Roundtable: Will Chase Elliott take a third straight Daytona 500 pole?

Who do you think will take pole position in Daytona 500 qualifying on Sunday?

Jim: While I am very tempted to go with Darrell Wallace Jr. for the Daytona 500 pole - both because of the strength of Yates Engines and the knack for new drivers to perform well in 500 qualifying - instead I'm going for a three-peat. I believe Chase Elliott will win his third consecutive 500 pole and this time may even add that elusive victory along with it.

Lee: How can you bet against Chase Elliott making it three poles in a row for the Great American Race? His average qualifying effort is seventh at Daytona, the best on the tour.

Nick: Hendrick power would be my guess. A Hendrick engine has taken pole position in four of the last five 500s and I don't expect this year to be any different. Chase Elliott is the obvious choice, but I think it's just as likely that Jimmie Johnson, William Byron or Alex Bowman prevail. 

Tim: I feel we could see a surprise with a Ford team or have a big story for the sport if Darrell Wallace Jr. won it for Richard Petty Motorsports. However, I must agree with my colleagues that it will likely be Chase Elliott starting from the top spot in the ‘Great American Race’.

With 17 drivers participating in the 'Clash' on Sunday, who do you think will win and could we see a driver sweep the 'Clash' and the Daytona 500?

Jim: I have a feeling the Clash is going to become a manufacturer vs. manufacturer battle and with six strong Fords in the race, I predict one of them will come out on front. My best bet is Kevin Harvick, who has always performed well on superspeedways and I think will pick up where he left off last season.

Lee: Given the strength of the Fords at restrictor plate tracks, it would be difficult to bet against the Blue Oval Brigade. Daytona 500 defending winner Kurt Busch along with his Stewart-Haas Racing teammate and three-time Clash winner Kevin Harvick are both eligible as are all three Team Penske drivers—Ryan Blaney, defending Clash winner Joey Logano and Talladega victor Brad Keselowski. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., was the last driver to win a Cup race at Daytona and also won at Talladega in the spring. However, I’m betting on Chase Elliott to wheel the No. 9 Camaro to the checkers on Sunday.  As for a sweep, Hamlin pulled it off in 2016 but I’m not betting on it in 2018.

Nick: The Clash is always a wildcard race, as we saw last year. I believe we will see a battle between Hendrick and Roush-Yates power with the latter prevailing. And that Ford driver will be Brad Keselowski, who came within a lap of winning it just last year. As for a sweep, I don't think we'll see that in 2018.

Tim: I think Ford and Chevrolet will be battling for the win and I think we could see a surprise with Ryan Blaney winning the Clash and the Daytona 500. It would be a long shot, but he has the talent and team to get it done.

Who do you think has the best chance to be the next "breakout" star in NASCAR in 2018?

Jim: This is a tough question because it depends on your definition of "breakout." In terms of drivers who have yet to win and are looking to launch their careers, I will go with Chase Elliott. He's long overdue on a win and when it comes, many more will follow. But in terms of a driver who hasn't won in a long time, I believe Clint Bowyer will find his way to Victory Lane and have one of his best seasons since he finished second in the Cup standings while he was at Michael Waltrip Racing.

Lee: Erik Jones. He has more than enough speed to run up front now he has to close the deal. I thought last year Jones, 21, would be the first driver without a career win to visit Victory Lane. With Jones moving under the Joe Gibbs Racing roof it’s not a matter of if he will when it’s just a question of when. 

Nick: William Byron. He has shown a remarkable ability to quickly adapt and become the one to beat in everything he has raced in so far. He will turn heads in 2018 and may even get his first win before Chase Elliott.

Tim: I think Chase Elliott will get his first win this season and it could come next Sunday, however, I feel we’re going to see Ryan Blaney move into the top-tier level of popular drivers this season in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.

Do you think Danica Patrick has a legitimate chance to score a top ten finish at Daytona in her final Cup Series start?

Jim: In practical terms, anyone has a chance for a top-10 finish at a superspeedway, if you can stay out of trouble and remain on the lead lap at the end of the race. Patrick has enough experience at these races that a top-10 would not be a surprise. But I do predict she will not be in contention for the win. Premium Motorsports isn't going to become a Cup series race winning organization over the span of a month, regardless of where the engine comes from or who the crew chief is.

Lee: Absolutely. The Daytona 500 is a crapshoot. In 11 starts at Daytona, Patrick has crashed five times. So if she can stay out of trouble, Patrick has a better than 50-50 shot at being in the hunt until the end.

Nick: Absolutely. When it comes to plate racing, anyone could score a top ten. A better question would be her chances at a victory, which I doubt. Premium Motorsports has backing from Childress and ECR engines, but I don't think that'll be enough to take the fight to the top teams when it comes down to the finish.

Tim: I think she could score a top ten in her final NASCAR start if she’s able to stay out of trouble during the race. I don’t think she can content for the win, but if her car is strong enough to stay in the main draft a top-10 finish is a definite possibility.