Daytona Wrap & Darlington 3 Picks
Coke Zero Sugar 400 Daytona
Wrap-up and Results
It was back to Daytona for the second time in three weeks for the regular season finale. For the first time it would be the Superspeedway race that would decide which sixteen drivers would qualify for the 2020 Playoffs. A wildcard track with plenty of drivers hungry for a win to advance. It was Daytona.
Plenty of carnage. Two red flags. Three and four wide racing at the end and wrecking behind the leaders on the final lap. NASCAR let them race and when the final flag flew it was William Byron who held off the survivors for his first Cup win, securing his place in the Playoffs.
On the Fantasy side, no one had the #24, nor the second place #9 of Chase Elliott, but Hal Ashburn and John Barnes were aboard the third place #11 for the Fantasy win. The Race 26 win netted them 34 valuable points in their final push to the Championship and helped Barnes climb 2 places in the points standings. Vivian Simons was the only other Racer to finish in the Top Ten as the last two wrecks wiped out or damaged the rest of the Fantasy Field.
Wrap-up and Results
It was back to Daytona for the second time in three weeks for the regular season finale. For the first time it would be the Superspeedway race that would decide which sixteen drivers would qualify for the 2020 Playoffs. A wildcard track with plenty of drivers hungry for a win to advance. It was Daytona.
Plenty of carnage. Two red flags. Three and four wide racing at the end and wrecking behind the leaders on the final lap. NASCAR let them race and when the final flag flew it was William Byron who held off the survivors for his first Cup win, securing his place in the Playoffs.
On the Fantasy side, no one had the #24, nor the second place #9 of Chase Elliott, but Hal Ashburn and John Barnes were aboard the third place #11 for the Fantasy win. The Race 26 win netted them 34 valuable points in their final push to the Championship and helped Barnes climb 2 places in the points standings. Vivian Simons was the only other Racer to finish in the Top Ten as the last two wrecks wiped out or damaged the rest of the Fantasy Field.
Simons’ finish coupled with Frank Buhrman’s continuing string of bad luck saw Simons move into second place in the points standings. Points leader PattyKay Lilley had an uncharacteristic one-point race which allowed the field to cut into her once comfortable lead. The points shuffle is as follows:
With the regular season completed, the Playoff field set and the series back on schedule it’s on to Darlington and the race down the home stretch for the 2020 Fantasy Championship.
Cook Out Southern 500
Picks and Prognostications
Sunday night finds the Traveling Circus exactly where it should be on Labor Day and that’s at the “Track Too Tough To Tame” - Darlington. This is the third race at the track this season, picking up an additional race due to the COVID-19 restrictions. Those restriction shut down racing for nearly ten weeks and when Cup decided they would resume it was back to one of the original tracks, back to its roots to kick things off.
The first two races this year (that sounds so weird) were won by Kevin Harvick and Denny Hamlin. It was their first and second wins respectively for the season. Over the next 22 races these two have accounted for over half the wins (12). Each have won here once before. Other Darlington winners include Erik Jones, Brad Keselowski, Martin Truex Jr., Matt Kenseth, Jimmie Johnson (3) and Kyle Busch. Brother Kurt, Joey Logano and Ryan Newman have run strong but have yet to break into a Victory Lane.
Now that we have entered the Playoffs, qualifiers have won the vast majority of Chase races, which bodes well for Kurt and Joey and presents a bit of a headwind for Erik and Jimmie. Chase Elliott and Denny Hamlin will have the front row which should factor in.
Lots of info to process. Let’s see how our Fantasy Racers see the Southern 500 going down Sunday night.
PattyKay Lilley
Just put me in for Kevin #4 and I'll be happy.
Frank Buhrman
If NASCAR had a rules package that did justice to this racetrack, Darlington might be the race really worth looking forward to, not just "Thank-God-Daytona's-over." No real clue who's going to win, but I'm going with a hunch that Kyle Busch might finally break through here, so I'll take the #18.
Vivian Simons
I have decided to go with Kevin Harvick in that #4 car at Darlington. Should be some good racing and I look forward to him be in Victory Lane!
Berra Nordin
The third Darlington race of the of the year and Harvick and Hamlin have one win each this year. But I'm going to go with #19 Martin Truex Jr this time!
Kelly Meiste
Kyle Busch. Like a stopped clock is right twice a day, he’s gonna be right this weekend.
Vicq Ruiz
Is he absolutely, positively going to win? Naaah, but I'm going with Denny Hamlin none the less.
Hal Ashburn
Coin flip between 4 and 11. Still riding with Denny in the #11.
Will Dossett
Staying with Tyler until Tony hires Larson! #8
J. L. Steele
It’s Kurt Busch.
John Barnes
I'll go with the 11.
David Nance
#2 to for the win and advance to the Round of 12!
Agree? Disagree? Play Along! Make your Picks in the Comments Below.
Cook Out Southern 500
Picks and Prognostications
Sunday night finds the Traveling Circus exactly where it should be on Labor Day and that’s at the “Track Too Tough To Tame” - Darlington. This is the third race at the track this season, picking up an additional race due to the COVID-19 restrictions. Those restriction shut down racing for nearly ten weeks and when Cup decided they would resume it was back to one of the original tracks, back to its roots to kick things off.
The first two races this year (that sounds so weird) were won by Kevin Harvick and Denny Hamlin. It was their first and second wins respectively for the season. Over the next 22 races these two have accounted for over half the wins (12). Each have won here once before. Other Darlington winners include Erik Jones, Brad Keselowski, Martin Truex Jr., Matt Kenseth, Jimmie Johnson (3) and Kyle Busch. Brother Kurt, Joey Logano and Ryan Newman have run strong but have yet to break into a Victory Lane.
Now that we have entered the Playoffs, qualifiers have won the vast majority of Chase races, which bodes well for Kurt and Joey and presents a bit of a headwind for Erik and Jimmie. Chase Elliott and Denny Hamlin will have the front row which should factor in.
Lots of info to process. Let’s see how our Fantasy Racers see the Southern 500 going down Sunday night.
PattyKay Lilley
Just put me in for Kevin #4 and I'll be happy.
Frank Buhrman
If NASCAR had a rules package that did justice to this racetrack, Darlington might be the race really worth looking forward to, not just "Thank-God-Daytona's-over." No real clue who's going to win, but I'm going with a hunch that Kyle Busch might finally break through here, so I'll take the #18.
Vivian Simons
I have decided to go with Kevin Harvick in that #4 car at Darlington. Should be some good racing and I look forward to him be in Victory Lane!
Berra Nordin
The third Darlington race of the of the year and Harvick and Hamlin have one win each this year. But I'm going to go with #19 Martin Truex Jr this time!
Kelly Meiste
Kyle Busch. Like a stopped clock is right twice a day, he’s gonna be right this weekend.
Vicq Ruiz
Is he absolutely, positively going to win? Naaah, but I'm going with Denny Hamlin none the less.
Hal Ashburn
Coin flip between 4 and 11. Still riding with Denny in the #11.
Will Dossett
Staying with Tyler until Tony hires Larson! #8
J. L. Steele
It’s Kurt Busch.
John Barnes
I'll go with the 11.
David Nance
#2 to for the win and advance to the Round of 12!
Agree? Disagree? Play Along! Make your Picks in the Comments Below.