NASCAR Fantasy Picks: Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona

This week’s NASCAR fantasy picks for the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway.

Daytona is one of the toughest tracks to pick for fantasy. Not even the Vegas line knows who will wreck, who will have two pit-violations, and who will fail pre-race inspection and have to start at the rear on such a treacherous track. Add all of those elements together, factor in that this is a hot night race in Florida in July, and you can see how Bubba Wallace finished second here last season.

The best drivers can DNF, the worst drivers can cry tears of joy all over Parker Klingerman in victory lane, and everyone who participates can shake their head in wonder after all is said and done. Which is honestly what I did after the 500 in February. Kyle Larson is notoriously lousy at Daytona, but he came in 7^th; Kurt Bush has good numbers here, but he finished 25^th. Both Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick have wins under their belt at this track, but both are having a sub-par season and neither are consistent enough to make me feel secure in picking them for a trip to victory lane.

This race also marks the first time the new rules package will be used at this track. Even though they raced the 500 in February, the old package was still in effect. Here’s what drivers will be dealing with this week:

• • .922-inch tapered spacer (this replaces the restrictor plate)
• • 1-inch wicker extension on top of a 9-inch rear spoiler
• • 1-inch bolt-on track bar mount
• • Standard tapered radiator pan
• • Two inch splitter overhang
• • New tire package featuring a new left-side tire compound on the Goodyear Eagle superspeedway radial. Teams will have 2 practice sets, 1 set for qualifying, and 7 sets for the race.

The best that any of us can do in fantasy this week is to go with the gut. We still have to think about track experience, but we also take note of who’s hot and pick the people that have a lot of luck riding on their side right now.

Last Week’s NASCAR Fantasy Picks: Recap From The Camping World 400 at Chicagoland Speedway

Brilliant NASCAR fantasy picks:

• Martin Truex Jr. – finished 9^th
• Chase Elliott – finished 11th
• Brad Keselowski – finished 5^th

Bold NASCAR fantasy picks:

• Daniel Hemric – finished 19^th
• Kyle Larson – finished 2^nd
• Ryan Blaney – finished 6^th

Bonkers NASCAR fantasy picks:

• Jimmie Johnson – finished 4^th
• Kurt Busch – finished 13^th
• Austin Dillon – finished 10th

And now, here are this week’s Brilliant, Bold, and Bonkers NASCAR Fantasy picks for the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway

Brilliant NASCAR fantasy picks

Joey Logano

• Wins: 1
• Top 5 finishes: 5
• Top 10 finishes: 8

Logano really wanted that win at Chicagoland last week, and I think that he’ll take that desire into Daytona this weekend. He excels at Talladega, but Daytona has given him the slip a few times. Still, this guy is on fire and I expect a win by the 22 after all is said and done.

Brad Keselowski

• Wins: 1
• Top 5 finishes: 3
• Top 10 finishes: 4

The only thing that can hold back the 2 this week is his aggression at this track. He made a statement his week after a tangle with William Byron in final practice that he’s “tired of getting wrecked at these (superspeedway) tracks. Just trying to send a message. I’m not lifting.”

It’s go-big-or-go-home for Brad, but as long as he can race clean, he’s as good as any for the win.

Eric Jones

• Wins: 1
• Top 5 finishes: 1
• Top 10 finishes: 2

JGR Toyotas have been great at Daytona, and I think that this week is Jones’ turn to shine. He has a win here and came in 3^rd in the 500. The 20 has a way of getting through the unfortunate events that occur at crazy tracks, and he’s been heating up in the last two weeks. Expect a good finish if he can stay out of chaos.

Bold NASCAR fantasy picks

Aric Almirola

• Wins: 1
• Top 5 finishes: 2
• Top 10 finishes: 2

This isn’t the season that the 10-team wanted, but I have a feeling that Daytona can turn things around. Almirola is good at tracks like Daytona and Talladega, and with the right spot of luck Saturday night, he might just get his first season win.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

• Wins: 1
• Top 5 finishes: 2
• Top 10 finishes: 3

Stenhouse is aggressive and loves tracks like this, but that aggression can sometimes lead to a DNF. As long as he can hold it together, there’s no reason why this 17 team can’t find themselves in victory lane by the end of the night.

Alex Bowman

• Wins: 0
• Top 5 finishes: 0
• Top 10 finishes: 1

There’s no denying that Bowman is hot, and Hendrick cars are historically fast on Superspeedways. It’s one of his better tracks, and last’s weeks win probably took loads of pressure off his shoulders. I think the 88 has the potential to finish well, if not first.

Bonkers NASCAR fantasy picks

Martin Truex Jr.

• Wins: 0
• Top 5: 2
• Top 10: 4

Truex and the superspeedway go together like peanut butter and pickles. His lousiest luck comes with both Daytona and Talladega, with average finishes in the low 20s. Poor Martin has a way of getting mixed up in the middle where all of the action happens, and this is why I don’t trust him to come in first this week.

Kyle Larson

• Wins: 0
• Top 5 finishes: 0
• Top 10 finishes: 2

If Larson can make it through crashes and incidents, he might just finish in the top 5, but I have a feeling that he won’t get that far. Despite coming so close to a win week ago, he’ll most likely have to wait awhile longer to get there.

Chase Elliott

• Wins: 0
• Top 5 finishes: 0
• Top 10 finishes: 0

I don’t think that Elliot is a one-and-done winner this season, but he doesn’t have the best record at this track. Despite his superspeedway experience, winning at Talladega this season, Daytona hasn’t been kind to him. Though he has three poles, he somehow manages to get mixed up in the messes when it’s go-time.