Fantasy Nascar : Daytona Dreamin' : Fantasy Nascar

Daytona holds a special place in the hearts of many race fans. It holds the same for me. The first race that I attended at last July's Pepsi 400.
I had never been to a race before, and I have never seen as many people in one place as I experienced last July. As I walked into the stadium, which was even bigger from the inside than it looked from the highway, I knew that I had found something I was crazy about. I watched the exciting race, in which Earnhardt, Jr. led most of the laps as if almost being led by some greater power, with the rest of the excited fans.
And I stood about 200 feet from Victory Lane as Earnhardt drove his car into the circle. I could look at the faces of those around me and see the pain and see the joy that the junior legend had brought them. It seemed right, and for so many Earnhardt fans that were in that two and a half mile giant that night, it was truly magic.
So as I watch the race from my Texas couch this Saturday night, rain permitting, I will remember with such a joy last years July race. It was special for me in so many more ways than just seeing Earnhardt victorious, and that night will forever stay with me.
So after our last break of the long season, the teams are geared up for the second Daytona race of the year. Daytona starts a long stretch of 20 races � without a break. Yet, this is a track that so many drivers love to come to. The fans are crazy for the sport and the drivers themselves, and they are welcomed with very open arms in the Florida coast town.
And its also a track in which a good number of drivers thrive.
The obvious picks each and every time at Daytona are Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Michael Waltrip.
Tony Stewart has run well at Daytona time and time again. He was picked to blow away the competition at this year's Daytona 500 and blew his engine before taking the green flag. Everyone said the driver's driver wouldn't stand a chance in the cup this year because of his last place start. Oh, how they are eating their words now. Stewart currently sits in 5th place in the cup standings and he has been inching closer each week. He has two wins under his belt, and has been in contention for a dozen others. Stewart is a natural pick for this week's race regardless of his 29th starting position. Because of restrictor plates, Daytona is easy to pass and I stand behind my pick of Earnhardt, Jr. My personal opinion is that barring any mechanical problems, or lousy calls by his crew chief, Stewart will be driving the victory laps this weekend under the lights.
Another obvious pick is Earnhardt, Jr. The young gun is looking for his second win of the year, and some help to bump him up from his 16th current position in the standings. Earnhardt starts 9th this week, which is no feat on a track that often runs two and three wide and in which we watch Junior pass a handful of people in six laps last year to claim the prize. Junior isn't fail-proof but barring mechanical problems, which seem to have plagued everyone this year off and on, he runs well at Daytona. I also believe that Earnhardt is out to try to prove his critics wrong who cried foul play last year when the junior driver took the cake. They said it was rigged, they said that everyone let him win because of his father's death there six months earlier. Earnhardt earned the win, yet this time he is probably going to fight to show that he knows how to tame Daytona.
Michael Waltrip, the eternal bridesmaid of superspeedways, wants another win. He won his first race at Daytona on the unthinkable day in which Earnhardt, Sr. met his maker. And he has finished so close so many other times. He has finished second so many times is hard to count. He finished first in a Busch race last spring at Daytona. And he qualified well this week. Waltrip can run at Daytona and he seems to run clean and have the talent to avoid the "big one." If Waltrip can show the same talent of avoidance and good luck Saturday night, he may drive to another win at the big D. But if he doesn't win, look for him to be somewhere really close.
Jeff Gordon is another favorite at Daytona. He qualified third for this race and he has a decent track record at the monster. Yet, Gordon has this black cloud hanging over his head. He seems to be working out of it, breaking his non-top five record many races back, yet he can't seem to get back in the winners circle just yet. A win here would most like put him back into the top of the ranks of Winston Cup, as he currently sits third, tied with second place winner Mark Martin. Gordon hasn't won a race this year, which shows a lot for the current Cup points system. Again, barring mechanical problems � or driver problems such as his spin out at Infineon Raceway ��Gordon may end up near the front. I don't pick him to win this race and I really doubt he can keep his nose clean enough the whole race, but I have been proved wrong many a time before.
Bill Elliott is another natural choice for a top 10 finisher at Daytona. In his 50 career starts at this track, he has won four times, won five poles, placed in the top 5 fifteen times and top 10's 24 times. Elliott is truly a master at avoiding the wrecks and the garbage at Daytona. He starts this week in 14th and I would watch for him to play it safe, and quiet most of the race, and end up near the front.
Other "cats" to watch this week, include Dale Jarrett, Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick. Dale Jarrett starts 5th and he has a comfort level on about any track he touches. He will stay near the front. Jimmie Johnson is the incredible freshman driver who has amazed all this year. Until this past week, he held the second position in the Cup points, ahead of his car owner Jeff Gordon. Johnson won the pole of this years Daytona 500, and then shocked the unbelievers by winning the pole at Daytona's sister track, Talladega. He won at Dover and California and many believe this rookie is just untouchable. He currently sits in fourth place in Cup standings, four points behind his car owner and only 86 points behind Sterling Marlin, who still sits pretty atop the charts. Johnson starts 16th this week at Daytona and has a good chance of running well. And Kevin Harvick, who was last year's no-fail kid, finally gets a break this year in his sophomore slump. The young man, who was plucked from the Busch series last year to race Earnhardt's car after his death, has had a mediocre season this year at best. Yet, he starts from the pole this week at Daytona, which is a track in which he can do well. I don't necessarily pick him to win this week, but I would pick him to do well - if he can keep his nose clean.
My far-fetched choice of the week, and simply because of my adoration of this young man, is Casey Atwood. The youngest guy on the circuit ran his best qualifying run of the season this week, and will start 10th. He had just gotten into his groove last fall when his rookie season came to an end. After being shuffled around, and moved to another car, Atwood seemed a bit lost at the beginning of the season. But after a chance in crew chiefs, Atwood seems to have found his footing again. He has been finishing consistently higher and higher and this is his best starting position of the year. I don't pick him to win (although I would simply love to see it) but Atwood may have a chance to finish in the top 10.
I will post this column each Friday afternoon. The ideas are strictly mine, with a little bit of help from the statistics and some of my racing enthusiast friends. AND I want to know what you think: If you agree, tell me. If you don't, tell me that as well. Drop me at a line at Theracingirl@yahoo.com