Daytona 500

Hello from Daytona International Speedway!

My photographer, Garret Gooch, and I arrived here on Sunday night and are primed for a WATE 6's NASCAR coverage! Already, there is news down here.

It's a Jeff and Jeff front row! Burton the pole, and Gordon on the outside. While pole winners don't usually win the 500, you can't put a price on the week's worth of attention they get. Burton wil l bask in it, while Gordon tries to use this to jump-start his season.

Gordon ran well early last year (3 wins in the first nine races), but failed to make the title chase. A crew cheif switch late in the season seemed to help. Gordon won Martinsville and had four top-10's in the final five weeks. I'm not sure about Burton, but Jeff Gordon will be a strong factor on Sunday.

My pick to win the Daytona 500? Jimmie Johnson. He will start from the back row on Thursday, and be without his crew chief-- but I think Johnson will do it. His strength is the mile-and-a-half tracks, but I think JJ uses a Daytona win to spring himself into a Nextel Cup title for 2006.

It's early in the week, and things will change based on the outcome of Thursday's 150 mile qualifying races, but right now, here's my top-five prediction for the Daytona 500.

1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
3. Jeff Gordon
4. Kyle Busch
5. Mark Martin

That's right. It's all about Hendrick and restrictor plate racing. I'd love to see Mark Martin win, just for us old timers!

I want to hear your predictions!

Watch out for the Big One!

I'll have more from Daytona later in the week.