Daytona 500 2015: Biggest Questions Ahead of Sunday's Massive Race
Although the Daytona 500 isn't the first official race of the Sprint Cup season, it signifies the true jumping-off point for a new campaign.
Between that and its standing as perhaps the biggest singular event in the sport, fans spend countless hours analyzing the top talking points. In addition, finding compelling storylines is never very difficult.
Here are two of the bigger questions Sprint Cup fans are pondering with the Daytona 500 set for this Sunday.
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Does Jeff Gordon Get His Storybook Ending? Or Would It Be a Beginning?
Although Jeff Gordon announced in a press release that the 2015 season will be his final full-time season on the circuit, some wondered if he'd make the sporadic appearance here and there for the biggest race(s) of the year.
After all, Gordon seemed to hint that he might show up to the Brickyard 400 in future years.
Instead, the 43-year-old eliminated any doubt that he'd become a part-time driver, per Jared Turner of FoxSports.com:
"I felt like because I have so much respect for those guys that it was necessary for me to leave those options open, but when I start really thinking about it from a realistic standpoint, what I love about racing is not going out there driving fast and driving race cars.
I like competing at a high level to win, and if I felt like I could go to a Brickyard or Martinsville or Bristol or, I don't know, a couple tracks that come to mind, and be competitive with a competitive team, then I might consider doing that, but I don't know how that would ever play, because you can't do it at Hendrick, really, the way I see it.
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Perhaps Gordon already got his going-away present from Daytona in the form of the pole for Sunday. It was one of those stories that seemed crafted by the racing gods themselves:
Historically, Gordon is one of the best at Daytona International Speedway among active drivers. According to Racing-Reference.info, he owns more wins than anybody else, while his average finish of 16.2 is fifth.
However, success has been harder to find more recently. His last win at the track was the 2005 Daytona 500, and since then, his average finish is a somewhat less impressive 20.2.
Sitting on the pole isn't a guarantee for success for Gordon, even if he won the Daytona 500 from the pole in 1999. As Turner wrote, few drivers have managed to start and finish at the top of the field in the race:
"Not particularly well -- if history means anything. In the previous 56 installments of NASCAR's biggest race, only nine times has a driver gone to Victory Lane after starting on the pole. The last driver to do so was Dale Jarrett -- all the way back in 2000.
[...]
Prior to Gordon's 1999 triumph, the last driver to win the 500 after qualifying first was Bill Elliott in 1987. Elliott accomplished the same feat in 1985. The other drivers to leave with the coveted 500 winner's trophy after starting from the pole are basically a who's who list of NASCAR legends: Buddy Baker (1980), Cale Yarborough (1984 and 1968), Richard Petty (1966) and Fireball Roberts (1962).
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Gordon winning both the pole for his last Daytona 500 and the race itself would be one of those moments remembered for years to come. Its improbability would only be matched by its narrative quality. The only thing that could perhaps outweigh it is him winning the Sprint Cup points title.
If both history and his recent performances are any indicators, though, the No. 24 car will face an uphill battle on Sunday.
Can Either Busch Brother Pick up Elusive First Daytona 500 Victory?
In terms of best drivers never to win a Daytona 500, Tony Stewart will occupy the top spot on many fans' lists. Brad Keselowski and Denny Hamlin are also among the crop of best active stars never to have grabbed the checkered flag at The Great American Race.
Between their combined efforts at Daytona International Speedway, the two Busch brothers also warrant mention in the discussion. They're two of the better drivers at the track who've never captured a Daytona 500 win.
Kyle Busch has one victory at Daytona—the 2008 Coke Zero 400—while Kurt Busch has never won a single race there.
This is despite consistently strong performances from both Kyle and Kurt Busch. Here's a look at their numbers and where they rank among active drivers, courtesy of Racing-Reference.info and NASCAR.com's stats advance.
| Kurt Busch | 28 | 11 (T2nd) | 14 (T5th) | 17.5 (9th) | 15.8 (7th) | 90.5 (3rd) | 60.9% (5th) |
| Kyle Busch | 20 | 5 (13th) | 6 (T17th) | 19.0 (15th) | 12.8 (1st) | 96.2 (1st) | 70.1% (1st) |
Kyle Busch spoke about his desire to get a first Daytona 500 win, per Godwin Kelly of The Daytona Beach News-Journal:
"Pretty bad. It's a race every little boy dreams of and wants to be a part of and winning it. I've always been a fan of the Daytona 500. I'm excited to be participating, and I'm hoping for that win. I've been doing it a few years now, and I've had some close moments and some failures. I look forward going in with my crew chief Adam Stevens.
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Given his ongoing legal proceedings, Kurt Busch might have his mind elsewhere when he takes to the track on Sunday. Winning the Daytona 500 isn't the most pressing issue he's dealing with at the moment.
With that said, a Daytona 500 win would be his just rewards with the strong performances he's had at the track over the years. And Kyle Busch has been one of the best drivers at Daytona since making his debut in 2005.
Collectively, it's surprising that neither one of them has reigned supreme. That might change this year.
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