To kick off the 2025 NASCAR season, The Daily Downforce is launching a new series to give fans advice on fantasy NASCAR. Every Saturday morning, a new edition will provide fans with the necessary information to make good lineup decisions.
Since this is the first edition, here is everything you need to know about fantasy NASCAR:
Because everyone has the knowledge of qualifying and both duels, there is more information on how every car will perform on Sunday. With that, fantasy users can make smarter decisions; however, it is a superspeedway race, so one car going sideways can throw all that away.
Front Row Positions
Chase Briscoe put the No. 19 on pole in his first qualifying session with Joe Gibbs Racing(other than The Clash). Austin Cindric rounded out the front row. Picking either of those drivers could help score some points.
Kyle Busch
Kyle Busch, who qualified 13th, is an interesting pick for this race. He has never won the 500 and, in the waning years of his career, has the second-best odds, at +1100, to win the Daytona 500.
Austin Cindric
Not only did the No. 2 car put it on the front row, but he also won Duel 2. Cindric has been really good at Daytona historically. He won the 500 in 2022, has an average finish of 17(6th best in Cup), and has a driver rating of 88.5 at Daytona(third best).
Erik Jones
After nearly winning Duel 2, Jones will start 4th this Sunday. He was 36th in qualifying but could have saved his weekend in the duel. Jones would be a fun pick for the Great American Race. That said, this is Jones’ first full season with crew chief Ben Beshore, and he is coming off the worst year of his career, so be cautious about picking No. 43.
Christopher Bell
Due to an unapproved adjustment, the 20 car started at the back of the grid in Duel 2. Do not let that deter you from picking Bell, who will start 20th. He has three top fives and three top 10s at Daytona. Despite a rough duel race, he will contend for the win.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
The 47 car is the ultimate sleeper this weekend. He will start 31st. Stenhouse has two wins, three top fives and four top 10s at Daytona. He is an excellent superspeedway racer, and while he likely will not pile up stage points, look for him to have a good finish. Additionally, the Chevrolets were good at pushing in the duels, which could be a significant factor on Sunday.
Bubba Wallace
Wallace secured the victory in Duel 1 and will start third in the big race. His qualifying effort, along with his 23XI teammates, was not good, but they seem to have made adjustments, as Wallace and Reddick were near the front in their duel. Do not be afraid to put Wallace in this week’s lineup.
Additional Picks
Chris Buescher and Ross Chastain, who will start 6th and 9th, respectively, are poised to rebound from missing the playoffs last year. Both had solid duel performances. Sprinkle in those two if needed.
Logano vs Hamlin
The No. 22 is starting 10th while the No. 11 is 8th. This will be a fun matchup. Logano and the Penskes pushed well in the duels and looked synced up. Logano should have the edge.
Elliott vs Blaney
Blaney finished 8th in Duel 2 and will start 16th, one spot ahead of Elliott. The No. 9 led 14 laps in Duel 1 and ran near the front for about half the race. Both will have great support from teammates. Elliott will squeak ahead of Blaney, but it will be a terrific battle.
Larson vs Busch
Larson is one of the best racers on the track, but Daytona has not been kind to him. Go with the two-time champion Busch, who looks to win his first Daytona 500.
Wallace vs Byron
These two will start 3rd and 5th, respectively. This is probably the most challenging decision of the matchups. Both looked good in the duel. Both have good support. Choose the No. 24, the reigning Daytona 500 champion.
