Before you fire up your grill or light your firecrackers (only where that's legal, of course), it's time to offer a set of predictions of which NASCAR drivers will finish in the top 10 at Saturday night's race at Daytona International Speedway. Last week's predictions went 4-6, dropping our season record to 77-83.
1. Dale Earnhardt Jr. If Friday's Nationwide race showed anything, it's that Earnhardts still know how to find Victory Lane at Daytona.
2. Kevin Harvick. Call him lucky. Call him a long shot. But be sure to call him the points leader (and, thanks to Friday's rainout, the pole sitter).
3. Jimmie Johnson. He's in second place in points, and he has a NASCAR-leading five victories this season.
4. Denny Hamlin. Tying him with this guy.
5. Jeff Gordon. Again, he has more wins on this track than any other active NASCAR Sprint Cup driver. If nothing else, he can call on muscle memory.
6. Jamie McMurray. Speaking of memory, the last time we were at this track, McMurray was proving that Roush Fenway's decision to let him go may have been short-sighted.
7. Kyle Busch. He won the 2008 July race at Daytona, and despite his recent travails, he's still third in driver points.
8. Tony Stewart. He won last year's July race here, and you have to think it's only a matter of time before Stewart finds his way back to Victory Lane.
9. Carl Edwards. For what it's worth, he currently holds the final spot in the Chase, and you'd think he'll want to hang on to it. Speaking of the Chase...
10. Ryan Newman. This week's medium to long shot (OK, more emphasis on the "medium" this week) sits only 15 points behind Edwards (and 12 behind Earnhardt), so he'll have some motivation to make some passes.
We'll be back with results and fresh lineup polls.
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