Your NASCAR Fantasy Game Newsletter for the Daytona 500

As far as the One and Done game goes, the Daytona 500 doesn’t count for any more points than any other Sprint Cup event in the season. But it sure feels like it does.

Ryan New man won this thing last year and Happy Harvick in 2007. But those wins didn’t exactly springboard those guys into any kind of consistent success for the remainder of the year. Maybe that makes the guys were real good for most of 2008, less likely to win the Great American Race. I mean, Derrick Cope won this thing once, ya know?

Now, anybody who’s ever played fantasy games with me could tell you – I may not be the guy you want to listen to, when it comes to picking winners in these things. But I’m leaning towards saving my Carl Edwards, Jimmy Johnson and Kyle Busch picks for later in the game. This looks more like a Jeff Burton or Denny Hamlin kind of race to me. Or maybe Junior. It could be Junior.

But that’s just me. Check out who the real experts like in the sidebar at the right. Read the great fantasy handicapping post by OnPitRow.com’s Chris Leone. Check out the driver’s horoscopes at Church of the Great Oval. Or just make a wild old guess. Have some fun with this. Talk some smack with your fellow One and Dunners. And let us know what you think about the game.

Who knows what will happen at Auto Club Speedway in supposedly sunny – but lately, often rainy – California. Remember last year’s February race, when the track weeped rain well past midnight and the whole thing had to be finished the next day? Sucked, didn’t it?

The fast two miler isn’t a favorite among the NASCAR internet community. The races are often parades of stretched out fields and long green flag runs. So pit work is important as much of the passing happens toff the track. And often, its a decision by the guy up on the box that makes the difference.

Next weeks One and Done newsletter will include the game standings after the first race at Daytona. Will you be you top? Or will you be with me, laying back behind the pack, waiting for you moment to pounce?

Hey, it’s what I do. It’s my plan, ya know?