Daytona 500 is NASCAR Sprint Cup’s Version Of The Silver Dollar Nationals

Yes, the title was just a sleazy way of pushing up my numbers for the day. I am so ashamed.

One member of my family calls Dale Earnhardt Jr. “a nice young man,” and was happy to see him win the Daytona 500 last night. No, I don’t talk like that-and it wasn’t Matt either. Still, I was happy to see the 88 car cross the Daytona International finish line first. With his name he carries a burden few people could, and at least for the next few months this will end the constant speculation about when he will win another race. Plus, the way the “new” Chase is set up he very likely has garnered a spot in NASCAR’s run to the Sprint Cup Championship. And, it was the one race that every driver wants to win.

I enjoyed the genuine joy Earnhardt Jr. showed after winning the race, plus his finish meant no one from Roush-Fenway Racing won, nor did anyone named Keselowski. I am what I am and no one ever said TRODT was unbiased. I like side by side racing, and last night it was often side by side by side-three wide racing. No complaints from me there, nor was there a shortage of lead changes during the race. NASCAR had to be happy because the fan favorite won the race and that should spike ticket sales for the coming races, and increase TV ratings too. Like me, they had to be pleased with the side by side racing and lead changes, but unlike me, I suspect they weren’t terribly unhappy with the number of multi-car crashes in the 500 since no one was hurt. Rednecks like crashes.

There are times I wonder if the world’s greatest drivers aren’t unlike 43 rednecks racing to the liquor store for a cold 12-pack of Bud Light, but restrictor plate racing bunches the field and if one driver makes even a tiny mistake, it likely means 5-6 or more cars go careening across the track, tires smoking, sparks flying. Like I said above, I don’t particularly like crashes and seeing hundreds of thousands of dollars in equipment torn up, but it is going to be a part of Daytona and Talladega until other rules are devised.

The only real complaint I have about the wrecks last night was there was no SAFER barrier where Danica Patrick’s car hit the wall hard. Because of improved in-car safety she was able to walk away from a terrible hit. Ten years ago I am not so sure she would have. I am trying to figure out a reason why this of all tracks does not have the SAFER barrier around every foot of walls. Yes it is expensive, but what would it mean to spend to make the track safer? That some member of the France family would have to do without a new jet this year? Come on.

Random thoughts:
-I enjoyed Matt Kenseth’s Blues Brothers act, spinning into his pit backwards on an early stop. I did not enjoy his incessant whining about his car, especially when it happens every week, and especially when he seems to almost always end up near the front at the end of the race.

-I try not to agree with FOX announcer Darrell Waltrip, but he was right about Earnhardt Jr. and Crew Chief Steve Letarte doing special things in Letarte’s last year with the 88 car. Letarte moving on has to be big motivation for both him and Earnhardt Jr. to work even harder than they have in the past, and the old cliché is “success breeds success.

-I am not a great Denny Hamlin fan, but his performance the entire Speedweeks serves notice he intends to be a force in this year’s Sprint Cup Series.

-I always enjoy Jeff Gordon doing well. There is simply no better spokesman for NASCAR than the driver of the 24 car, and I think the work of the Jeff Gordon Foundation is simply outstanding. Gordon finished 4th, a nice start for the season.

-It was a tough night for Tony Stewart. Even though his race ended because of mechanical issues, I don’t think he is back to the Stewart everyone saw before his serious sprint car crash in Iowa last year. I hope he is back in stride sooner rather than later because NASCAR needs not just his attitude, but his car up front in races.

-Perhaps it was just me, but Austin Dillon seemed to be near a lot of the on track carnage last night. I am not saying he caused all of it or any of it, but I am also not saying he didn’t cause some of it. Maybe someone smarter than me can make that determination. It did seem like he had a bubble around the car protecting him-I thought there were three times when cars were wrecking all around him, and his car escaped with no damage. Dillon finished 9th.

-Finally, Matt emailed me and suggested that the Daytona 500 be run at night every year. The 160 laps run at night were much better than the 40 that were run before the rain delay. That is a good idea, but knowing NASCAR it will never happen.

Thanks for stopping by.