Fantasy NASCAR Preview: Daytona

11. Casey Mears, #5 Kellogg's/Carquest Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports

Mears was 7th at Talladega in the spring and was headed for a great finish in the Daytona 500 before a bad decision left him in the wall and 6 laps down. He was also 6th last fall in the COT at Talladega and (despite the announcement that he is leaving Hendrick Motorsports) he will be a good class B option this weekend. He proved that he and the team will work well together with his top 10 at New Hampshire.

12. David Ragan, #6 AAA Ford, Roush-Fenway Racing

Ragan has had a penchant for good finishes on the plate tracks. He shocked everyone with a 5th place finish in the 2007 Daytona 500 and was 12th in Daytona last July. He was 4th at Talladega in the spring, his first good plate finish in the new COT. He is a good class B choice this weekend.

13. Robby Gordon, #7 Harrah's/Jim Beam Dodge, Robby Gordon Racing

If for some reason you are reading this while standing up, sit down. You actually have to consider putting Robby Gordon on your roster this weekend. He was 8th in the 500 and 11th in the next plate race at Talladega. He was also 15th in both races at Daytona last year and he led 3 laps in the fall at Talladega. He's not a bad class B choice this weekend.

14. Reed Sorenson, #41 Target Dodge, Chip Ganassi Racing

Sorenson blew an engine at Talladega after 4 laps, but was 5th in the Daytona 500, 2nd to Dale Jr. in the first Twin 150, and scored a top 10 last fall at Talladega. He's not the first driver people think of when they think of restrictor plate racing, but he's a solid class B choice. Another advantage: where else are you going to use him?

15. Jeff Burton, #31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing

Burton is usually solid (12th and 13th in his last two plate starts), but not in the upper tier of class A drivers. Leave him off your roster this weekend.

16. Greg Biffle, #16 Ameriquest Ford, Roush-Fenway Racing

Biffle was 10th in the 500 and 18th at the next plate event in Talladega. He is a solid class B choice, although I recommend not using him since he is so strong at other racetracks.

17. Elliott Sadler, #19 Dodge Dealers Dodge, Gillett-Evernham Motorsports

Sadler is a good class B choice for this weekend. He was 6th in the Daytona 500, but then just 29th at Talladega (but led 3 laps) after being involved in a crash. He led 25 laps last fall at Talladega as well before finishing 24th after another crash.

18. Kasey Kahne, #9 Budweiser Dodge, Gillett-Evernham Motorsports

Kahne was 7th in the 500 and also was very strong in his Twin 150 run. He averaged an 11th place finish in 2007 on the plate tracks, but struggled to a 23rd place finish at Talladega in the spring. He's on the fence, but could be a good class B choice.

19. Kevin Harvick, #29 Shell/Reeses/GM Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing

Harvick was 14th at Daytona and has finishes at Talladega of 20th and 24th in the COT. Look elsewhere for your class A driver, despite the fact that he won last season's Daytona 500.

20. Carl Edwards, #99 Office Depot Ford, Roush-Fenway Racing

Edwards was 4th in this race last year, but in the three COT plate races his best finish was 14th at Talladega in the fall. He was 19th in the 500 and should be left off your class A roster.

21. Juan Pablo Montoya, #42 Texaco Havoline Dodge, Chip Ganassi Racing

Hurricane Juan Pablo was all over the place in the Daytona 500, but ran near the front for a lot of the event. He was 15th last fall at Talladega and finished that up with a 2nd place run in the spring at Dega. He's actually a class B driver to consider, although he makes me a little too nervous to put him on my roster.

22. Bobby Labonte, #43 Cheerios Dodge, Petty Enterprises

Labonte was 11th in Daytona and 34th in Talladega. There are better class B choices, as he won't have a car that can win this weekend.