Early, Early Rankings: Daytona I, 2014

Here are my super early driver rankings for the first race of the 2014 season, the Daytona 500. These rankings are so early, the entry list isn’t even out yet. So, it likely includes a bunch of guys who won’t run, and misses a few others.

Anyway, I compiled them by crunching the qualifying data for the two 2013 races at Daytona and the 2013 spring race at Talladega (rain washed out qualifying at Talladega II last year or I would’ve included that, too). I also crunched the loop data for all four plate races last year. I think these two metrics reflect speed, the ability to pass and the ability (and inclination) to run a lot of laps up front, all of which should give me the best chance to get in the ballpark with race-result predictions.

My results:

  1. Jimmie Johnson
  2. Matt Kenseth
  3. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
  4. Kyle Busch
  5. Joey Logano
  6. Martin Truex Jr.
  7. Danica Patrick
  8. Clint Bowyer
  9. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
  10. Paul Menard
  11. Carl Edwards
  12. Ryan Newman
  13. Kasey Kahne
  14. Marcos Ambrose
  15. Mark Martin
  16. Jeff Gordon
  17. Brad Keselowski
  18. Denny Hamlin
  19. Greg Biffle
  20. Jamie McMurray
  21. Tony Stewart
  22. Trevor Bayne
  23. Aric Almirola
  24. Casey Mears
  25. Jeff Burton
  26. Michael Waltrip
  27. Kurt Busch
  28. Justin Allgaier
  29. Regan Smith
  30. Austin Dillon
  31. Kevin Harvick
  32. Juan Pablo Montoya
  33. David Gilliland
  34. David Ragan
  35. David Stremme
  36. AJ Allmendinger
  37. Michael McDowell
  38. Scott Speed
  39. Bobby Labonte
  40. Josh Wise
  41. Dave Blaney
  42. J.J. Yeley
  43. Travis Kvapil
  44. David Reutimann
  45. Terry Labonte
  46. Landon Cassill
  47. Joe Nemechek
  48. Cole Whitt
  49. Elliott Sadler
  50. Tony Raines
  51. Mike Bliss(i)
  52. Brian Keselowski

2 thoughts on “Early, Early Rankings: Daytona I, 2014

  1. Ray Miller

    My results: Daytona DNF’s rules again.
    1.Jimmie Johnson
    2.Matt Kenseth
    3.Dale Earnhardt Jr.
    4.Kyle Busch
    5.Joey Logano
    6.Martin Truex Jr.
    7.Danica Patrick
    8.Clint Bowyer
    9.Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
    10.Paul Menard

  2. Pingback: Final NASCAR Driver Rankings: Daytona I, 2014 | NASCARpredict.com

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