got trapped in the wrong lane. But it’s going to be interesting as we go forward.

“I really think he’s got a chance to do a great job, a chance to win a race. We’re thrilled to have him. We love all the Earnhardts.”

Posted on by Staff Report

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The thrill of victory at any track is appealing and expected, but the allure of the Daytona 500 Harley J. Earl trophy is especially coveted among the garage. The season-opening event at Daytona International Speedway has seen nine different winners since 2010, with Austin Dillon most recently taking the checkered flag in the 2018 running.

Can Dillon repeat for the first time since Sterling Marlin in 1995? Will 2016 Daytona 500 champ Denny Hamlin snap his winless streak from last season? Or will the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series see a new face in Victory Lane? Ahead of the “Great American Race,” NASCAR.com staff members predict who will break through for the checkered flag in Sunday’s Daytona 500 (2:30 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

RELATED: Daytona 500 starting lineup | Last-minute NASCAR Fantasy Live advice

Denny Hamlin: Difficult to go against the Ford brigade after their weeklong show of strength, but sticking with my pre-Speedweeks pick, leaning on his veteran expertise. – Zack Albert

Kyle Busch: It’s just a matter of time, right? Busch already entered the season with a chip on his shoulder after coming up short at Miami and he’s perhaps even more determined now after a challenging Speedweeks. I’m guessing “Rowdy” will turn frustration into elation Sunday and take home his first Daytona 500 win. – Pat DeCola

Jimmie Johnson: Johnson had an offseason full of change with a new crew chief and new sponsor, but it seemed to only make his drive for success higher. He started out Speedweeks strong by taking the checkered flag in The Clash and the rest of his winning season will start with a trip back to Victory Lane in Daytona. – Marissa Fuller

Paul Menard: I think we are primed for a bit of a surprise winner, but with the speed the Wood Brothers Racing No. 21 has shown as well as that of the Fords, it would be no surprise here. – RJ Kraft

Brad Keselowski: He’s one of the best to ever grace NASCAR’s superspeedways — but has yet to win the sport’s biggest event. While he does have to start from deep in the field, Keselowski’s talent combined with crew chief Paul Wolfe’s strategy should lead the duo to Victory Lane at the end of the day. – Jonathan Merryman

Ryan Blaney: The Ford Mustangs have looked speedy and sporty all weekend, so let’s start there. Then it’s a combination of superspeedway skills, a blend of both patience and daring, plus a little bit of luck. As a new era of NASCAR kicks off, one of its brightest young stars drives his way to Victory Lane. – Brad Norman

Ryan Blaney: After his runner-up in 2017 Daytona 500, the No. 12 driver led a race-high 112 laps in last year’s season-opener, finishing seventh. The revered Penske prowess at restrictor plates – and equally impressive teamwork on superspeedways – puts Blaney is an ideal position to turn a top 10 into a breakthrough victory. – Jessica Ruffin

William Byron: We know the Daytona 500 pole winner has speed in the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. The sophomore driver showed veteran prowess in Thursday’s Duel race, spending time at the front while having the awareness to remove himself from sketchy situations in the draft. Those skills, along with leadership from crew chief Chad Knaus, will land Byron in Daytona’s hallowed Victory Lane to become the first driver since Dale Jarrett in 2000 to win from the pole. – Chase Wilhelm

Joey Logano: The Fords are fast and Logano has the perfect mix of patience and aggression for the biggest tracks. You can’t play scared at Daytona but you can’t be careless, either. Logano seems to have everything in control and has become the driver others don’t want to see in their rearview mirror. – George Winkler

Posted on by Track Release

Reserved tickets for the 61st annual DAYTONA 500, the season-opening event for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, are sold out, Daytona International Speedway President Chip Wile announced today. This is the fourth consecutive year that the DAYTONA 500 has sold out.

“This is a tribute to our fans,” Wile said. “They are responsible for making this ‘The Great American Race’ through their passion for our flagship event and incomparable facility. We thank them for their support as we get the new NASCAR season started appropriately – in front of a packed house at the ‘World Center of Racing.’”

Premium hospitality, infield admissions and UNOH Fanzone/Pre-Race access still remain for the DAYTONA 500 and are available at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP as well as through PrimeSport.com, the official ticket exchange and travel package provider of Daytona International Speedway.

This year’s DAYTONA 500 will be attended by fans representing 45 different countries and every state in the U.S.

Posted on by Staff Report

NEW SMYRNA, Fla. — The sweet taste of victory for a second time.

Chuck Hossfeld clinched his second career Tour Type Modified championship on Friday night at New Smyrna Speedway. He finished seventh in the Richie Evans Memorial 100, but it was enough to clinch the week title over Matt Hirschman by just a mere few spots on the track.

Hirschman, who didn’t finish the Modified race on Tuesday night, was able to complete a victorious final three nights by taking the checkered flag in the Evans 100 in dominating fashion. Hirschman also won the John Blewett III Memorial on Wednesday.

“We had chances to win races, and we didn’t win, but we were so close,” Hossfeld said. “I had to hold off Doug Coby there at the end to win the championship, and I’m proud of that. The rules are the rules. I know we didn’t win (a race), but championships are championships, and I will take them however I can get them.”

Hossfeld’s prior championship trophy at New Smyrna came in 2012. He credits New Smyrna’s Ricky Brooks, who leads technical inspection, for helping to turn the Modified division into a must-visit for drivers. For Hossfeld, winning it the second time is even more special.

“We won it before Ricky, but I have to give him a lot of credit for everything he organized down here, you know you are racing legal cars,” Hossfeld said. “The series has come a long way. There isn’t a scratch on this car. I’m proud of my guys and proud of what we accomplished this week.”

Jimmy Blewett was second in the 100-lap feature and Anthony Nocella third. The first 66 laps of the race went under the green flag before a controlled caution flag slowed the action. Hirschman pitted for tires, along with the other leaders, and he pulled away in the final laps.

Sammy Smith celebrated twice in one night on Friday in the Pro Late Models. Smith pounced on his opportunity to take the race lead on lap 84, passing Loris Hezemans for the top spot. It was the second win of the week for Smith, who also celebrated taking the overall points championship in the Pro Late Model class.

“I did,” the young Smith said when asked if he thought a title was possible at the beginning of the week. “I thought it was going to be a possibility, because I know these guys have the best cars.”

Jackson Boone, who led from the drop of the green, was passed by Smith late had to settle for second. Hezemans finished third.

Racing during the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing concludes on Saturday night with the Super Late Model finale, the Orange Blossom 100, where their champion will be crowned.

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RESULTS: World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing Night 8:

TOUR TYPE MODIFIEDS: 1. Matt Hirschman; 2. Jimmy Blewett; 3. Anthony Nocella; 4. Tommy Catalano; 5. Patrick Emerling; 6. David Sapienza; 7. Chuck Hossfeld; 8. Calvin Carroll; 9. Doug Coby; 10. Jimmy Zacharias; 11. Andy Jankowiak; 12. Tyler Rypkema; 13. Dillon Steuer; 14. Jeremy Gerstner; 15. Bobby Measmer Jr.; 16. Timmy Solomito; 17. Nikki Carroll; 18. Amy Catalano; 19. Al Amarino; 20. Tom Tonn

PRO LATE MODELS: 1. Sammy Smith; 2. Jackson Boone; 3. Loris Hezemans; 4. Todd Stone; 5. Jamie Skinner; 6. Nicholas Naugle; 7. Austin MacDonald; 8. Jeremy Miller; 9. Daniel Dye; 10. Blaise Rutherford; 11. Cassius Clark; 12. Chance Jewels; 13. Sam Johnson; 14. Brandon Oakley; 15. Dalton Smith; 16. Steve Stevenson; 17. Dawson Fletcher; 18. Mason Keller; 19. Ware Carson Reed

Matthirschmannight8win

Posted on by Reid Spencer

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Michael Annett won a numerologist’s delight on Saturday at Daytona International Speedway.

After an offseason change from No. 5 to No. 1 on the sides and roof of his JR Motorsports Chevrolet, Annett held off teammate Justin Allgaier in the NASCAR Racing Experience 300 at the 2.5-mile superspeedway to claim his first victory in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in his 230th start.

MORE: Full race results

“Eight years in the series—this is amazing,” said Annett, who struggled through a 2018 season that failed to produce a single top-five finish. “I couldn’t have done it without these guys (the crew). They’ve stuck with me through the hard times when everybody counts us out and wonders why I get to drive this car, and I think we showed it today—they worked their tails off on this.

“We got the 1 in Victory Lane. Our slogan this year is ‘One team, one dream, one goal.’ This was one of them, so we’re starting off good.”

Brandon Jones ran third in his No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Supra in the debut race for that model. Ryan Sieg ran fourth, followed by Austin Cindric and Christopher Bell.

Allgaier tried to pair up with Jones on the final lap but couldn’t mount a sustained run on his teammate, who held the lead for the final 45 of 120 laps.

“I followed Michael a few years ago in an ARCA race, and I remember seeing that Pilot/Flying J (sponsor logo) on the back bumper,” Allgaier said. “I could beat him them, and I couldn’t do it today. I tried really hard there at the end.

“First of all, hats off the everybody back at JR Motorsports. To see a car that was that strong… all four of our Camaro SS’s were strong today. To see Michael get his first win… he’s tried so hard, and to see the time and the effort he’s put in, especially this offseason, it’s really, really cool. I was disappointed I couldn’t make a run, but a great way to start the season.”

The victory was also the first for crew chief Travis Mack, who was released from the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series team at Leavine Family Racing (with driver Kasey Kahne) in midseason last year. He teamed with Annett for the last portion of 2018 — 13 races in all.

“It’s been a tough road for Travis Mack,” said team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. “It’s been an equally tough road for Michael Annett. This was redemption for both those guys.”


The first caution of the race not for a stage break came on Lap 71, when the escape hatch in the roof of Brad Keselowski’s No. 12 Ford broke loose and landed in the tri-oval grass.

That particular piece had broken on Lap 1, and the Team Penske crew had spent the cautions at the ends of the first two stages trying to secure it—in vain. After the hatch went flying, Keselowski took his car to the garage and retired in 37th place.

“I felt like I was back in the ‘50s running a convertible here on the beach,” Keselowski said wryly. “That was interesting. The roof, escape hatch, whatever it’s called, looks like there was a defect from the factory on the body and just nothing we could do. The guys tried to fix it, but it’s in a spot where you can’t get to it and work on it.

“It’s made the way it’s made. It’s one of those things outside your control, and sometimes that’s just how things go… I know we had a car that could win today. It broke on Lap 1, Turn 1, and we did everything we could to fix it for the last hour or so, but it is just not something you can fix.”

Notes: In his first drive in the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, Jeffrey Earnhardt led the first 29 laps, finished fourth in Stage 1, fifth in Stage 2 and 15th at the checkered flag. …Ross Chastain won Stage 2 in his first trip in the No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet before finishing 13th. His teammate, Justin Haley, won the first stage and came home 17th. …2000 series champion Jeff Green ran seventh, followed by John Hunter Nemechek, pole winner Tyler Reddick (who started from the rear because of a pre-race tire change) and Chase Elliott. … Noah Gragson finished 11th in his first run in the No. 9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet.

RELATED: Earnhardt learning to lead in gig with Joe Gibbs Racing

Posted on by Eric Johnson

As the 61st running of the Daytona 500 (Sunday, 2:30 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) draws closer, we caught up with several drivers in the field to talk about what the biggest race in the world means to them.

Tyler Reddick

Daytona International Speedway has become, in an abbreviated amount of time, very good to Tyler Reddick. Really, it goes back to.0004 seconds, the margin of victory from when Tyler snatched the season-opening Xfinity Series race last February. However, that was then and this is now. The native Californian will look to rise to lofty expectations this weekend.

Well, not sugarcoating anything, this is a damn big week for you, huh?
“Yeah, it’s the biggest week of my life, for sure. Winning the Xfinity championship is pretty awesome, but now to follow up with things and getting right back into the swing of running in the Cup series as well, it has been an interesting experience so far. We’re going form Homestead last year and right back to Daytona again.

How has everything gone thus far with the Monster Energy Series transition?
“Obviously, everyone spends a lot of time preparing for this race. I knew a good bit before we announced all this. We knew it was going to happen, but we were just waiting for the right time to announce it. We were working at the shop to get everything ready and to make sure we were good to go.”

Limited seat time and all, how does the Cup car feel to you?
“The car actually feels really nice. I think it’s fast. Some of my teammates think it’s a little loose and a little out of control at times, but that’s really just our qualifying setup. We knew we had to qualify on time and we did. … These cars are definitely a lot quicker than the Xfinity cars.”

Clint Bowyer

After an unexpected five-year walkabout in which Clint Bowyer never caught a glimpse of Victory Lane, Bowyer lit a fuse in 2018 winning twice, finishing in the top five on nine occasions and finishing the season a solid 12th in final points. Backed by Stewart-Haas Racing, the 39-year-old from Emporia, Kansas, has designs on big things this season. His journey starts at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, when he will make his 470th Cup start.

What will be your approach in 2019? Once again, quite a marathon, huh?
“Definitely a marathon ahead, but I am as confident as I ever have been. We improved a lot last year and we plan to keep that going for us this year. We’ve got to keep winning during the season and take that to another level when the playoffs come around.”

Who do you think and believe will be strong in ’19?
“I honestly believe that every SHR team member will be strong in 2019. Our team has a strength in numbers and having four cars is such a powerful thing.”

Clint, are you still enjoying all this as much as ever?
“You bet! I have a really great feeling about the year ahead and know we’ve put the work in to give ourselves a great chance. There’s nothing I would rather be doing then getting out there and driving the best I can. Having such a great team and crew chief by my side and pushing me to do better is something I really don’t take for granted.

Daytona 500. Love it? Special?
“Let me tell you, the Daytona 500 is still the ‘Granddaddy of Them All’ and the race everyone wants to win. You are still going to see the same wild racing and the same intensity. That’s the trophy we all want.”

Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

Proclaimed Ricky Stenhouse Jr. the day before the 2019 Daytona 500: “It’s our Super Bowl, so hopefully we can stay out of trouble and contend for the win. I feel like we’ve got a really good shot.” Enough said. Now entering his seventh full-time Monster Energy Series season and with 220 starts to his name, Stenhouse will start Sunday’s race fifth. Before the green flag drops, Stenhouse got us up to speed on what’s on his mind the night before America’s most prestigious and storied stock car race.

With the new Mustang and through the technical push Roush Fenway Racing is putting forth for the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season, can you win here tomorrow? Can you realistically win the Daytona 500?
“Yeah, we can win here, for sure. You know, we circle five or six races that we feel, ‘Hey, we’ve got a really good shot at winning these races.’ … All the speedway races we circle; both Bristol races we circle.”

What went through your mind during the offseason? Did you evaluate yourself and/or your goals?
“Our offseason this year, I was actually kind of filled up and was really busy running around. After that, I just kind of took off a little bit and just kind of forgot about the last couple years and being a little frustrated – especially last year with not getting a win and not making the playoffs. I just kind of took some time away and showed up down here and kind of feel rejuvenated and ready to go.”

Do think some of the other cars and drivers have taken notice (of your speed) and will work with you during the 500 tomorrow? “Yeah, we’ll see. It’s funny, you know? I feel like back in the day you used to have cars that kind of helped each other out, but now you’re really out there and you’re out there by yourself. If it doesn’t benefit somebody else, forget it. They’re not going to do something to help you.”

It’s ruthless out there, huh?
“Yeah, that’s kind of the game that we put ourselves in. You’ve got to be aggressive and the way we’ve learned to drive the cars, you can do some of the stuff on your own and work your way up through the field and slow people down and be aggressive.”

Posted on by RJ Kraft

Hendrick Motorsports teammates William Byron and Alex Bowman will make up the front row of Sunday’s Daytona 500 (2:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) but should they be in your lineup? After five practice sessions and the Gander RV Duel races, we’ve dissected the numbers to offer a suggested lineup worthy of your Fantasy Live consideration as your make roster decisions.

PLAY NOW: Set your lineup | How the game works | Tips to set your lineup

Remember that the garage locks at the end of Stage 2. Once thee final stage starts, your roster is locked in.

RJ Kraft’s Fantasy Live lineup for race-day at Daytona:
1. Joey Logano
2. Denny Hamlin
3. Paul Menard
4. Aric Almirola
5. Alex Bowman
Garage: Matt DiBenedetto

Analysis: I’m changing nothing from my original lineup but I’ll offer some reasoning for these selections. Logano and Hamlin are my main two to build around for Sunday. Both have won this race before, in 2015 and 2016, respectively. Logano won the second Duel on Thursday night with a bold pass and Hamlin ran second for much of that event as well. They have pretty strong records of late in this race so I’m using these two as my building blocks.

RELATED: Cars sent to the rear on Sunday

The rest of my lineup is comprised of drivers with recent success and favorable history in restrictor-plate racing as well as drivers that I don’t anticipate using the full 10 uses on in Fantasy Live in 2019.

RELATED: Fantasy analysis for Daytona | 10-lap averages | Driver stats

The Ford camp looked mighty strong in the Duel races. In particular, Menard has looked really stout this week. He has three top-six finishes in his last four Daytona starts. Because the Fords have really so strong, I’d like to have a Stewart-Haas Racing driver in my lineup as well. That said, I would save the use of Kevin Harvick — as strong as he looked in the first Duel withstanding — so I am turning to last year’s heartbreak kid in Almirola.

My last starter will be Bowman. I think he’s flying under the radar quite a bit. Here’s a sneaky reason I like him: He earned stage points in three of four opportunities last year at Daytona. The garage play for me is DiBenedetto — in part because I am bullish on this team in 2019 and also because he has top 10s in two of his last four Daytona starts. I also like this play because he is currently rostered by only three percent of players.

Four other drivers I strongly considered but ultimately decided against playing: Ryan Blaney, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ryan Newman and Chris Buescher. I wanted one of the Penske cars so I went with Logano. As good as the Fords have looked, I am reluctant to stack the deck with a lineup of one entire manufacturer and that also impacted my decision to leave Blaney, Stenhouse and Newman off the roster. I wrestled quite a bit with Buescher as the garage play as he is the only driver to score top fives in both Daytona races last year. In fact, based on odds, DiBenedetto (60-1 per VegasInsider.com) and Buescher (70-1) are my favorite long shot bets on the board.

For the stages, I’m going to pick Harvick in Stage 1 and 2 because I think he will win one of them so I will double down on that. For the winner, I am going to go with Logano. He’s already on my roster, but I feel good about that selection and with only 10 points on the line, I don’t see the need to take a driver not in my lineup.

Each week in this space, we’ll also highlight two Props Challenge items for players.

MORE: Play the Props Challenge today

1. William Byron will be the race leader for O/U 22.5 total laps. I like the under here. In four of the past six Daytona 500s, the pole sitter has not hit that mark — the two that did: Jeff Gordon in 2015—his final Daytona 500 start and Chase Elliott in 2017 — his second year in a row on the pole. By and large the pole winner in recent years has been a young driver that has less experience in the draft. Throw in the fact that an army of Fords is lined behind him and I expect the Mustangs to get organized quickly and power by Byron to the front early in Stage 1.

2. Which driver will have a higher finishing position: Brad Keselowski or Joey Logano? Logano has finished higher than Keselowski in the past four Daytona 500s and seven of the last nine. The bulk of Keselowski’s plate success has been at Talladega. You could argue Keselowski is due at Daytona, but I believe the numbers don’t lie, so I am taking Logano on this one.

For additional insight, check out the new podcast — Fantasy Fastlane with Steve Letarte — in which he offers up his roster, breaks down some Props Challenge item and analyzes Daytona with the help of Racing Insights’ Russell Wenrich, NASCAR.com’s Jessica Ruffin and NBC Sports’ Jeff Burton.

Posted on by Staff Report

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Sam Bass, whose images earned acclaim as the first officially licensed artist of NASCAR, died Saturday. He was 57.

Denise Bass, his wife, confirmed the artist’s passing. Bass had been battling kidney failure and was in search of a transplant.

“It is with a sad heart that our family shares the news of our loss with the NASCAR community,” Denise Bass wrote. “Sam Bass, a loving husband, father, and inspiration to us all, passed away earlier today. Thank you for your prayers during this very difficult time.”

The sanctioning body of NASCAR said of Bass in a statement: “Though he may have never turned a lap or a wrench, few captured the essence of our sport through his work more than Sam Bass. He was a consistent presence in the NASCAR garage, and his ever-present smile and endearing personality welcomed all. Though we have lost a member of the NASCAR family, his legend will continue in his art – all of which illustrated the greatness of our sport and the talent of a true friend.”

Bass’ work was seen by many at high speed on NASCAR’s circuits, as his designs adorned cars driven by several of the sport’s most prominent drivers. Among those paint schemes was the iconic “Rainbow Warrior” colors that rode with Jeff Gordon’s No. 24 Chevrolet early in his career. Other paint schemes for Gordon’s rides followed.

RELATED: Bass-designed Gordon scheme driven by Byron at Darlington

“One of the things I have enjoyed the most about my career over the years is the people interaction,” Bass said as he provided a medical update in 2017.

Following his NASCAR Xfinity Series team’s win at Daytona by driver Michael Annett, Dale Earnhardt Jr. talked about Bass and the person he was.

“We worked real hard over the last year or so trying to help Sam,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “It’s just difficult to know that somebody, they’re here one day and they’re not here anymore. It’s so hard to understand. Everybody knows how Sam was, how great he was, how amazing. There’s not many people that you meet in your life that are so happy to see you every time they see you, and he was that way. And so he set such a great example for all of us on how to treat people and how to maintain relationships. He just seemed so grateful for everything that ever happened to him. I hope that he’s celebrated because he meant a lot to this sport.”

Bass’ work was also prominent on race-day programs, adorning the cover of Charlotte Motor Speedway’s publications since 1985.

In a statement, Speedway Motorsports, Inc. President and CEO Marcus Smith said: “Our deepest sympathies are with Denise and her family today. Sam Bass has been a significant part of NASCAR’s history. He poured his heart, soul and talent into producing souvenir program covers at many speedways including Charlotte for more than 30 years. His work provided our fans a keepsake to treasure, and that was so appropriate, because Sam was always such a fan of our sport and he was such a treasure to the entire NASCAR family. His body of work will be a legacy that lives forever. We will miss Sam’s smile and positivity.”

Drivers and teams reacted to the sad news.