The last race of the regular season in the 2020 Cup Series season is Saturday night at Daytona International Speedway. It is the last chance for NASCAR drivers to make the 16 driver field for the post-season.
The Coke Zero Sugar 400 will be on a track that quite literally anybody can win. The high speeds and draft racing can destroy a driver’s race as quickly as it can make a driver’s season. Here’s the data for the track and the race.
Daytona International Speedway Data
Track Size: 2.5-mile
Banking/Turns 1 & 2: 31 degrees
Banking/Turns 3 & 4: 31 degrees
Banking/Straights: 3 degrees
Banking/Tri-Oval: 18 degrees
Frontstretch Length: 3,800 feet
Backstretch Length: 3,000 feet
Coke Zero Sugar 400 Data
Season Race #: 26 of 36 (08-29-20)
Race Length: 160 laps / 400 miles
Stage 1 & 2 Length: 50 laps (each)
Final Stage Length: 60 laps
There are 10 drivers that have clinched their spots in the Playoffs by winning a race (or races) during the regular season. There are three drivers that have clinched their spots in the Playoffs by accumulating enough points that they cannot be pushed out Saturday night.
There are some drivers that can get into the post-season by scoring enough points. There are others that will need help from other drivers not scoring enough points while they score enough points. There are drivers that will need to win in order to claim a spot in the Playoffs.
Here is a look at the Playoff Outlook heading to Daytona for the Coke Zero Sugar 400.
The following drivers would clinch on their win alone: Clint Bowyer, Matt DiBenedetto, William Byron, Jimmie Johnson, Erik Jones, Tyler Reddick, Christopher Bell, Chris Buescher, Bubba Wallace Jr., Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Michael McDowell, Ryan Newman, John Hunter Nemechek, Ty Dillon, Matt Kenseth, Corey Lajoie and Ryan Preece.
If there is a new winner, the following drivers could clinch by being ahead of the 6th winless driver in the standings.
Clint Bowyer: Would clinch with 3 points (he could clinch as early as the end of Stage 1)
Matt DiBenedetto: Would clinch with 51 points
William Byron: Could only clinch with help
Jimmie Johnson: Could only clinch with help
If there is a repeat winner, the following drivers could clinch by being ahead of the 7th winless driver in the standings. They would also clinch if there was a new winner among (Aric Almirola, Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch, Clint Bowyer, Matt DiBenedetto or William Byron) and being ahead of the 6th winless driver in the standings.
Clint Bowyer: Would clinch regardless of finish
Matt DiBenedetto: Would clinch with 47 points
William Byron: Would clinch with 52 points
Jimmie Johnson: Could only clinch with help
Erik Jones: Could only clinch with help
Which active drivers have done well during their NASCAR Cup Series careers?
Top 20 Active Driver Ratings at Daytona
Kyle Busch…………………………… 90.7
Denny Hamlin……………………….. 88.3
Jimmie Johnson…………………….. 87.4
Matt Kenseth………………………… 87.3
Joey Logano…………………………. 87.1
Ryan Blaney…………………………. 87.0
Kurt Busch……………………………. 86.8
Kevin Harvick………………………… 82.8
William Byron………………………… 79.3
Brad Keselowski……………………. 78.7
Clint Bowyer…………………………. 77.8
Austin Dillon…………………………. 77.7
Ricky Stenhouse Jr………………… 77.5
Alex Bowman………………………… 76.7
Martin Truex Jr………………………. 76.5
Ryan Newman………………………. 75.0
Chase Elliott…………………………. 74.7
Bubba Wallace……………………… 73.6
Erik Jones……………………………. 73.2
Aric Almirola…………………………. 72.5
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2020 races (31 total) among active drivers at Daytona International Speedway.
Since the Daytona 500 is a race unto itself from qualifying to racing, let’s look at the active drivers who have won a summer race at Daytona International Speedway.
NASCAR Cup Series Active Daytona Summer Race Winners
Erik Jones
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Brad Keselowski
Aric Almirola
Jimmie Johnson
Kevin Harvick
Kyle Busch
Who will make the Playoffs and who will just miss the post-season?
We will find out Saturday, August 29th starting at 6:30 P.M. central time (7:30 P.M. eastern time) in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway.
By: Buck Stevens
