Daytona Coke Zero 400 Fantasy NASCAR Front Runner Rankings

Erik Jones
Daytona Fantasy Outlook – Erik Jones is a strong mid-tier superspeedway racer who’s always a popular pick at Daytona. Jones is a former Daytona winner (summer 2018) and there’s no denying his big superspeedway racing prowess. At Daytona over the last five races, Jones has a 12.6 average finish (3rd best) and he’s 3 for 5 at finishing in the top 12. Overall in the Next Gen, Jones ranks 11th for Driver Rating and 11th for average finish (18.6),
Daytona History – Erik Jones is a former Daytona summer winner (2018) who’s capable of performing at a high-level. In February, you didn’t see Jones until the end, but he was up front when it counted. Before the final restart he was in 19th, on lap 199 he was in 7th and then at the start of the last lap while running in the top five he was spun, leading to his 21st. Last summer, Jones had a solid evening and finished 5th. Additionally, Jones led 10 laps, earned the 5th best Driver Rating and had the 14th best Average Running Position. In last year’s Daytona 500, Jones ran well, finishing 9th in Stage #1, 7th in Stage #2 and then finished 12th overall. Additionally, Jones had the 14th best average running position (16.5) and earned the 15th best Driver Rating. In summer 2024, Jones showed potential and was running in 10th on lap 156, but then two laps later he got a ton of damage in the Cindric/Berry crash at the front which led to his 17th. In the 2024 Daytona 500, Jones escaped with an 8th.

Chase Elliott
Daytona Fantasy Outlook – Chase Elliott could be a contender at Daytona. Over the last 12 Daytona races minus the three he’s DNF level crashed, Elliott has a pair of runner-ups, 7 top tens and a 7.6 average finish. Since 2025 on this track type minus last fall at Talladega, Elliott has a 7.6 average finish, and that’s highlighted by a pair of 4th place finishes in 2026. In the Next Gen at big superspeedways over all the combined races, Elliott has 1-win, the 2nd best average finish (15.7), the 3rd best average running position and the 4th best Driver Rating.
Daytona History – Chase Elliott has never won at Daytona, but he’s come close to victory lane and often been a factor. Over the last five races minus summer 2024, Elliott has finished in the top 15 every race and has a 9.4 average finish. In this year’s Daytona 500, Elliott battled for the win late and then finished 4th overall. Additionally, Elliott earned the 3rd best Driver Rating and had the 4th best average running position. Last summer, Elliott finished 10th, earned the 10th best Driver Rating and had the 12th best average running position (14.0). In last year’s Daytona 500, Elliott had the 3rd best average running position (10.0), earned the 4th best Driver Rating and then finished 15th. That said, Elliott’s race wasn’t incident free. On lap 185, he was damaged in the Logano/Stenhouse “Big One.” In summer 2024, Elliott crashed fairly early and went on to finish 36th. In the 2024 Daytona 500, Elliott finished 14th but I’ll note that underrates him. In the race, Elliott won Stage #1, led 13 laps, earned the 6th best Driver Rating and was running in 6th on lap 198, but the final restart didn’t go well for him which led to his 14th. In summer 2023, Elliott finished 4th.

Daniel Suarez
Daytona Fantasy Outlook – Daniel Suarez has results all across the board at Daytona in the Next Gen so it’s hard to say what you’ll get out of him but perhaps he’s turning the corner since times have been more good than bad lately. Over the last three, Suarez has finished in the top 13 with a 9.3 average finish. Another attribute you have to like about Suarez is that overall at big superspeedways since 2025, he’s finished in the top 13 every race and his 10.2 average finish ranks as the 2nd best. I’ll also note over that stretch he’s 5 for 6 at finishing between 9th to 13th.
Daytona History – Historically at Daytona, Suarez has been a DNF machine and he’s 11 for 18 at not running at the end. That said as you read above, times have been more good than bad lately with his average finish over the last three being 9.3. Overall in the Next Gen, Suarez has a 19th place average finish. In this year’s Daytona 500, Suarez finished 5th in Stage #1, finished 10th in Stage #2 and then finished 13th overall. For the afternoon his average running position was 23.5 and at the time of the final restart on lap 196 he was actually back in 26th. Last summer, Suarez had his all-time best Daytona result, finishing 2nd. Additionally, Suarez led 6 laps, earned the 7th best Driver Rating and had the 11th best average running position (13.9). In last year’s Daytona 500, Suarez finished 13th. That said, Suarez had the 22nd best average running position (20.5) and was literally back in 23rd at the start of the last lap. In summer 2024, Suarez finished 40th after the #99 went up in flames during the Stage #1 caution after a fueling fire incident. In Stage #1 prior to his demise, Suarez finished around 23rd. In the 2024 Daytona 500, Suarez ran well but crashed late. In the race, Suarez finished 10th in Stage #1, finished 3rd in Stage #2, was in 7th on lap 190 but then on lap 191 he was caught up in the “Big One” which marked the end of his race, leading to a 34th. In 2023, Suarez finished 20th in the summer and then 7th in that year’s 500.

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