NASCAR: Drivers Who Proved They Are Ready for the Daytona 500
The NASCAR season is finally here, and with the first week of Sprint Cup racing starting, some drivers have proved they are ready for the Daytona 500 more than others.
Drivers and teams had several chances to prove how ready they were for the 500.
The Sprint Unlimited, qualifying and practice and the two Budweiser Duels all offered drivers and teams a chance to prepare for the biggest race of the season.
One of the biggest adjustments to the 2015 season is the new pit road officiating system. While several teams struggled with it, others were able to adjust and make sure their drivers had great positioning on the track throughout the Sprint Unlimited and Budweiser Duels.
Every driver wants to win the Daytona 500, but these five proved they are ready more than the others.
Honorable Mention: Kyle Busch
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Even though Kyle Busch didn't finish as well as two of his Joe Gibbs teammates during the Sprint Unlimited, he still had a solid performance during the second of the Budweiser Duels.
Busch finished second behind Jimmie Johnson in the second Duel and will start the Daytona 500 from the fourth position.
The driver of the No. 18 M&M Toyota had solid results in practice, coming in at seventh-fastest in both the fourth and sixth practice sessions.
With a new crew chief in Adam Stevens, Busch will have a lot to prove this season. He could easily be a top driver to watch for at Daytona, but there are other drivers who have already proved they are better prepared for the 500 than Busch is.
5. Jeff Gordon
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After coming off one of his best seasons in recent years, Jeff Gordon started the 2015 season by announcing that it would be his last full-time year in the Sprint Cup Series.
Gordon is starting his season off right by claiming the pole for the Daytona 500. He ran well in the Sprint Unlimited, finishing seventh, and placed second in the first race of the Budweiser Duels.
Even though this is his last season in a full-time Sprint Cup ride, Gordon still has a lot to prove. Over the last several years, he has run into trouble during the Great American Race. Will he be able to avoid running into trouble this year, or will he struggle to stay out in front once the green flag drops?
Still, he's coming off a great 2014 season and starting from the pole this year, which is the best start Gordon's had in the Daytona 500 in years.
4. Carl Edwards
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With a new team and a different car manufacturer, Carl Edwards is hoping to revitalize his career in 2015 like Kevin Harvick did last season and Matt Kenseth did back in 2013.
Since the No. 19 car didn't compete last season, Edwards had to earn his way into the Daytona 500. With a third-place finish in both the Sprint Unlimited and the second Budweiser Duel race, he will start the Great American Race in sixth.
With a brand new team and a new crew chief in Darian Grubb, Edwards is showing early that he's adjusting to Joe Gibbs Racing and to driving a Toyota.
Not only is it impressive for this new group to come together and have a great running right at the start of the season, but it also proves that Carl Edwards will be one driver to watch for when the green flag drops at Daytona.
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3. Jimmie Johnson
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Jimmie Johnson and the No. 48 team struggled in the Chase last year after winning three races in the regular season and one in the Chase after he had already been eliminated. In 2015, Johnson and the No. 48 team have already started to prove they are ready to try for a seventh championship.
Johnson didn't get the pole for the Daytona 500, but he did manage to qualify in second behind his teammate in Gordon. He then went on to win the second race of the Budweiser Duels in dominating fashion, as he was consistently up front and proved that he had one of the strongest cars on the track.
Johnson has won at Daytona before, but statistically, he's struggled at the 500. He was caught in a wreck during the Sprint Unlimited, but after landing on the front row for the Daytona 500 and winning the second Budweiser Duel, he is ready for the biggest race of the NASCAR season.
2. Matt Kenseth
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Matt Kenseth made it into the Chase last season and lasted a couple of rounds, but the No. 20 team didn't finish the season with a single win. This season, though, Kenseth started the year off by winning the Sprint Unlimited. While it doesn't count as an official win, it's what the No. 20 team needed.
Kenseth has run well at Daytona before, but the speed wasn't there for the No. 20 team in 2014. Now, after proving that he can draft, avoid wrecks and get to the front of the pack when he needs to, Kenseth has shown that he is clearly ready for the Daytona 500.
While the 500 is a lot longer than the Sprint Unlimited, drivers had nothing to lose in the short race and put everything on the line to get a trophy.
And Kenseth was the one to outrace them all.
1. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
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Dale Earnhardt Jr. is the defending winner of the Daytona 500. This season, Earnhardt has a lot to prove, especially after getting a new crew chief in Greg Ives and having one of his better seasons last year.
Junior ran into problems after qualifying, as he and Denny Hamlin both failed post-race inspection. His No. 88 car was too low in the left front, forcing Junior to start 25th in the first Budweiser Duel.
"Failed post tech after qualifying. 1/8 low left front. That's a shame. The boys will figure out why. Makes the duels a lot more interesting.
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) February 15, 2015"
Even though he had problems after qualifying, Junior still believes that he has the fastest car on the track after posting the fastest time during the first round of practice. He backed his claim up by pushing to the front and winning the first Budweiser Duel race from 25th.
Daytona has been one of Earnhardt's better tracks over the last three years. Prior to winning the Daytona 500 in 2014, he was runner-up two years in a row.
After a solid start to the season and having run well at Daytona in the past, Dale Jr. is easily one driver who's proved that he's ready for the Great American Race, and he has a great chance to successfully defend his Daytona 500 victory from last season.
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