Jaime McMurray is #1 for sure. Driving the #1 car to victory in the Daytona 500 is such an ironic triumph how can race fans not be amazed. McMurray was the odd man out when Roush-Fenway racing had to downsize from five to four cars. Meanwhile, at Earnhardt-Ganassi racing, the #1 car was open with Martin Truex Jr. departing for Michael Waltrip’s operation. So who were in the mix at the end, Jaime McMurray, Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle, and Martin Truex Jr. were all in the mix to win the race as were Kevin Harvick who appeared to have the strongest car, and who came up out of nowhere to almost pull off the win, Dale Earnhardt Jr.
For a race that took six hours and ten minutes, the final segment of the race was classic Daytona. How ironic is it that Roush coaxed Mark Martin into not retiring to save a seat for McMurray as his replacement. McMurray was under contract with Ganassi’s operation. He left Ganassi for Roush where things did not work out quite as well as expected though he did win a restrictor plate race last fall at Talladega. Meanwhile, Truex in his new ride was one competitor he had to keep behind him to gain the win.
Most of the race seemed to suggest that a true kind of parity exists in NASCAR with a record number of lead changes, a total of 25 leaders. There was no clear dominant team. For what it ultimately turned out to be worth Kevin Harvick led the most laps, 41, to finish 7th. Clint Bowyer led 36 headed to a 4th place finish. Kurt Busch led 32 but faded off to 22nd while Greg Biffle who looked like a possible winner, led 29th to finish in 3rd.
The inevitability factor never materialized. Though starting 3rd and looking racy early in the contest, Jimmie Johnson was not a factor in the race. First tire trouble and then drive train difficulties ruined the champ’s afternoon with a miserable 35th place finish, 23 laps down. Does anybody want to start a pool on which race Johnson will move into the top ten in points?
On the subject irony, could we say there is also irony in Dale Earnhardt Jr. finishing second to the team he left?
For all the positives of today’s race, anyone who watched the whole race or the fans in the stands must be disappointed with two long red flag breaks because the asphalt was breaking up requiring long delays for the potholes to be patched. That ISC (International Speedway Corporation) could have its track in such dismal shape for the premier event of the season simply is not acceptable. Sure there’s been two weeks of racing with the 24 Hours of Daytona then all the NASCAR related events and yes there was lots of rain, it does rain a lot in Florida. It is truly embarrassing that the overall condition of such a prominent facility could be allowed to deteriorate so badly having not been resurfaced since 1978. The famous 1979 race ending in the Allison/Yarborough fight, the whole Dale Earnhardt era, and all that has happened since has been on the same asphalt. While this wasn’t as embarrassing as the 2008 Brickyard 400 with all its competition yellow flags, what happened today was unacceptable. Thankfully, the racing action remained competitive. We’d be interested in knowing if the pavement trouble contributed to any of today’s DNF’s.
The top 12 for today’s race are:
1- Jaime McMurray, #1, Chevy
2- Dale Earnhardt, Jr., #88, Chevy
3- Greg Biffle, #16, Ford
4- Clint Bowyer, #33, Chevy
5- David Reutimann, #00, Toyota
6- Martin Truex, Jr., #56, Toyota
7- Kevin Harvick, #29, Chevy
8- Matt Kenseth, #17, Ford
9- Carl Edwards, #99, Ford
10-Juan Montoya, #42, Chevy
11-Jeff Burton, #31, Chevy
12-Mark Martin, #5, Chevy
Three of four Roush-Fenway teams, Michael Waltrip full-time rides, all three Childress teams, and the two from Earnhardt-Ganassi and Hendricks. Joe Gibbs and Richard Petty Racing were shut out. For Richard Petty racing, though Paul Menard finished 13th, Kasey Kahne was the most competitive ride before a late race crash. Elliot Sadler ran toward the front during much of the race.
The 2010 Daytona 500 was a particularly tough race for Roger Penske having two cars wreck with Brad Keselowski finishing 36th and Sam Hornish finishing 37th. Tony Stewart’s operation had a disappointing day with Stewart, Saturday’s champ, finishing a lack luster 22nd while his teammate Ryan Newman crashed out in 34th. None of the new formations like Front Row racing or the small independents had anything noteworthy to show for their efforts. Although Joe Nemechek finished in dead last, it was not because of a start and park effort. He wrecked.
Other noise around the track was a prerace performance by country singer, Tim McGraw, a mediocre star of the new package that is sold as country music. Almost as noisy as the car engines was a visitor who made her way around the track before action began, Sarah Palin was on hand to see and be seen. Won’t that help tie all the stereotypes together that the media elites hate?
The long march across America to Homestead has begun for 2010. Next week, the engines will roar in Fontana, California as the real grind of the season begins for real. Two far western races will help set the stage for what the 2010 season will become before the teams come east to Atlanta, March 7th when the season reaches its first landmark after which this year’s owner’s points set the field. In today’s rough economic conditions, the first four races could be decisive for which teams continue for the rest of the season. That the #28 Travis Kvapil ride could not lock into the top 25 with lack of sponsorship doomed that team and perhaps spelled the end of Yates racing which struggled all last season between its #98 car and alliance deal with Hall-of-Fame facing which no longer exists. Could there possibly be enough quality teams to allow Sprint Cup racing to shed the park and ride teams which only clutter up the field?
For a race that took six hours and ten minutes, the final segment of the race was classic Daytona. How ironic is it that Roush coaxed Mark Martin into not retiring to save a seat for McMurray as his replacement. McMurray was under contract with Ganassi’s operation. He left Ganassi for Roush where things did not work out quite as well as expected though he did win a restrictor plate race last fall at Talladega. Meanwhile, Truex in his new ride was one competitor he had to keep behind him to gain the win.
Most of the race seemed to suggest that a true kind of parity exists in NASCAR with a record number of lead changes, a total of 25 leaders. There was no clear dominant team. For what it ultimately turned out to be worth Kevin Harvick led the most laps, 41, to finish 7th. Clint Bowyer led 36 headed to a 4th place finish. Kurt Busch led 32 but faded off to 22nd while Greg Biffle who looked like a possible winner, led 29th to finish in 3rd.
The inevitability factor never materialized. Though starting 3rd and looking racy early in the contest, Jimmie Johnson was not a factor in the race. First tire trouble and then drive train difficulties ruined the champ’s afternoon with a miserable 35th place finish, 23 laps down. Does anybody want to start a pool on which race Johnson will move into the top ten in points?
On the subject irony, could we say there is also irony in Dale Earnhardt Jr. finishing second to the team he left?
For all the positives of today’s race, anyone who watched the whole race or the fans in the stands must be disappointed with two long red flag breaks because the asphalt was breaking up requiring long delays for the potholes to be patched. That ISC (International Speedway Corporation) could have its track in such dismal shape for the premier event of the season simply is not acceptable. Sure there’s been two weeks of racing with the 24 Hours of Daytona then all the NASCAR related events and yes there was lots of rain, it does rain a lot in Florida. It is truly embarrassing that the overall condition of such a prominent facility could be allowed to deteriorate so badly having not been resurfaced since 1978. The famous 1979 race ending in the Allison/Yarborough fight, the whole Dale Earnhardt era, and all that has happened since has been on the same asphalt. While this wasn’t as embarrassing as the 2008 Brickyard 400 with all its competition yellow flags, what happened today was unacceptable. Thankfully, the racing action remained competitive. We’d be interested in knowing if the pavement trouble contributed to any of today’s DNF’s.
The top 12 for today’s race are:
1- Jaime McMurray, #1, Chevy
2- Dale Earnhardt, Jr., #88, Chevy
3- Greg Biffle, #16, Ford
4- Clint Bowyer, #33, Chevy
5- David Reutimann, #00, Toyota
6- Martin Truex, Jr., #56, Toyota
7- Kevin Harvick, #29, Chevy
8- Matt Kenseth, #17, Ford
9- Carl Edwards, #99, Ford
10-Juan Montoya, #42, Chevy
11-Jeff Burton, #31, Chevy
12-Mark Martin, #5, Chevy
Three of four Roush-Fenway teams, Michael Waltrip full-time rides, all three Childress teams, and the two from Earnhardt-Ganassi and Hendricks. Joe Gibbs and Richard Petty Racing were shut out. For Richard Petty racing, though Paul Menard finished 13th, Kasey Kahne was the most competitive ride before a late race crash. Elliot Sadler ran toward the front during much of the race.
The 2010 Daytona 500 was a particularly tough race for Roger Penske having two cars wreck with Brad Keselowski finishing 36th and Sam Hornish finishing 37th. Tony Stewart’s operation had a disappointing day with Stewart, Saturday’s champ, finishing a lack luster 22nd while his teammate Ryan Newman crashed out in 34th. None of the new formations like Front Row racing or the small independents had anything noteworthy to show for their efforts. Although Joe Nemechek finished in dead last, it was not because of a start and park effort. He wrecked.
Other noise around the track was a prerace performance by country singer, Tim McGraw, a mediocre star of the new package that is sold as country music. Almost as noisy as the car engines was a visitor who made her way around the track before action began, Sarah Palin was on hand to see and be seen. Won’t that help tie all the stereotypes together that the media elites hate?
The long march across America to Homestead has begun for 2010. Next week, the engines will roar in Fontana, California as the real grind of the season begins for real. Two far western races will help set the stage for what the 2010 season will become before the teams come east to Atlanta, March 7th when the season reaches its first landmark after which this year’s owner’s points set the field. In today’s rough economic conditions, the first four races could be decisive for which teams continue for the rest of the season. That the #28 Travis Kvapil ride could not lock into the top 25 with lack of sponsorship doomed that team and perhaps spelled the end of Yates racing which struggled all last season between its #98 car and alliance deal with Hall-of-Fame facing which no longer exists. Could there possibly be enough quality teams to allow Sprint Cup racing to shed the park and ride teams which only clutter up the field?
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