Who's Gonna Win The Daytona 500???

[weasel]

The shot from the blimp shows the 29 ahead when the wreck started so Martin didn't get screwed he got beat!!! This wins for Dale!!!!! Go RCR!!!! Sorry just never was a Martin fan.

[Sierrajack]

I agree, this one's for Dale!!! Notice the number on Happy's car? It isn't 29, it's 2.9 just .1 from Dale and that's why they did it...................
Full moon night and I've never seen it fail in all my years full moon=crash fest. Oh yeah about throwing a yellow flag... The yellow is thrown whenever there's a problem regardless of where the cars are on the track. If you notice, the wrecks started happening just before the finish line and there was no time to throw a yellow. You can't have a yellow and and a checkered at the same time. I believe that cars where wrecking just as Harvick and Martin were at the line. I wouldn't have done it any other way and I've been doing it for 30 years!!!!!
Restrictor plates will cause more crashes and perhaps even worse (again) one day and it's time for NASCAR to reevaluate the rule. Racing is not a Roman coliseum spectacle!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Dean in Eureka, CA]

Doug,
I'm switchin' to Denny's PBA coverage!....
Sheesh... I grew up with Walter Ray Williams, used to go over to his house and get my ass waxed daily in horseshoes.

OK...
Now that my emotions have calmed, I can state this with a level head;
We all watched how all the pre race stuff played out, right?
NASCAR came down hard with punishments to various teams for not staying within the "Black & White."
I say, "Hey!!!... How about NASCAR staying within the "Black & White" as well...
As the field came out of turn four heading to the checkers all hell broke loose... You even had a car upside down and on fire!!!
Where the hell was the caution flag???
NASCAR added this frozen field deal to protect drivers... Remember Jarrett at Louden??? That's what started the frozen field deal.
NASCAR should have pushed the button at the first sign of trouble and they chose not to, I'm guessing, for a close and more exciting finish...
NASCAR is being inconsistant with their calls, period.
I'm waiting with baited breath to hear Mike Helton's explaination of this matter and see what the dictatorship has to say.
I saw another lack of action by NASCAR in the truck race too, but I haven't heard even a whisper about that one by anybody.
(Benson clearly went under the yellow line and passed a truck coming to the finish and no action was taken)
I guess it boils down to this... NASCAR does play favorites.

Go Dead Eye!!!

[doug hodder]

Dean...thank you for mentioning just how smooth your bottom was..ala Walter Ray Williams...but it appears that 1 hair has grown up into it with Nascar....hey guy...I'm just razzing ya on this one...lighten up...it's just a car race, unless you bet the farm on it... Doug

[emiller]

The reck didn't happen just before the finish line it happen before the tri oval, the finish line is after the tri oval, they ended up just across the finish line, at 180 plus it took that long to come to a stop. It that case the yellow was coming on whether there was a crash or not it was the end of the race. I think spectators and media make it contraversal, the drivers just say thats racing. Even after they interviewed Mark he thought they would throw the caution but he didn't let up he thoght he was going to be pushed by Kyle and then saw the replay and then he knew why there was no one to help him.

[Nitetimes]

Helluva finish but I really wish Martin would have got it. I agree that the caution should have been thrown if they were to stay consistent with their own rules. There was plenty of time, nearly a quarter of a mile.
But that's over anyway and it won't change.
One thing that I didn't understand and it wasn't explained was why Blaney was sent behind the wall, no that wasn't his choice, NASCAR sent him behind the wall. Why? Because he ran down pit road after getting forced off the track? Because he came back out and cause a wreck, hell, Johnson caused a major wreck by pushing an ill handling car betond the point of control. Nobody mentioned it and nobody explained it but he was listed as still running.

[Dean in Eureka, CA]

Doug,
I thought about asking MJ if he wanted to go heads up between Little E and Tony, so I could get some of my coffee back, but saw that Smoke was his second choice, so I didn't bother... Good thing too, my guy came in dead last.
Hey... I'm just struggling with myself right now, pondering whether or not I want to keep giving NASCAR my time and besides... As of this past Thursday, I became a grouchy old fart, Remember???

Bottom line, NASCAR is outta control... If you don't believe me, just ask Harvick's team mate who finished third.

BTW- The PBA has it's Big E... Pete Weber.

So... Yaa got any bitchin' bowling fabric at your store???

[Dean in Eureka, CA]

Rich,
I think Dave's team should appeal that one... He didn't know his right front was cut. I think that's why he lost it coming back out onto the track.

[Dean in Eureka, CA]

Got any Walter Ray Williams stuff???...
You know... I sent him an email a while back, tried to reconnect with him.
He never wrote back... Screw it, I'll stick with NASCAR for at least another week.

[Sierrajack]

I have to agree that NASCAR does stack the deck and they do things to manipulate the outcome of a race. I don't know, things happen so quick at 185 MPH that you just can't do the right thing at the right time. I'm standing up for the drivers here. Normally it takes about .4 of a second to react when applying your brakes providing your foot is resting on the brake pedal. I doubt that I would ever "two foot" a superspeedway for fear of dragging my brakes. The cars are racing on a managed out of control situation at those speeds. Now blowing a tire and rolling down pit lane at speed without much steering control is clearly a situation that can not be controlled - so why the penalty?
I'm with Dean here, I've watched over the years in some hope that NASCAR would do the right things and it seems they never do. I turned in my license once for the last time now I can switch channels and tune them out. Saturday night, local, short track stock car action is far more exciting without all the crap and corruption. We used to tell the drivers that we wanted them to stay above the yellow line but if you can't, please don't tear up the grass, we didn't beat them to death for it. Yep, I think I've about had it. Spring is coming and I've got a TD to build and camp sites to see. Mike Helton and his Gestapo tactics are going to come back and haunt him one day.

[Dean in Eureka, CA]

SJ,
I hope you can make it out for the Dam Gathering at Shasta.
BTW- There's a neat little short track not too far from there...
I'm guessing it's about a half hour or so South of the gathering.
Oh wait... We'd have to miss the chili feed on Saturday night and all the awards ceremony. Better nix our little run down to Anderson and stay at the gathering.

[Ira]

I kept tuning back to it to see when they would make a right turn, but they never did.

[Sierrajack]

Good morning.
Now that some time has passed, the race is over and emotions have died down some. Folks were upset that the yellow flag was not thrown on the last lap of the race. A yellow flag means slow down so that drivers do not come AROUND the track and run into the mess. The wreck happened around turn 4 behind the front runners. When the front runners cross the start/finish line on the last lap they slow down anyhow and generally leave the track at that point. So at that particular time, throwing the yellow flag was pointless - it was over. NASCAR does not have overtime. When the race is scheduled for 500 miles or 500 laps - that's it!!! That's what the drivers expect. They will not run 502 laps or 502 miles in overime.
Yes, fines are excessive and decisions are one sided no question about it. Will NASCAR change - answer is NO!! I would expect that there would be some discussion and compassion when there is a problem. I always thought a decision should always err on the side of the driver. I drove fast into the pits and was met by an official who told me he was going to fine me for speeding. I handed him my helmet and told him that if he could drive the car and steer it with only three wheels on the car that he could be my guest.....
I for one am not happy with conduct of races and I will not spend a dime with NASCAR to promote them or fund them in any way. We have several short tracks around here and the rest of the country that actually could use my dollars. That's where you'll find me shouting my guts out for Billy Bob to win!!!! Organized sports in America are way out of control regardless of what it is. Imagine giving a football player 40 million dollars for a 5 year contract!!!! Give me 40 million dollars at my age to play football and I'll do it. Well, just give me 40 million dollars anyway!!!

[madjack]

SJ...can I be your agent...I would only want 10% of that 40 mil...I agree that pro sprorts of any type have gotten completely over the top...go support your local HS football team, local tracks and whatever else youhave...let the TV guys pay the big bucks for the pros...
madjack

p.s. re: the yellow...after looking at the tape, it seems that HH was in front at the moment all he!! broke out, so it is inmaterial to who won whether it was thrown or not....MJ

[Dean in Eureka, CA]

It's not the "moment", it reverts back to the last recorded scoring loop... or at least it's susposed to be...
The WRF dictatorship can circumvent their way around anything, except fans choosing to buy a ticket.
In an official statement this morning, the WRF states that Davids Hoots called for the yellow when Clint Boyer got sideways on the track. What they say they did, is not what really happened.
The circus is now scheduled to put up their big top in California this week.
If they want to keep their fan base, they will have to hold themselves to the same high standards that they hold their private contractors to.
The WRF can and does control the outcome of races with absolutely no regard to what others think.
Last year's Talladega race is a great example...
Show me a race track anywhere else in the country that would not have awarded the car running in 4th place, at the time of the wreck, the win...