The Bud Shootout: My Take

by 4ever3 on Feb 8, 2010 2:31 AM EST in Bob's Articles Comment 12 comments

Credit: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR

Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet, celebrates winning back-to-back Budweiser Shootout with a burnout at Daytona International Speedway. via nascar-assets.americaneagle.com

Another ~~Busch Clash~~ Bud Shootout is in the books and officially it was Kevin Harvick that won, but I also think that the biggest winner was NASCAR.

The 'have at it boys' approach NASCAR took to this season regarding bump-drafting played into effect during the shootout as well as the larger restrictor plate change and this is why NASCAR was the biggest winner because the emphasise was on the driver and his abilities rather than the rules - except the gren/white/checkers as there seemed to be some debate after the race as to if the race should have finished under green flag conditions or not.

It would appear that it should have finished under green if it were before 10:00 pm and faster if after 10:00 pm and since it was after 10:00 pm NASCAR ended it as fast as they could with the green/white/checkers with no chance of another restart to end the race.

Race winner Harvick benefitted from the caution coming out just before the scheduled break as he had a rear tire going down and he was able to pit and change his tires without losing positions on the track. In fact the rcr team Twittered, "Crew found hole in @KevinHarvick's right rear tire during break. Caution was good timing for 29!" after Kevin went back out onto the track.

Harvick's wife, Delana, Twittered during the race that, "@kevinharvick says if we get out front the wont get by us" and once he did get out front he was a hard one to catch and pass.

What makes Harvick's win all the more interesting is that he had no seat time in the car as he was suffering from flu-like symptoms since Thursday and had to rely on his RCR teammates Bowyer and Burton to test and set-up his car for him while he recovered.

Early in the day Harvick Twittered, "feeling alot better now that i am moving around. ready for some racing!" and boy was he ready!

As one Twitter prose whitted fan Spectricide said, "Harvick flu by them all" and that is just what he did to win his second straight Bud Shootout!

What a great start to the year for Harvick and his RCR team - I wonder if this will help him or not for his contract negotiations with RCR - I guess it all depends on how you look at it really as a win looks good for both him and RCR, but on the other hand a win might make him look more desirable to other teams too!

Here is something totally random; Ford only had one car in the top ten finishers of the race. I wouldn't put anything into that stat as a ton of Fords got caught up in that late wreck and weren't able to finish. But still its something to look at, especially if you're a Ford fan!

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Ford

They didn’t look too hot in Qualfiying either…

As far as contract negotiations…I don’t think this will affect it. What he does during the first 2 or 3 months may though. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a 3rd car at SHR announced for 2011 sometime late spring or early summer with either Harvick or Kahne as driver. I don’t think they’re really grooming a 3rd pit crew JUST to have spares for Tony and Ryan.

by NascarPoolsOnline on Feb 8, 2010 9:34 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I would say Harvick more than Kahne. Harvick already has Stewart race for him in Nationwide, and if Harvick plans to ever take Delana’s team up to Cup, who better to have as a technical partner than Stewart and Hendrick? The new Ford really didn’t look good. When your top ford qualifiers are Kenseth (who never qualifies good) Menard and Ragan, there is a problem. Great article 4ever3.

by Troy J. on Feb 8, 2010 12:17 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Harvick vs Kahne

I would definitely agree with you that Harvick is probably a more likely fit, but I would say the two of them are the ‘favourites’ if it does happen.

by NascarPoolsOnline on Feb 8, 2010 1:50 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Agreed with the Harvick comment.

by 4ever3 on Feb 8, 2010 3:15 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I can see Kahne going to the 29 chevy. If Harvick is leaving they are going to make a huge push for a big name guy. If Shell Pennzoil leaves (there contract is also up) Kahne might be able to bring Budweiser with him, but then Cheerios would leave (since that’s one of the reasons they left the 43 car, when Bud was inherited by RPM) Kahne would also bring associate sponsors Allstate and Vitamin Water. I can’t see McMurray or Allmendinger being first choices for RCR. No way is Austin Dillon or John Wes Townley ready for the Cup series.

by Troy J. on Feb 9, 2010 6:33 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I thought the race started off boring

Ended great

Bad pick Peyton "Regular Season" Manning!!!

by Athletic on Feb 8, 2010 1:22 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I'd go with you on that

but you’ve got to remember there were a bunch of guys starting the race in their back-up cars with no practice laps on them at all so they didn’t even know how their cars were going to handle so they spent the first part of the race just feeling thier cars out!

by 4ever3 on Feb 8, 2010 3:14 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Not to mention that the restrictor plate has been changed to be more open, and there is a ban on testing. The beginning was a bit boring, but every Daytona 500 has that like a 20-30 minute portion where nothing is going on. It can only be expected.

by Troy J. on Feb 9, 2010 6:30 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

the race

i agress started slow but a great finish. the fords did not finsish well but the wreck did not help that. I hope the “new rules” and such makes for goo racing.

by gladams29 on Feb 8, 2010 4:27 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Not a big fan of the "green white checker"

Seems like since this rule has come out, there is more often than not, a wreck at the end the end of the race. Seemed like to me, the racing was better before this rule. Drivers knew if they pushed it too hard and wrecked with just a few laps to go, their chance of a better finish, decreased.

Now, a wreck near the end of a race, seems to improve the chances of a better finish. Not for the top 5 necessarily, but for the guys behind them, especially if they are strung out far apart.

When If there is a wreck now at the end of a race, the cars bunch-up and restart. Why watch a 400 to 500 mile race, when you know it is going to come down to a three lap shoot-out?

Speaking of 3, Rest in Peace Dale. Know that we miss you greatly.

by alfresco on Feb 9, 2010 11:43 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I disagree, I like this better than watching a dude spin another guy for the win, and just getting awarded it. This way he spins the guy, and then has to deal with a few other guys for a few more laps. Or, you see a guy start to make a move on the leader, and Robby Gordon spins out while running 34th, so the caution happens and the leader wins even though the guy in 2nd was about to pass him.

by Troy J. on Feb 9, 2010 1:55 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I see your point

But as I remember it, more races were finished without a caution coming out in the last 25 laps, then were finished with a caution coming out in the last 25. And they actually raced the last 25 laps.

This new way, it always seems there is a caution during the last 5 laps of every race, and it comes down to a green white checker, 3 lap shootout.

If this is how all the races are going to end, just have a three lap race to begin with! What is the point of a 500 mile race, if you bunch them all back together again after the first 494 laps? Seems like drag racing to me.

by alfresco on Feb 10, 2010 6:56 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs