2024 Coke Zero Sugar 400 Predictions

It’s one of the sport’s crown jewels. Dale Earnhardt, albeit unbeatable with restrictor plates, despised the concept of pack racing, and thought it the antithesis to stock car racing. Yet here we are. It’s not a matter of if, but when the anticipated Big One unravels under the lights. And with the Big One, now comes Big Implications… with just two races remaining until the playoffs, mistakes aren’t affordable. If there ever was a track where nearly everything feels like a gamble, Daytona is it. The Summer/Fall Daytona race has yielded some incredible memories. Take Dale Jr’s 2001 win, just months after his father’s passing, in the fabled MLB All-Star Chevrolet Monte Carlo at the Pepsi 400, for example. Few moments in sports, though there are a handful, can capture the hearts of sports fans alike. Jr’s win is one of them. 

It’s hard to believe the dog days of Summer are upon us but, alas, here we are. And the drama is intensifying. Playoffs? PLAYOFFS? Yes, playoffs. If there ever was a time to gamble, now is it. The playoff bubble is about to pop- Ross Chastain, Bubba Wallace, Chris Buescher, Martin Truex, Jr, Kyle Busch… all of the above desperately need a win to punch their ticket. Not to mention Front Row Motorsports- Gilliland and McDowell- who are also lurking in the shadows, yet crowd the front row tonight. Crack a cold one, fire up the grill, celebrate the second half of summer, and let the fireworks set off. 

Driver to Fade:

I know, ballsy, right? Not really. To be fair, we love Erik Jones. He’s an old school racer with talent under his belt. But, nothing has gone his way this season. Unfortunately, the tail end of the field is nothing this Legacy team isn’t used to this season. Daytona is such a hard track to count anybody out, but starting at the tail end can be a challenge keeping up with the draft. Don’t count on it. 

Dark Horse:

WHICH AUSTIN? BOTH! Earlier in the week, the driver on the RCR #3 was informed that, according to the first appeals outcome, he remains out of playoff eligibility. But, what’s the best way to punch a playoff ticket at this point? Win a race. Austin Dillon’s done so here not once, but twice. It’s a possibility. Take Austin Cindric, on the other hand, who would love to pad his playoff positioning. He, too, has a 500 under his belt, and wouldn’t he love to have both the Daytona races under his belt? He’s got the starting position to do it. Keep an eye on “Austin” tonight. 

Top 10:

Last year’s victor. Quiet, but impressive. On the cusp always, and always in position. It feels like RFK has been finding speed all year long, and Chris Buescher has been in winning position multiple times. There really isn’t a type of track he’s not a threat on, and superspeedways tend to be a strength. Tonight, he starts 13th. His stats here proves his medal. Watch for Buescher to finish up front. 

Winner:

Be mad. Get pissed. Comment that we don’t know what we’re talking about. But you love him, or rather, you love to hate him. But he’s come so close here on a number of occasions. This past February, he notched a 5th place finish. Las August, 12th. The February before, 20th. Across the series’, Bubba Wallace has notched numerous Top 5 finishes, and is a perennial threat on superspeedways. Tonight, he starts 18th. But fear not…starting position rarely matters on a superspeedway. He’s in the playoff hunt, He’s got the know-how, and he has the equipment. Look out for the #23 in victory lane in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 on NBC.