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daytona 500 start time

Last weekend was the Super Bowl, but today is the Super Bowl of racing! The NASCAR Sprint Cup series kicks off today with a 43 car field at the legendary Daytona International Speedway for the 52nd time.

NASCAR has been racing at the Daytona Beach circuit since 1959 when Lee Petty won the event. While IndyCar's Indianapolis 500 and Formula 1's Monaco Grand Prix may be better known - and watched - world-wide, in the United States the Daytona 500 is racing's biggest race of the year. And it is NASCAR's biggest race of the year.

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Since 2000, only one driver has won this event twice - Michael Waltrip 2001 & 2003. That's nine different winners in the last ten races. If you are looking for perdictability, the Daytona 500 isn't it. There are few if any significant trends, other than... avoid the big one. And get yourself to the front in the last 5 laps and see what happens as a pack of cars finish together.

Among active drivers, Jeff Gordon has the most Daytona 500 wins with 3. Gordon also has six career victories at the track out of 34 starts. Gordon has even completed 5709 of 5948 laps completed for an amazing 96.0% at a track known for tearing up cars. But Gordon hasn't won at Daytona since 2005, and has just one top five finish in that same time period.

It would seem his luck has run out and we'll have to look elsewhere to pick a winner of today's race.

Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch have the best records over the last 10 races. Each driver has 7 top-10 finishes over the last five years. Busch has six top-5 finishes to Stewart's five, but Stewart has 3 wins - Busch zero. But none of Stewart's wins have come in February, he has been hot in July.

Like fools though, we are going to go with Tony Stewart to take home the victory today. Of course it will be wrong, because Daytona is... well simply Daytona.

But if Stewart faults, keep an eye on a highly motivated Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kyle Busch. What better way for Junior to break out of his slump than a win at the Daytona 500 ? As for Kyle Busch, he has been the second most consistent driver over the last five events with three top-fives. Only his brother Kurt has been better.

We'll also put up Juan Pablo Montoya as a possible contender for the win. The Earnhardt-Ganassi team showed very well in the Chase last season, and Montoya is ready to become a regular race winner.

So enjoy! Its going to be another thrilling Daytona race as the NASCAR Nationwide and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series events have already shown. Its money time now, and every driver wants this win.

May the best man win!

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