NASCAR at Daytona 2015: Top Sleepers to Watch in Great American Race
NASCAR's best and most accomplished drivers will soon converge on Daytona International Speedway for the Daytona 500, but an unheralded underdog could just as easily take the checkered flag.
There is a certain amount of chaos and randomness involved with tracks such as Daytona and Talladega, which has led to some surprising winners in recent years. With new drivers making the leap to the Sprint Cup Series and others coming of age, that trend could continue.
With NASCAR's brief offseason set to reach its conclusion soon, here is a somewhat early look at the under-the-radar drivers who have the best chance to win the Great American Race.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Ryan Blaney
Wood Brothers Racing knows a thing or two about shocking Daytona 500 wins, and the little team that could may very well have a talented young driver in place to carry on that legacy.
Ryan Blaney is set to start the Daytona 500 in the iconic No. 21 car. That matches the age of the promising young driver who finished second in Camping World Truck Series standings last year. After such a strong season, he will run an 18-race slate for the Wood Brothers in 2015, according to Bob Pockrass of ESPN.com:
None of those races are more important than the Daytona 500, however. It was just four years ago that Wood Brothers Racing entered Victory Lane at Daytona following rookie Trevor Bayne's surprising win. Based on his resume to this point, Blaney has the ability to repeat that feat.
It is already quite clear that Blaney feels comfortable in his new surroundings. Per Chris Estrada of Motor Sports Talk, the up-and-coming star believes he is on the same page as his team.
"This family legacy is pretty unique to me. I come from a long family of racing, and that's the same with the Wood Brothers. It's kind of neat. It's really special and something we can share. I think that's gonna create a really good bond.
Because that's all we want to do – myself, the Wood Brothers, and [crew chief] Jeremy Bullins – all we want to do is win and do well. That's all we care about: Racing.
"
The Wood Brothers seem to create a great environment for young drivers when they ascend to the Sprint Cup Series. The good ones eventually go on to star on bigger teams, but Wood Brothers Racing lays a strong foundation.
That was the case with Bayne, and it could hold true for Blaney as well. There won't be much pressure on him to perform at Daytona, so Blaney will have the luxury of letting loose and going for it.
Austin Dillon
After getting acclimated to the Sprint Cup Series last season, 24-year-old Austin Dillon seems primed to take a big leap in his sophomore season.
Dillon ran a full Sprint Cup slate last year, and he acquitted himself well by finishing 20th in the points standings. He didn't win a race, but he did manage four top-10 finishes, including two at Daytona International Speedway.
Among active Sprint Cup drivers, only Dale Earnhardt Jr. has a better average finish at Daytona than Dillon's 15th-place mark. He took the pole in the Daytona 500 last season and parlayed that into a strong ninth-place result.
Now that he is able to shed that rookie label, Dillon expects much bigger and better things for himself and his team in 2015, according to Jared Turner of Fox Sports.
"I think I need to challenge myself more on restarts. I need to take advantage of the opportunities. I've got that yellow (rookie) stripe off my back, and I need to let people know that it's not there. At some point, at some time you've got to be aggressive, and that's what this Sprint Cup racing's about. They really pushed me a lot last year to be that way.
It's hard, though, coming into the sport as a rookie with all the things that we brought into it, and making those leaps. But there's a certain point you've got to, and hopefully we make that leap this year and start pushing ourselves more on these restarts and making stuff happen.
"
Dillon's new, aggressive nature should serve him well at Daytona, and it could even result in a win. In fact, Dillon will enter the start of the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup season with some momentum on his side due to his success on dirt tracks during the offseason, per PopularSpeed.com on Twitter:
It is obvious based on Dillon's comments that his confidence is much higher now than it was at this point last year. The next step for him is to win a race this season, and his success at Daytona suggests that the Daytona 500 could very well be that race.
Sam Hornish Jr.
Sam Hornish Jr. hasn't run the majority of a Sprint Cup schedule since 2012, and it has been five years since he last ran a full schedule. As the replacement for Marcos Ambrose in the No. 9 Richard Petty Motorsports machine, though, his Sprint Cup hiatus is over.
The 35-year-old veteran is a far more experienced and polished stock-car driver than he was during his previous stint. That was quite evident last season when he dominated the Xfinity Series. Although he ran in only eight races, he won once and registered four top-five finishes.
Hornish looks like a late bloomer who is finally hitting his stride, which is why MRN's The Inside Line views him as a potential sleeper for those who play fantasy racing:
His success could start as quickly as the Daytona 500, as Hornish prides himself on being able to handle all different types and lengths of tracks, according to NASCAR's official Twitter account:
Hornish's Sprint Cup accomplishments may not look particularly impressive on paper, but he is an improved driver with the tools necessary to finally reach his potential.
If Hornish can keep himself in the mix and avoid the big wreck at Daytona, then he has a legitimate chance to add a Daytona 500 victory to his Indianapolis 500 win.
Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
