NASCAR Barometer: Earnhardt Dominates Daytona

Dale Earnhardt Jr. won a wild Coke Zero 400 on Sunday night. The race was initially delayed by rain, but the action didn't diminish with the late start. Those who endured the elements and the late hour saw a number of crashes, a green-white-checkered finish and Austin Dillon's car flying into the fence on the final lap. Earnhardt survived the carnage by staying out front. The No. 88 led for most of the race, leaving the rest of the field to fight one another and avoid the accidents.

While Earnhardt's lines made it difficult for anyone behind him to mount a challenge, it was his car's power and handling that helped him dominate. He started from pole by virtue of having the fastest practice time after qualifying was rained out. Chevrolet appears to have gained an advantage over the other marques in recent weeks, and that advantage was reflected in the speeds at Daytona.

UPGRADE

Dale Earnhardt Jr. - Earnhardt dominated Sunday night's Coke Zero 400 to take his second victory in 2015. Having already won at Talladega earlier this season, Earnhardt looks to be the strongest on restrictor-plate tracks this season. Part of that is the strength of his Hendrick Motorsports engine and part his is skill in the draft. He led 96 of Sunday's 161 laps, proving once again that being out front is the best place to be with the current aerodynamic package. There have only been four Sprint Cup races at Kentucky so far, but the No. 88 has finished in the top-5 there twice. Sunday's win could be a signal that Earnhardt will be a strong contender in the season-ended Chase format.

Jimmie Johnson - Another driver that was able to put his Hendrick power to good use on Sunday was Johnson. The four-time 2015 winner led five times for 35 laps and came home second on the race's crazy final lap. The finish was Johnson's fourth top-10 finish in the last five races, and while he may not be the most consistent finisher so far in 2015, he has arguably been one of the best. The team continues to improve each week, and hasn't shown any sign of giving up any fight. That tenacity in races that may not matter too much at this point could prove to be the difference maker in the Chase. The team is training itself to fight for every point.

Paul Menard - Menard proved once again on Sunday that he can be a threat for race wins. His Richard Childress Racing car was in the hunt for much of the distance in Daytona, but he came away with a 16th-place finish by the time the green-white-checkered finish was complete. With less than 50 laps remaining Menard had been running in second position, but knew Earnhardt had something special that night. While he may not have had enough to take on the No. 88 Menard put up a brave show and collected his third top-20 in the last three races. Menard has two top-15 Kentucky finishes and needs to better that to continue his charge for a Chase spot.

Denny Hamlin - Hamlin's third-place finish Sunday night ended a two-race top-10 drought. What is arguably more impressive was that the No. 11 was able to lead 10 laps on a night that was difficult for anyone not named Earnhardt, or with Chevrolet power, to get out in front. Hamlin has been driving well at Daytona and Sunday's eventful race showcased that again. Hamlin will be hoping to end another drought at Kentucky Speedway this week. He recorded DNFs at the track in each of the last two races there, but has qualified inside the top 10 in three of his four Sprint Cup visits there. If Hamlin can avoid trouble this week he should be capable of delivering consecutive top-10 finishes.

Kurt Busch - Busch came away from Sunday night's wild race unscathed and with another top-10 finish in the bag. Since returning from suspension the Stewart-Haas Racing driver has arguably been one of the top drivers in the series. He has two wins that puts him into the Chase field and is on a streak of four consecutive top-10 finishes. Busch may not have gotten his elusive win at Daytona last week, but he could be a contender for the trophy in Kentucky. He finished in the top 10 there twice in the four visits, and has been one of the fastest cars in the field in recent weeks. These circumstances make Busch one to watch out for.

DOWNGRADE

Kyle Busch - After winning two weeks ago at Sonoma Raceway Busch needed to average a 14th-place finish to work his way into the Chase field. His hopes of accomplishing that leg of his challenge took a small hit Sunday when he damaged his car early. The driver who missed the beginning of the season was two laps down when he returned to the fight. Throughout the distance he collected free passes and found himself back on the lead lap for the finish. He placed 17th when the dust settled, and that will make his challenge just a bit more difficult. He has to avoid making any more mistakes in the remaining races if he wants a shot at the title.

Danica Patrick - Patrick found herself involved in more action on Sunday than she and the team would have preferred. The first incident came on lap 2 when she was collected in the first accident of the event. The troubles she seemed to have all night were disappointing considering Daytona can be one of the tracks where she outperforms expectations. Instead, she finished in the 35th position to cap off an eventful night that included a flat tire after running over debris. Sunday was a difficult night for her and the team, and they will want to put that disappointment behind them as quickly as possible. Patrick has yet to score a top-20 finish in Kentucky, which could make the next week even more of a challenge.

Martin Truex Jr. - For the second week in a row Truex ended his race in an accident. The driver that was scoring top-10 finishes every week failed to rebound into another top finish after crashing out at Sonoma and Daytona. He finished 42nd on the roadcourse and followed it up with a 38th-place finish on Sunday. The good news is that these races are not Chase events, and Truex already has a win under his belt. If there is a silver lining to the cloud Truex is in it is that the team has time to get bad luck out of their way. If the team can keep moving forward they could be championship contenders. They can't let the last two races disrupt their momentum.

Brad Keselowski - As often happens in pack racing, Keselowski was caught up in a crash. The No. 2 was able to limp home to finish, but was two laps down to the leaders and in the 29th position. Truth be told, not much was to be expected of either Penske Racing driver last week. Ford seems to have lost some of the relative performance it had against Chevrolet and Toyota earlier in the year, and Keselowski's results have taken a dip as a result. His last top-10 finish was at Michigan, but that was his only top-10 in the last five races. Compare that with six consecutive top-10 finishes earlier this year and it spells a step backward.

BIGGEST SURPRISE

Austin Dillon - The biggest surprise from Sunday's race may be the fact that Dillon's entire car was thrown into the catch fence, and Dillon was able to walk away without assistance. The last-lap crash was one of the more frightening incidents seen in recent memory, but Dillon escaped with bruises. While some in the stands were injured, the safety equipment on track and in the car largely did their jobs. Dillon led eight laps in the race, which took place one day after he captured his first win at the track in the Xfinity series. Dillon has proven himself to be a capable driver at the restrictor-plate tracks and should be a driver when the circus visits Talladega later this season.