Coke Zero 400 Driver Rankings - Daytona International Speedway

In the past couple of years, the Gibbs cars have been as good or better than any other team at the restrictor plate tracks. That trend started with Tony Stewart and has continued with drivers like Busch and Hamlin. Kyle has scored the most points over the past 6 restrictor plate events, has led the most laps in the past two, and dominated the last two races at Daytona despite only one win (don't forget he got taken out in the 500 after covering the field early when Vickers tried to block Earnhardt, starting a massive crash).

In the last 10 restrictor plate races, Busch has the most top 10's (7), is tied for the most top 5's (4) and has the best average finish (13.7). He was 4th and 10th in the last two races at Daytona, and it is no exaggeration to say that he is the driver most due for a win at a plate track.

Despite what could be considered a horrible season, Earnhardt has 4 top 10's in his past 6 restrictor plate starts with 149 laps led -- second only to Kyle Busch. He was 8th in this race last year and 2nd at Talladega this season. Of course, he was involved in a crash earlier this year at Daytona after his pit road miscues left him a lap down (by miscue, I mean he missed his pit box. Twice.)

This is a great week to use Ragan in the class B group. He has 3 top 5's and 4 top 10's in his past 6 restrictor plate starts, and was 5th and 6th in the last two races at Daytona.

Kenseth won the rain shortened Daytona 500. I don't put much weight on that, but I do put weight on the fact that he was running up front consistently throughout the day. He was 3rd last July and should be a consideration in the class A group.

Bowyer, like Ragan and Earnhardt, has 4 top 10's in his past 6 plate starts. He was 9th and 4th in the last two races at Daytona, and has also had some solid finishes taken away from him. He may have won the Daytona 500 in 2008 had Montoya not crashed him in the tri-oval.

Newman has been near the front of the field a lot in recent races at Daytona and Talladega. He won the 2008 Daytona 500 on a last lap pass (pushed by Kurt Busch), could have won Talladega without the furious charge from Edwards and Keselowski (finished 3rd), and also had a chance to win at Talladega in the Nationwide Series earlier this year (not that it is all that relevant).

Stewart is possibly the best restrictor plate racer in the garage, but his value at other tracks in the second half of the season makes him less appealing in a wild environment like Daytona where the best driver and car don't always win. He has two wins in the summer race at Daytona, and was 8th in the Daytona 500.

Gordon hasn't scored a top 10 since 2007 in a plate event, but has 69 laps led over that stretch at Daytona and Talladega. He is best used elsewhere even though he has more restrictor plate wins than any other driver.

Johnson has just one top 10 in the past six plate races and only 29 laps led in the last ten plate races. He is best used elsewhere.

Hamlin is a guy who never seems to get the finishes he deserves at plate tracks. He has an unbelievable 210 laps led in his last 10 starts. That is only unbelievable because in that period of time he only has two top 5's. He could win the race, but at some point a run of finishes that are less than the team deserves may need to be attributed to something the driver is doing.

Harvick was 12th last July at Daytona and 2nd to Kenseth in the 500. He has one plate win (2007 Daytona 500) but hasn't run up front consistently throughout these races, which is the only variable that mitigates risk on these race tracks.