OPR Staff and Fan Fantasy Picks for NNS and NSCS at Daytona International Speedway

When it comes to picking drivers to win races, most races are pretty easy to figure out who’ll be strong and who won’t. Then there’s Daytona and Talladega, where anything and everything is possible. So without further a do, here are the picks that have been made.

NASCAR Nationwide Series at Daytona

Managing Editor: Ashley McCubbin
Pick #1: Kasey Kahne – Kahne has ran restrictor plate races before for JR Motorsports and done well, just barely losing at Talladega a couple years ago.
Pick #2: Regan Smith- Smith won Daytona and he won Talladega. So he’ll win tonight, right?
Pick #3: Kyle Busch. – Rowdy + Nationwide = always up front so this a no brainer.

NASCAR Journalist Tayler Stiles
Tayler did not file her picks, so we will use her Dover picks – Chase Elliott, Kyle Busch and Kyle Larson
Ashley’s Comments: With each restrictor plate under his belt, Elliott continues to get stronger in knowing what moves to make. Meanwhile, Larson is also getting stronger in each start and should run top-10 tonight.

NASCAR Journalist Kreistina Blinova
Kreistina did not file her picks so we’ll use her Dover picks – Jeffrey Earnhardt, Landon Cassill and Elliott Sadler.
Ashley’s comments: Both Jeffrey and Landon have experience but yet the unfunding of their teams has them falling short. For that reason a solid top-20 run would do good for them both. Sadler should be strong this weekend as he is known for being great on the restrictor plate tracks.

Photographer: Ronald Costigan
Picks: Chase Elliott, Joey Logano and Kyle Busch

SpeedwayMedia.com Journalist Marshall Gabell
Marshall did not place his picks so we’ll use his Kentucky picks, which were Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch and Brendan Gaughan
Ashley’s comments: The RCR cars are always strong at Daytona so he should be good this weekend.

Frontstretch.com Journalist: Justin Tucker
Picks: Regan Smith, Elliott Sadler and Kyle Busch

The Times Leader Journalist: Kyle Magda
Picks: Regan Smith, Elliott Sadler and Darrell Wallace Jr.
Ashley’s Comments: Wallace is set to make a limited amount of NNS starts this year, but don’t count him out as he has shown strength on truck plate races.

Fan #1: Terry Wagner
Picks: Chase Elliott, Elliott Sadler and Joey Logano

Fan #2: Christina Cordner
Picks: Brian Scott, Ty Dillon and Brendan Gaughan
Ashley’s Comments: The RCR cars are always quick at Daytona so look for both Scott and Dillon to be up front tonight.

Fan #3: Billy Stiles Jr.
Billy did not file his picks, so we will use his Dover picks, which were Kevin Harvick, Chase Elliott, Regan Smith which becomes Kasey Kahne, Chase Elliott and Regan Smith

Fan #4: Billy Zardo
Billy did not submit his picks so we will use the same as we have all year to date – Ty Dillon, Chase Elliott and Sam Hornish Jr. which becomes Ty Dillon, Chase Elliott and Kyle Busch

Fan #5: Robert Hill
Picks: Brian Scott, Trevor Bayne and Ryan Sieg
Ashley’s Comments: Bayne has put himself in position to win the NNS race at Daytona before, while Sieg seems to always sneak into the picture at the last minute.

Fan #6: Joni Stiles
Joni did not file her picks, so we will use her Dover picks, which were Ty Dillon, Kevin Harvick, Chase Elliott which becomes Ty Dillon, Kasey Kahne and Chase Elliott

Fan #7: Tyler Sontag
Tyler didn’t file his picks so we’ll copy Road America – Chase Elliott, Alex Tagliani and Sam Hornish Jr. which becomes Chase Elliott, Joey Logano and Kyle Busch

Fan #8: Jeni Harris
Picks: Regan Smith, Chase Elliott and Darrell Wallace Jr.

Nationwide Series Points

(Points Leader Post Road America) Ashley McCubbin – 237+121=358
Ronald Costigan – 227+121=348
Justin Tucker – 224+121=345
Tyler Sontag – 225+118=343
Kyle Magda – 216+124=340
Christina Cordner – 220+112=332
Marshall Gabell – 207+124=331
Billy Zardo – 217+111=328
Joni Stiles – 212+116=328
Billy Stiles Jr. – 231+96=327
Tayler Stiles – 209+109=318
Terry Wagner – 199+118=317
Jeni Harris – 185+117=302
Robert Hill – 200+87=287
Kreistina Blinova – 168+87=255

Sprint Cup Series

Managing Editor: Ashley McCubbin
Pick #1 – Kevin Harvick – Harvick has been pure speed this year so look for that to continue and knows his way around the plate tracks
Pick #2: Jeff Gordon – Gordon has been solid fast this year and has gone to victory lane at Daytona before.
Pick #3: Jimmie Johnson – As the defending race winner, Johnson should be strong on Saturday night.

NASCAR Journalist Tayler Stiles
Tayler did not file her picks, so we will use her Dover picks – Matt Kenseth, Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson
Ashley’s comments: Kenseth may not be known as a strong plate racer, but has run well on the restrictor plate races in the past.

NASCAR Journalist Kreistina Blinova
Kreistina did not file her picks so we’re burrowing her Michigan choices – Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Ashley’s Comments: As this year’s Daytona 500 winner, Earnhardt knows his way around Daytona. Anybody remember DaleTona?

Photographer: Ronald Costigan
Picks: Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr,
Ronald’s reasoning: Hendrick Motorsports has been on a great streak of success lately and that should continue this weekend as each of them know what it takes at Daytona.

SpeedwayMedia.com Journalist: Marshall Gabell
Marshal did not file picks so we’ll use Kentucky picks which were Brad Keselowski, Matt Kenseth and Brian Vickers
Ashley’s Comments: Keselowski has ran at the front on restrictor plates before so expect him to do well and Vickers has a win at Talladega in the past.

Frontstretch.com Journalist: Justin Tucker
Picks: Brad Keselowski, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

The Times Leader Journalist Kyle Magda
Picks: Denny Hamlin, Tony Stewart and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Ashley’s Comments: Both Hamlin and Stewart have won at Daytona and can normally be found in the top five at the end of the race.

Fan #1: Terry Wagner
Picks: Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano and Carl Edwards

Fan #2: Christina Cordner
Picks: Jamie McMurray, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Ashley’s Comments: McMurray is a known plate racer as he’s won the Daytona 500 and the fall race at Talladega.

Fan #3: Billy Stiles Jr.
Billy did not file his picks so we will be using his Charlotte picks – Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Fan #4: Billy Zardo
Picks: Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Fan #5: Robert Hill
Picks: Casey Mears, Trevor Bayne and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Ashley’s Comments: Mears and Bayne may be with small teams, however both understand the draft and sometimes, you just never know.

Fan #6: Joni Stiles
Joni did not file her picks so we will be using her Charlotte picks – Kasey Kahne, Kurt Busch and Martin Truex Jr.
Ashley’s comments: Both Busch and Truex have placed well at the restrictor plate tracks before so it could happen tonight.

Fan #7: Tyler Sontag
Tyler did not file his picks so we will use his Sonoma picks – Marcos Ambrose, Kyle Busch and Jeff Gordon

Fan #8: Jeni Harris
Picks: Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Cup Standings