Things I Think I know - "52nd Daytona 500"

by MattHaggard on Feb 15, 2010 9:03 PM EST Comment 8 comments

So we finally got the chance to witness the new-old-NASCAR. The 52nd running of the Great American race was ever the event but did more to raise questions and skepticism than produce the solutions that the race was meant for. I firmly believe that NASCAR is on the right path but the sanctioning body absolutely can not get complacent now.

Here me out following the jump!

Green, White, Charades

The new Overdrive rules have it's big ole heart in the right place but its utility just isn't long for restrictor plate racing. NASCAR should count their lucky stars that they only had to use the overtime finish twice. How many cars need to be lost? How many drivers injured? And most importantly, how many fans will have to be hurt before this becomes a bad idea just as fast as it became a good one.

By all means, use the rule at non-plate tracks. The rule has the potential to create VERY exciting racing. Just, for the love of all things safe, keep it away from Talladega and Daytona.

Reaction over proaction

Clearly, the mantra of North America's most lucrative stock car racing league is that of waiting for a problem, then scrambling to fix it. The latest end result was a six-hour plus Daytona 500 that was largely uninteresting and without pace to the masses. To be fair to Daytona X, track officials were planning to resurface the track in 2011. But again, how much of that is responsive to prior knowledge that their prized cathedral was already falling apart much akin to the San Adreas?

It's now been two years since we've had a memorable Daytona 500 and three since our last classic. Meanwhile, fan support is dwindling and lethargy is at an all-time high. NASCAR set out to turn the tables and start the 2010 season on a high. Instead, two seasons counting, it received a cluster-youknowwhat due to outside conditions that really have me just craving baseball.

That's what you're facing NASCAR. Fix it.

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I think the green white checkers rule is a bad one

Its the Daytona 500 not the Daytona 520

Bad pick Peyton "Regular Season" Manning!!!

by Athletic on Feb 16, 2010 12:30 AM EST reply actions

I can't believe so many people here don't like the new green white checkered rule

When a race ends under caution I feel cheated. How frustrating would it have been to have sat there watching the Daytona 500 for over 6 hours only to have it end uder caution. I would have been pissed. I love this new rule.

I’m not trying to pick on you Athletic, it’s more of a response to all the negative comments I’ve seen about the new green white checker rule here.

"Show me a good loser in professional sports, and I'll show you an idiot." - Leo Durocher

by RhodeIslandRoxfan on Feb 17, 2010 4:22 PM EST up reply actions

Truth be told I like the rule too

I too feel cheated if it finishes under caution. I think 3 attempts to get it done is fair enough, anything more than that would be foolish. eventually drivers and crew chiefs will adapt to this just like they adapted to speed limits on pit row, smaller fuel cells, restrictor plates, radial tires, etc.

I think the drivers and NASCAR owe the fans a chance to see the race end under green flag conditions!

by 4ever3 on Feb 17, 2010 6:37 PM EST up reply actions

The places where I actually think it could be a problem are the road courses

Usually Nascar doesn’t throw full course yellows there unless they have to but if they are forced to do it multiple times there the fuel situation could get really ugly.

I think I don’t see it being as big a problem at Daytona and Talladega because those races are so wild anyway that you rarly can point to someone and say “oh they dominated and really deserved to win that race”

"Show me a good loser in professional sports, and I'll show you an idiot." - Leo Durocher

by RhodeIslandRoxfan on Feb 18, 2010 2:38 AM EST up reply actions

I don’t like the three chances at green/white/checkers. I am also still amazed that after all those races run before the 500 and the unusually cold and rainy weather, it hadn’t occured to anybody to CHECK THE DAMN TRACK OUT. It’s inexcusable that NASCAR didn’t and the DIS didn’t, and I hope someone loses their job over it. NASCAR actually did a really good job promoting it this year, and then people tuned in to see over two hours’ of delays and NASCAR’s stupidity at its worst.

"Darling, you say Brooks Orpik 'checked' that guy. He did not 'get under him and put him into the wall'."--Beloved to me, Winter 2007

Cocktails With the Penguins, where Pens fans toast victories and drown defeats.

by GreenEyedLilo on Feb 16, 2010 7:53 AM EST reply actions

Garbage rule

How long before a guy that dominates an entire race loses because he runs out of fuel on the fifth extra lap, (or more depending on caution laps run). Crew chiefs shouldn’t have to worry about that, they have enough to worry about. As far as the race last weekend, it was a shame that it had to happen but, as a whole, the racing was really good. I think the “debocle” weeded out a lot of folks that weren’t really fans in the first place; I nor my friends and family, had much of an issue waiting, since watching continuing coverage of the “race” was just as good as anything else on TV on Sunday night.

by droid on Feb 16, 2010 10:45 AM EST reply actions

NASCAR doesn't need weeding though.

And that was the problem. They turned a way potential new fans on what should have been their most recent coming out party. And they botched it.

by MattHaggard on Feb 17, 2010 2:57 PM EST up reply actions

Three GWC attempts...

If it’s in the rule book, the Crew Chiefs will have to adjust their strategy to deal with it. The good ones will, others won’t. Although, with the nature of the plate tracks, there is some additional danger now. But it’s racing, the danger is inherent.

by sillyboob on Feb 16, 2010 1:12 PM EST reply actions