Daytona 500: The Chevy Chase

The qualification procedures may be arcane, Speedand though they've all changed from the Taurus to
Weeks may take too long, and the kvetching aboutthe Fusion, aero tests have indicated that they
restrictor plates may make the Smokeless Set'shaven't lost much in translation. Watching Elliott Sadler
drivers sound like Oprah Winfrey bitching out Jameslead his qualifying heat last Thursday, you'd have a
Frey ("How could you lie to me? I'm Oprah"). Buthard time convincing too many drivers that the
once Sunday afternoon comes, NASCAR nation isFusion isn't sound as a drum.But what are we
set to be completely psyched once again, and so amsupposed to do with all this data? Over the past four
I.They call Nextel Cup's the shortest offseason inseasons (what I refer to as the "modern era" of
sports, but the truth is that Homestead (November'sNextel Cup racing), the three drivers with the best
final race) seems like a long time ago. I mean, gosh,average finish at Daytona (Jeff Gordon, Jimmie
way back then, the Pittsburgh Steelers were just aJohnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr.) drive Chevy. The
glimmer in Bill Cowher's eye, Louisville looked like ithighest Ford is Jarrett in fourth, and the highest
was going to field a darned good college basketballDodge is Marlin in 13th (though of course he's moved
team, and Dick Cheney had shot as many people into Chevy this year). Tony Stewart drives Chevy.
the face as you had. Also, Kurt Busch, JamieKevin Harvick drives Chevy. And the leading team in
McMurray, Michael Waltrip, Bobby Labonte, SterlingFord's stable, Roush Racing, has never won the
Marlin, Scott Riggs, Ken Schrader and Terry LabonteDaytona 500 (Greg Biffle is the only Roush driver to
drove for different teams. But the future is now, andpost a win at Daytona, and that was the '03 Pepsi
the '06 season is set to begin with a bang. Finally.The500 he won on a fluky fuel strategy). While I'm
leading storylines for the big race will include whetherimpressed by Yates, and you can't help but love the
or not a Ford or Dodge can break Chevrolet's hold onRoush cars, I have to admit that for the foreseeable
the 500; Chevy has won three 500s in a row, 10 offuture, at plate tracks I'm thinking Chevy.So which
the last 13 and 13 of the last 17. And the GM carsdrivers do I think represent the best wagers on the
are just as dominant overall on restrictor-plate tracks:first race of the 2006 season? Read on!Last Season:
before Dale Jarrett's caution-aided win at TalladegaI finished +54.6 units in 2005, which is pretty darned
last fall, Chevy had won 13 straight races on thatgood, and looks even better when you consider that
track, and has won more than 70% of the eventsI posted 30 winning weeks out of 37 events (I
held a the Daytona superspeedway since 1992. Willinclude the mid-May All-Star Challenge). I selected a
Dodge break the skein? I don't think so. I'm notcorrect outright winner in 17 events, and got a
consoled by what I hear between the lines of whathead-to-head wager correct in 28 of 36 events. Let's
Dodge drivers like Ryan Newman and Kasey Kahnesee if we can do even better in 2006.Note that
have said about the 2006 Charger, which is basicallyoutright we will be quoting our odds direct from this
the same as the 2005 Charger, which simply didn'tseason, which may result in release delays, but will
run well at the restricted superspeedways or theaccomodate a wider audience.Chris Harris covers
unrestricted intermediate speedways. Will Ford breakNascar for Brian Gabrielle SportsChristopher Harris is a
through? That's a far trickier question. There arefeatured writer for the Professional Handicappers
some incredible drivers and teams that drive Fords,League.