NASCAR: What are Danica Patrick's chances in the Daytona 500 with Premium Motorsports?

NASCAR: What are Danica Patrick’s chances in the Daytona 500 with Premium Motorsports?

CHARLOTTE, NC - MAY 21: Danica Patrick, driver of the #10 GoDaddy Chevrolet, stands on the grid prior to qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 21, 2015 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images) /

4 of 5

CONCORD, NC – MAY 17: Tony Eury Jr., crew chief for the #30 Lean 1 Swan Racing car talks with Danica Patrick (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) /

Tony Eury Jr.’s stats at Daytona

Starts: 11

Wins: 0

Top 5 finishes: 0

Top 10 finishes: 4

Average finish: 21.7

These statistics are the most surprising because Eury Jr. is famous for being Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s crew chief, and he was that for seven Daytona races. That is where three of his four top 10 finishes at the track come from. Overall, Earnhardt Jr.’s average finish at Daytona with Eury Jr. as a crew chief was roughly 19th place.

For perspective, his average finish overall at the track is 10th. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is arguably the best superspeedway racer of this generation.

Obviously, Tony Eury Jr. never quite figured out Daytona, which causes me ask the question: why pair him with Danica for this one race? Why not find someone with better experience at Daytona?

The simple answer is the fact that he ran with her in the Xfinity Series when she first started in NASCAR and it’s a matter of familiarity.

Hopefully, lessons have been learned and plenty of insight will go into preparing the car while Eury Jr. makes sure the crew and Danica are in the right state of mind.

Home/Danica Patrick