By Roy J. Akers-www.skyviewsports.net
With Speedweek culminating with the Daytona 500, the first official event of the 2025 season will crown a champion and the first automatic qualifier of the NASCAR playoffs. Picking a fantasy lineup for some Cup races works better than others. At Daytona, guys who are not on the radar for most races are quality choices at this race. There are many surprises and we start here.
Austin Dillon races well at the Great American Race
I will admit that I am not a huge Dillon fan. Still, Dillon has won two races at Daytona, including the 500 in 2021. He has finished in the top ten six times in his last 17 races at the track. He finished 7th last year. In his 2021 win, he led only two of the 200 laps in the race before winning the entire enchillada. Dillon is worth a look if you want to save your marquee drivers for one of ten starts allowed on NASCAR.com
Austin Cindric is a solid pick at Daytona
Winning one of the two Duel races on Thursday to set the field is a decent indicator. Cindric won this race in 2022 and always qualifies and places well in the Thursday races. Cindric’s racing luck at the Track in the 500 is so-so as he finishes at 17.3. Cindric is another driver who does not figure to get ten starts in NASCAR fantasy, but at Daytona and restrictor plate races, he will be on my fantasy rosters.
William Byron is the Defending Daytona 500 Champion
Byron is the defending Champion at Daytona and finished second in his dual on Thursday. Between his 2024 win and dual finishes, he has four top-ten finishes since 2022. The problem for Byron is getting caught up in accidents. It has ruined several of his races where he was a factor to win. Byron has told me that the key to Daytona is to run up front in the race to keep away from the mayhem. When Byron does, he is a great fantasy pick.
Bubba loves Daytona
Wallace has finished in the Top Ten plenty of times at this track, ten times since 2020. He won a stage dual on Thursday, but during the race itself, he has never finished higher than second. That will most likely change at some point. What this means for fantasy players is use Bubba for one of his ten NASCAR.com starts in this race and save the guys racing for a championship for Atlanta or Phoenix.
Christopher Bell will be running Top Ten for sure
Bell has earned that trust. He has finished third in two 500 races since 2023 and won a Dual race as well. He stays out of accidents in all but two of his last ten Daytona races and has started races five times in the top ten. While restrictor plate races can be cruel to any driver, Bell knows how to finish well. Bet on this Joe Gibbs driver to be there at the checkered flag.
Alex Bowman
Bowman is a good choice to finish in the ten for this race. He had four consecutive top-six finishes before crashing in the duel to qualify 22nd. Bowman is another driver I only trust at a few tracks and he barely gets the nod in this race. If you are looking for a driver to keep in the pits and maybe bring up before the end of Stage Two, he is a good bet in this sport.
Dark Horse- Kyle Busch
Yes, it is true, Busch has never won the Daytona 500. It is not for the lack of trying. Busch has finished in the Top Ten 5 times in his last ten races at Daytona. Busch is no longer a threat to win every race he enters but is dangerous when he is counted out. Busch needs to stay away from THE BIG ONE and if he does, he could make for a promising fantasy start. Not sure if he is a guy to use ten times as a fantasy starter anymore, but he is at least worth a look.
NO Chance
Helio Castroneves, Jimmie Johnson, Cody Ware, Shane van Gisbergen
Roy J. Akers covers NASCAR for www.skyviewsports.net
