It’s time.
Well, not quite.
It’s about an hour and a half from being time.
It’s Daytona Day, and the green flag’s scheduled to wave at 3:06 PM EST. FOX has the broadcast. You and I have the joy.
There are a few things you’ll hear about and not hear about on the broadcast that you’d probably like to know. For example, this race gets rained out far too often, but rain isn’t in the forecast this year. Also, they moved the numbers up further on the car to more prominently display sponsor logos in an attempt to bring in more revenue. These things matter, but the big non-driver thing to know is that we’ve got a new car this year.
Every few years, NASCAR breaks out a new generation of car. The goals of each generation, by my understanding, are to improve the quality of racing (enabling more passing, specifically, though this is presently more a concern at 1.5-mile tracks than superspeedways, like Daytona) and keep drivers alive. It’s a little barbaric, that keeping drivers alive is even a concern, but if someone watches football and doesn’t watch NASCAR because of “safety,” they should probably read up on how many guys CTE’s killed within a couple decades of their playing career ending. At least in NASCAR, the death’s out in the open.
Wow.
That got morbid.
Anyway, here’s a list of who might die today:
No, no, I kid. We’ll get to that later. More on the new car first:
The big differences with the car, for the casual fan, as I understand it as a casual fan, are these:
- It looks more like the cars you see on the street, as NASCAR tries to get back closer to the original definition of “stock car” (which was one made on the ol’ assembly line).
- They’ve replaced the sheet metal with a composite panels, which should change the way crashes look and happen. I’m imagining fewer sparks, and possibly less of that thing where the quarter panel gets bent in and eventually shreds the tire? I know that’s not exactly what happens but look, guys, I’m trying to make this palatable to casual friends, and I already let slip that someone might die today. Don’t hit me with the automotive zeal.
- Rather than being produced by teams, the car is now produced by a third party and distributed to teams. Teams can still make all kinds of adjustments, but the cars are made by NASCAR. There’s a thought this will increase parity. We’ll see! I don’t really care if it does or doesn’t. I’m not that much of a parity guy, to be honest, and anyone who looked at a Rams/Bengals Super Bowl and shrugged isn’t actually much of a parity guy either. Parity can become a problem. Much like chronic acid reflux.
Now, the list of who might die (the drivers, in order of their odds to win on the alleged Vegas consensus):
Denny Hamlin – #11 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing
Denny Hamlin’s a veteran of the game, 41 years old with three Daytona 500’s to his name and zero championships. He’s been a big voice recently highlighting the need to make a path to the sport for folks who don’t come from immense wealth. He also co-owns 23XI Racing with Michael Jordan, but he still drives for Joe Gibbs, with whom he’s spent his whole Cup Series career.
Chase Elliott – #9 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports
Chase Elliott, son of all-time great Bill Elliott, is the 2020 champion, the sport’s Most Popular Driver (it’s an award, voted on by the fans), and only 26 years old. A little shy, but part of a fun young wave. Good driver, too, and pretty good at dodging controversy.
Kyle Larson – #5 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports
Not good at dodging controversy is Kyle Larson, who casually dropped the n-word on a livestream in 2020, got himself kicked out of his longtime ride in the 42 car, and worked his way through the suspension and into a great deal with Hendrick, probably the best team in the sport in terms of mechanics. It’s a complicated issue, and Larson’s done a lot since the incident to support the Black community, but I’m a white guy. I’m not qualified to say whether he’s done enough or what enough is or anything like that.
That all needs to be said. What also needs to be said is that Kyle Larson is probably the best driver in the world. Period. Better than the F1 guys. Throughout last year’s championship season, he spent the nights before races at dirt tracks all across America, and he dominated there, too. He also was, it seems now, keeping the 42 car more competitive than it otherwise would have been during his tenure with Chip Ganassi Racing.
So, that’s Kyle Larson. He’s complicated.
Ryan Blaney – #12 Ford, Team Penske
Not complicated is Ryan Blaney, the dashing young gentleman (from a racing family, like Elliott) with a supermodel girlfriend, a dorky love of Star Wars, and no titles or Daytona 500 wins yet but…they all might come. Only 28 years old, great friends with Elliott and others of that cohort.
Joey Logano – #22 Ford, Team Penske
Joey Logano, a Yankee (he’s from Connecticut), came into the sport almost 15 years ago now with a lot of fanfare. He won the championship in 2018, and he’s won one Daytona 500. A big-time Eddie Haskell, Logano is the worst, but he isn’t actually that bad. You don’t want terrible things to happen to him, but he is the worst.
Logano used to drive for Joe Gibbs Racing, and doesn’t get along with those guys or other former teammates that I know of, like Brad Keselowski.
William Byron – #24 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports
Byron, who I think still dates Ryan Blaney’s sister, seems like a fine guy. He’s a student at Liberty, or at least he was for a long time (I think only online classes), and while Liberty University’s done plenty to besmirch the name of American Christianity, we here at The Barking Crow try to avoid casting shadows where shadows don’t belong. William Byron is not Jerry Falwell Jr.
One of the sport’s youngest guns, and with Alex Bowman, who we’ll get to, kind of an accessory to Larson and Elliott at HMS.
Brad Keselowski – #6 Ford, RFK Racing
Keselowski, a longtime Penske driver, switched to Roush Fenway Racing this winter in exchange for an ownership stake (hence the K in the new name). He won a title back in 2012, but he’s never won a Daytona 500. A Michigander, he was a villain for a long time, but he’s kind of settled back into a nerdy veteran role. Big engineer. Likes to work on cars. Still gets his good share of hate.
Kurt Busch – #45 Toyota, 23XI Racing
Kurt Busch, one of the oldest drivers in the sport (and the guy who once accused his ex-girlfriend, in a court of law, of being a trained assassin), won a Cup title all the way back in 2004 and a Daytona 500 in 2017. He’s done some open-wheel driving, he’s the older brother to Kyle Busch, he’s driven for six teams before joining 23XI…he’s been around a while. Used to get in a lot of fights, back when that was more of a thing in NASCAR. Need to bring that back.
Kyle Busch – #18 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing
There he is. Weird dude. Nicknamed “Rowdy.” Two-time Cup Series champion, has never won a Daytona 500 (very few of these guys have, honestly), probably the biggest heel in NASCAR at the moment. If you’re familiar with him or you read that parenthetical up in his brother’s blurb, you won’t be surprised to learn or know he’s from Las Vegas.
Alex Bowman – #48 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports
The fourth Hendrick driver, Alex Bowman’s 100% not as cool as Elliott or Larson, making him and Byron thoroughly the wingmen of the squad. Solid driver, and sparked one of the best moments of the 2021 season by spinning Hamlin at Martinsville, which turned into this whole thing.
Austin Dillon – #3 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing
Austin Dillon won the race in ’18, and as a member of the Childress family, he’s drawn some nepotism over the years but he’s a solid-enough driver. He drives the old Dale Earnhardt car. That’s a fun thing about the numbers. They really are the same teams, though passed down and whatnot.
Kevin Harvick – #4 Ford, Stewart-Haas Racing
Harvick won the Daytona 500 back in 2007, and was the best driver for almost all of 2020 but didn’t win the championship (he does have 2014 to fall back on). He’s gotten into a pretty grumpy veteran role, and he had some beef with Elliott last year that made him look childish and entitled. Fun stuff.
Bubba Wallace – #23 Toyota, 23XI Racing
The Cup Series’s only Black driver at the moment, Wallace is a lightning rod for controversy, especially after the 2020 incident in which a team member of his reported finding a noose in the team’s garage at Talladega. The noose was later determined to be a hand loop for a pull rope on the garage door, but it was reported to be one of few such loops on pull ropes in all NASCAR garages and possibly the only one tied like a noose. Anyway, Wallace had little to do with it besides seeming, at the time, to be the target of a racially-driven threat. Now, he gets hate from the sport’s racist wing, which is sizable, and thoroughly unjustified comparisons to Jussie Smollett. Shortly before the incident, he’d spoken up about wanting NASCAR to ban the Confederate battle flag at races, which they’ve since done.
Wallace has achieved some of his best results at superspeedways, winning at Talladega last summer, finishing 2nd at Daytona last summer, and finishing 2nd in the 2018 Daytona 500. Always someone to watch in this race.
Martin Truex, Jr. – #19 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing
Martin Truex has won a title (2017) but never a Daytona 500. He’s an elder statesman who swears like a sailor. One of the most entertaining radios to listen to, if you want to try getting into that kind of thing (I haven’t, personally—just speaking from the clips they’ve shared on the broadcast). Grumpy, like Harvick, but fun, unlike Harvick.
Aric Almirola – #10 Ford, Stewart-Haas Racing
Another veteran, Almirola’s kind of just always been around. Never that noteworthy, but seemingly a good-enough guy. I think he’s retiring this year, and the fact I’m not sure of that speaks to his quiet nature as a driver.
Tyler Reddick – #8 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing
The other RCR driver (besides Dillon), Reddick drives Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s old ride. A short man who beats himself up after his mistakes cause others to crash, Reddick has a childlike vibe to him that makes him all sorts of endearing. Big fan of Tyler Reddick, personally.
Christopher Bell – #20 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing
Speaking of childlike, Christopher Bell is 27 but looks like he’s 13. Seriously. The Oklahoman came up through the dirt tracks (always a factor at the Chili Bowl Nationals) and got his first win last year on the Daytona Road Course. Good driver, but in ways that don’t always translate to superspeedway-style racing.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – #47 Chevrolet, JTG Daugherty Racing
I’m not sure how Stenhouse isn’t in the middle of more feuds. He’s always wrecking people. Constantly. One of those guys often around the fringe of the playoff picture.
Austin Cindric – #2 Ford, Team Penske
The final Penske Boy, Cindric is taking over Keselowski’s ride this year. He’s a rookie. Did well in the Xfinity Series.
Justin Haley – #31 Chevrolet, Kaulig Racing
I know nothing about this man.
Chris Buescher – #17 Ford, RFK Racing
This man is not from Wisconsin, but he has that kind of feeling about him. From North Texas in actuality, which makes sense too. Theoretical playoff participant now and then.
Ross Chastain – #1 Chevrolet, Trackhouse Racing
This guy drives for Pitbull, comes from a long line of watermelon farmers, and got away with cutting off a whole turnabout on a road course last year (Sonoma, I want to say) before spending the playoffs causing all kinds of problems up front for playoff drivers. A joy to have around.
Greg Biffle – #44 Chevrolet, NY Racing Team
Biffle’s 52 now, and he’s not a full-time driver. Just a one-off race for him, which happens with retired drivers now and then. Not sure if he’s doing more this year or not. Don’t bet on him. I would not trust that car to hold up for 500 miles. But then again…parity?
Daniel Hemric – #16 Chevrolet, Kaulig Racing
Hemric’s still a part-time driver in the Cup Series, but he won the Xfinity Series title last year. Not exactly an up-and-comer (he’s 31), and he drove a full season in the 8-car back in 2019, but trying to stick at the Cup level.
Chase Briscoe – #14 Ford, Stewart-Haas Racing
Briscoe, a Hoosier by birth, was the Rookie of the Year last year, but that was basically by default. Not as good of a season as he probably hoped for, though Tony Stewart, his team’s owner, seems to like him. Still a lot of promise. Was a bad year overall last year for Stewart-Haas.
Cole Custer – #41 Ford, Stewart-Haas Racing
Custer’s young and a little goofy (often unintentionally, or so is my perception). 2020 Rookie of the Year. Fun.
Erik Jones – #43 Chevrolet, Petty GMS Motorsports
Jones used to drive for Joe Gibbs Racing, but wasn’t getting it done quite enough to hold onto the 20. Petty and GMS merged this offseason. Petty isn’t where you’d hope it’d be, being the legacy of The King. He’s still so cool, though. Man. What a cool dude Richard Petty is. Jones seems fine, too. I like him, personally, but I couldn’t pick out his face so maybe I really just feel bad he couldn’t stick at JGR.
Daniel Suárez – #99 Chevrolet, Trackhouse Racing Team
Pitbull’s other driver, Suárez, a Mexican, had the coolest helmet ever last Daytona. Hope he brings it back. Very fun man.
Michael McDowell – #34 Ford, Front Row Motorsports
I have no idea how McDowell won last year’s Daytona 500, but he did it. This race can produce some unlikely winners. Competent driver, not good enough to always be a factor, and Front Row isn’t one of the top teams.
Harrison Burton – #21 Ford, Wood Brothers Racing
I don’t know all the details of the Penske/Wood alliance, but Burton’s basically the fourth Penske Boy. A rookie, 21 years old, and Jeff Burton’s son, he could find a foothold at the top level pretty conceivably. Might even challenge Cindric for Rookie of the Year.
Noah Gragson – #62 Chevrolet, Beard Motorsports
Thankfully, Gragson’s just a part-time driver, because he is the worst. Worse than Logano. Xfinity driver who was a great villain and the subtextual target of a lot of “we’ve got to stop letting people buy their way into this sport” chirps last season. Hope he causes a massive incident today. People being mad at Noah Gragson is a fun pastime.
Corey LaJoie – #7 Chevrolet, Spire Motorsports
LaJoie, a childhood friend of Bubba Wallace, has said some really dumb shit over the years in public, but is also one of the faces of the parity movement (and almost pulled off a huge upset last summer at Daytona), making him a complex figure in some respects.
Ty Dillon – #42 Chevrolet, Petty GMS Motorsports
The younger brother of Austin Dillon, Ty’s back in the Cup Series full time this year, taking over the 42 car after Chip Ganassi Racing left the number available when they sold their NASCAR operation to Trackhouse.
Landon Cassill – #77 Chevrolet, Spire Motorsports
Once something of an up-and-comer, the quirky Iowan is back on a part-time basis. Fun Twitter follow, if you’re still someone who can say “fun” and “Twitter” in the same sentence.
David Ragan – #15 Ford, Rick Ware Racing
Ragan is younger than I thought. Still in his 30’s. Just never stuck. He’s won at both Talladega and Daytona, way back in 2011 and 2013. Can a Rick Ware car hold up the whole race? That’s a question. It did in 2020, when he finished fourth. Ragan’s only a part-time driver this year, as he has been for a few seasons now.
Jacques Villeneuve – #27 Ford, Team Hezeberg powered by Reaume Brothers Racing
Special start for the 1997 F1 champ, who last appeared in a Cup Series race in 2013.
Kaz Grala – #50 Chevrolet, The Money Team Racing
Grala is driving this year for Floyd Mayweather. Doing it part-time. He’s only 23, and he won at Daytona way back in 2017 in the Truck Series. Bostonian. Intrigue all over the place.
Todd Gilliland – #38 Ford, Front Row Motorsports
Gilliland replaces Anthony Alfredo in the 38 after an uninspiring year from the man who should’ve been sponsored by Olive Garden (they used to sponsor a car, fun fact). Gilliland finished 7th in the Truck Series last year. Today is his Cup Series debut.
B.J. McLeod – #78 Ford, Live Fast Motorsports
McLeod’s a part-time guy. Don’t know a whole lot else.
Cody Ware – #51 Ford, Rick Ware Racing
Cody Shane Ware is, I believe, a pretty funny dude? Might be getting him confused with someone. Of the Ware family, obviously. Not expected to be a factor today.
***
Whew. That’s all forty. There are other dudes who’ll pop up in various races (and maybe a woman or two, I’m not positive but I don’t think any are lined up to race at the moment this year), but the main characters for the season are in there, and so are all the characters for today. Go get ‘em, friends. Happy Daytona Day.
