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NASCAR: 5 Predictions for The Daytona 500

By Michael Guadalupe

Feb 23, 2017; Daytona Beach, FL, USA; The field passes the start/finish line during the Can-Am Duel at Daytona 1 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 23, 2017; Daytona Beach, FL, USA; The field passes the start/finish line during the Can-Am Duel at Daytona 1 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports /
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Chase Elliott won the Pole for the Daytona 500 and went on to win the first Duel on Thursday. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Chase Elliott won the Pole for the Daytona 500 and went on to win the first Duel on Thursday. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports /

Chase Elliott Improves From Last Year

Chase Elliott won the pole for last year’s Daytona 500 but didn’t last long in the race as he was part of an early accident that knocked out his chances of winning.

This year Elliott also won the pole and the first Duel race on Thursday, clearly showing that he learned something from last year.

Elliott is far from the rookie he was last season and besides for making it into The Chase in 2016, he’s gained a lot of experience on superspeedway tracks.

Starting from the pole for the Daytona 500 is a huge benefit, especially if his pit crew can get him out of pit road fast enough to hold that spot. Elliott also has his teammate, Dale Earnhardt Jr. which is another huge benefit for the driver of the 24 car.

Dale is one of the best drivers in NASCAR right now when it comes to these types of massive tracks and he’s won the Daytona 500 twice in his career, once in 2004 and again in 2014. Earnhardt will play a major role in Elliott’s early race success on Sunday and it could lead him to his first victory.

While winning the Daytona 500 can come down to luck, starting out front can help a driver survive until the end. For Elliott, starting in the front will be key but with a little experience and help from Dale Jr. this young driver will have a much better run than he did last year.

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