Race fans! Let us here at Crappafoni Pictures be the first to welcome you back to a new season of NASCAR, which means a new series of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. We bring you this served with the local flavor of the track. For Daytona, it's served fried-fish style, and washed down with PLENTY of Budweiser. Because of the small field of the Shootout, there will be fewer entries in each category. Enjoy!
THE GOOD
Kurt Busch: as the race winner, he gets first billing. He had the best car when it counted. He was also fortunate when Denny Hamlin advanced his position below the double yellow line. In NASCAR, that's a no-no. This is Busch's first restrictor plate win in any race. A good start for the Double Deuce as they embark on their relationship with their new sponsor, Pennzoil.
Jamie McMurray: he was content to be tethered to the Double Deuce's rear end. While he didn't lead a lap, he was strong throughout on his own merit.
Ryan Newman: Rocketman was just that, a rocket. He led a good part of the final portion of the Shootout before being passed by Busch and McMurray. This bodes well for him at the 500.
The racing itself: in a short segment, no one really checked out. It wasn't until near the end of the race that you had drafting partners checking out.
RCR Racing: Jeff Burton and Kevin Harvick were drafting partners for the first segment, and Burton led more than half the laps in that segment. When Burton was drafting with Clint Bowyer in the second segment, they fell off a bit. Jeff Gordon, who had a bit of a slow car, paired up with Harvick and almost immediately they went to the front. At one point, Gordon was leading, followed by the three RCR cars. An extra Good goes out to Harvick, who had a stout car, as evidenced by his pushing the Jeffs to the front.
THE BAD
None: there were no start and parkers in the Shootout.
THE UGLY
Regan Smith: he brought out the first in-race caution on Lap 28, shortly after the 50-lap segment began by making contact with Carl Edwards and causing a multi-car accident.
Kasey Kahne: his Shootout was over almost as soon as it started. Not a good start for the #4 Red Bull Toyota. His luck's GOTTA change soon!
Those are my nominees for the Shootout. Feel free to come in with yours!
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11 comments:
WOOHOO!! Of course they always manage a win a week before or a week after I am in the garages...go figure!
I dunno what to think about the racing - it was kinda weird to see two car bunches all over sling-shotting. Seems even less like racing now that a single car has no chance whatsoever. Lots of action, lots of passes for sure just weird action on the track.
Think the 500 is going to be a mess with less experienced drafters out there and not yet figuring out why Kyle and MW got turned when they did.
Bad - Digger is back. (!)
Kristen, good call on the Bad. They're going to beat that groundhog to death! It was different seeing two-car drafts during the Shootout. I think the 500 is going to come down to who's the best drafter standing at the end.
It will be interesting to see 20 two car drafts during the 500. I'm predicting a bunch of wrecks if NASCAR doesn't change the rules by then.
I'll give Regan Smith a pass on that wreck (didn't involve anyone I like). That new style of racing at Daytona had drivers more experienced than him (Martin, Stewart) wrecking people.
Just a minute while I revel in my first racing fix of the season.
Absoloutely a strange race. If you didn't have a dancing partner on the track, you went no where.
Sorta reminded me of some old figure 8 races off of speed channel where they put two cars together and raced ( demolition derby).
Another surprise was Derick Cope finishing a race.
from the replay I saw, I thought Hamlin was a nose ahead of Newman when Newman started heading back to the yellow lines...so is the rule now that you have to have completed the pass fully (be able to duck in front) or something? *confused*
I thought the same, Tez. Only Denny's left rear tire was on, or below, the line when he was completely past Newman.
Have to wonder if it was Jr, would the decision be the same, or have came so fast from the tower?
Wish I could comment here but had to work last night and only have the printed accounts to go by (and we all know how those writers can skewer a story! LOL)
Congrats to the BIG BUSCH and all his fans (Kristen included!)
How appropriate... my word verification is (and I'm not kidding) cocrash!
Gene, I'm waiting for the Twin 125s. It'll be interesting to see who dances with who.
Tez, as I understand, the rule is: if you advance your position while you're below the double yellow line, it is illegal. I thought if any part of the car was below the double lines, it's illegal. (See: Regan Smith, Talladega, October 2008.)
Photogr, it was strange. Jeff Gordon was falling backwards like a stone when he and Kevin Harvick started drafting together. Within a lap or two, they were towards the front.
Dwindy, LOL!
but...if Hamlin was a nose ahead before he went across the line, how could he have be deemed as improving his position when, at the time, he was the race leader?
on the plus side, this will be a new record...it usually takes me a few races before I get confused with NASCAR rules but it's straight out of the gate this year, LOL
I'm wondering how much Smith's wreck will hurt him when it comes to finding a drafting partner the rest of the week. That first wreck was totally his fault and could have easily been avoided.
Tez, seems the rulebook was drawn up on an Etch-a-Sketch!
JM, interesting perspective. That's a valid point. With Smith's lack of experience, he may indeed find it difficult to find a drafting partner. Imagine if it WERE the 500 and he took out Dale Jr. Junior Nation would have Smith strung up from the nearest pole! I think we'll see some very unlikely draft partners at this year's 500. I could even see Edwards and Harvick as draft partners.
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