POWER BOSSES

POWER BOSSES DAYTONA 500
FEB 2010

 Kevin Harvick,
 Harvick became the first driver since Jeff Gordon in 2007 to finish in the top 10 in all four restrictor-plate events. He led the most laps in both races at Daytona in 2010, and he won the July event at the track. Harvick is a former Daytona 500 winner
Clint Bowyer
Bowyer came within a few laps of winning both races at Daytona last season, and he finished the year with a 7.2 finishing average at the restrictor-plate tracks. He has the third-best finishing average at Daytona during the past five seasons, picking up six top 10s in 10 starts.3.

Kurt Busch
He has never won a restrictor-plate event, but he has been the picture of consistency. During the past five seasons, he has recorded a series-high 13 top 10s at the super speedways -- including a series leading five top five finishes and seven top 10s at Daytona. Busch has six top 10s in his last seven starts at the track, and he is almost always running near the front
 Carl Edwards
 Edwards' 10.6 finishing average at Daytona since the start of the 2007 season is the best in the series. He enters this year's season opener with three straight top 10 finishes at the track,

 Matt Kenseth,
Knock his rain-shortened victory in the Daytona 500 all you want, but the fact of the matter is that Kenseth is as good as anyone at the 2.5-mile super speedway. His 12.6 finishing average at the track during the past five seasons is the second-best in the series, and he has finished 15th or better in five straight starts.

Tony Stewart
He has had so many near wins in the Daytona 500 that the comparisons to Dale Earnhardt have already begun. In addition to his three victories in the July event, Stewart's 104.5 driver rating at the track since the start of the 2007 season is tops in the series

Dale Earnhardt Junior
He had an outstanding year at Daytona last season, finishing second and fourth. The former Daytona 500 winner has been one of the best restrictor-plate drivers in NASCAR history His 19.6 finishing average at the track in the last four years isn't great, but Junior does have four top 10s in his last six starts.

Kyle Busch,
His temper can get him in trouble sometimes, but it can also get him to victory lane. Busch has won the July event at Daytona, and he has led the most laps in two of the last three Daytona 500s. He has the second-best driver rating at the track during the past four seasons

 Juan Montoya
He is more than just a road course ace, and his three top 10s in the four restrictor-plate races last year are evidence of that. Montoya has quietly become one of the more consistent super speedway performers, and his 13.1 finishing average the past two seasons is third-best among drivers.

 Jeff Burton
Richard Childress Racing was a powerhouse at the plate tracks last year, and Burton was a key contributor. He finished 11th and fifth in the two events at Daytona in 2010, and he has compiled a 10.7 finishing average at the track in his last three starts.

Jamie McMurray
The defending Daytona 500 winner will try to become the first driver since Sterling Marlin to make it back-to-back wins in the season opener. He has been very inconsistent at the track, compiling five finishes outside the top 25 in his last eight Daytona starts. However, he also has two wins at the track during the stretch 12.

Jimmie Johnson
Yawn -The five-time defending champ has been virtually unstoppable in recent years, but he has been mediocre at best at Daytona recently. His 24.8 finishing average at the track the last four years is anything but impressive; that being said, he is a former Daytona 500 winner.

David Ragan
He is an afterthought most weeks,In his last eight starts at Daytona, he has finished 16th or better six times, including three finishes of sixth or better. There are a lot of bigger names that don't come close to that type of consistency at Daytona.

Kasey Kahne
 His move to Red Bull Racing doesn't change what he has accomplished at Daytona in recent years. Since the start of the 2007 season, Kahne has finished in the top 15 in six of his eight starts. His 13.3 finishing average during that stretch is fifth best in the Cup Series

David Reutimann
It's safe to say that Reutimann is starting to get comfortable with plate racing. He has finished 12th or better in three of his last four starts at Daytona (including finishes of fifth and 11th last year).