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  • The worst daytona 500 ever?

    Now that the "Great American Race" is in the books and the hype on the first woman to lead the field at a major American "stock car" race has died down, it's time to assess where 2013's 500 fits into history.

    Arguably, it was the worst Daytona 500 in the past thirty years, if not in history. Virtually no passes for the lead that did not involve restart lane choice or pit stops. 450 miles of single-file "racing." No memorable crazy stuff (like the Sterling Marlin's "FenderGate" drama, or Juan Pablo hitting the jet dryer, or the track breaking up, or an infield fist fight (i.e. Allison Brothers versus Cale), or "the big one"). An event overshadowed with concerns about fan safety. "Action" that would be hard-pressed to fill up a two-minute highlight reel.

    For all the hype about the Gen 6 NASCAR and Danica, the 2013 Daytona 500 was a snoozefest on wheels.

    Here are eleven things we learned at Daytona in 2013.

    11. Two years to develop the Gen 6 car and apparently nobody ever windtunneled 'em in a passing/slingshot situation.

    10. Ford apparently took the "look stock" command a lot more seriously than Toyota or Chevrolet . . . to its detriment (Toyota and Chevrolet were clearly faster).

    9. When even drafting masters like Dale Earnhardt Jr. cannot make the traditional slingshot pass or the bottom lane work, NASCAR's still got a problem at restrictor plate tracks.

    8. Toyota Racing Development laid a TRD, sacrificing reliability on the altar of speed.

    7. Ford made a mistake in not resigning Matt Kenseth . . . and Kenseth may have made a mistake in not resigning with Ford.

    6. Brad Keselowski is now clearly the leading Ford driver, and perhaps the only Ford driver who can balance reasonable aggression with tactical restraint.

    5. Greg Biffle simply will not take any chances . . . Jimmy Johnson will.

    4. 200 m.p.h. one-groove racing is even worse than the tandems.

    3. Danica, assisted by a well-developed Gen 6 Chevrolet, stayed out of trouble and acquitted herself well (i.e. mostly stayed in line)

    2. Daytona's frontstretch wall is too low and the catch fence is too weak.

    1. In the end, NASCAR got some of what it wanted, with a Hendrick Chevrolet in Victory lane (albeit not Earnhardt Jr), breaking the recent dominance of Ford in the 500.

    Somebody wake me up . . . .
    Last edited by 38P; February 25, 2013, 08:14 AM.

  • #2
    So whose blog, racing website, or newspaper column did you rip off for all these fascinating insights?
    Last edited by studemax; February 25, 2013, 08:08 AM.
    Act your age, not your shoe size. - Prince

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    • #3
      Originally posted by studemax View Post
      So whose blog, racing website, or newspaper column did you rip off for all these fascinating insights?
      None. They're all out of my cluttered mind, and decades of watching/studying NASCAR.

      However, I wouldn't be surprised if others say the same thing (Mrs. Outsider often comments that a lot of the time I say what some of the TV types say . . . before they say it).

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      • #4
        I just saved my Sunday and didn't watch. Something is out of whack when I'd rather work on a mini-van then watch racing.
        I'm still learning

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        • #5
          The mini-van was probably more entertaining.
          Life is short. Be a do'er and not a shoulda done'er.
          1969 Galaxie 500 https://bangshift.com/forum/forum/ba...ild-it-s-alive
          1998 Mustang GT https://bangshift.com/forum/forum/ba...60-and-a-turbo
          1983 Mustang GT 545/552/302/Turbo302/552 http://www.bangshift.com/forum/forum...485-bbr-s-83gt
          1973 F-250 BBF Turbo Truck http://www.bangshift.com/forum/forum...uck-conversion
          1986 Ford Ranger EFI 545/C6 https://bangshift.com/forum/forum/ba...tooth-and-nail

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          • #6
            it was a boring race, biffle will take chances, usually with tragic multicar results, and does Danica intimidate you?

            the good part was busch(18 ) hit the garage early.
            Last edited by 173rdherd; February 25, 2013, 08:22 AM.
            Maybe I can clear this up.....I thought the cop was a prostitute.

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            • #7
              The most boring Daytona 500 ever?!? That's a stretch. Was it the most exciting?! No, but it wasn't the most boring either.

              I'm wondering if you remember or know about the 1961 500 where Fireball Roberts lead almost 150 laps out of the 200. Or the 1964 race where Petty led damn near the entire race?!?! I think he led all but 15 laps?!?

              How about 1968 where AJ won by 2 laps?!?! Yes, you heard me correct, he won by two freaking laps!!!

              How about the 2 Daytona wins by Bill Elliot where he dominated the entire race. Hell, in1987 he lapped the entire field except for 2nd place!! How exciting was that?!? Shit, I was nervous all race long wondering if he was going to lap second place..... LOL

              Me, personally, I wasn't on the edge of my seat, but I don't spend every waking minute bitching about this new Gen 6 car, and what did or didn't happen. I'm happy that it was a safe race and no fans and/or drivers were injured like Saturday's Nationwide race.

              Was I glad to see JJ win? No, I was pulling for Mark Martin to get his first. But, you won't hear my bitch or complain saying it was the most boring race ever. Don't like it, turn the channel. Don't watch it. It's really that simple.... :
              Last edited by Bucky67; February 25, 2013, 08:32 AM.
              sigpic

              "People Sleep Peacefully in their beds at Night Because Rough Men Stand Ready to do violence on their Behalf."
              - George Orwell

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              • #8
                Originally posted by 173rdherd View Post
                it was a boring race, biffle will take chances, usually with tragic multicar results, and does Danica intimidate you?

                the good part was busch(18 ) hit the garage early.
                When did Biffle take a chance in the 2013 500? Danica does not "intimidate" me. She's a fairly average driver benefitting from good equipment and an ocean of media/sponsor/manufacturer/sanctioning body hype. When she starts winning NASCAR races on a regular basis, then I will up my assessment.

                But clearly Keselowski's amazing drive in his wounded Penske Ford (which beat Biffle's pristine one), the Gibbs TRDs (while they stayed running), and the Hendrick cars were the class of the "follow-the-leader" field. Stewart and Harvick likely would have been factors but for the early crash.

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by Bucky67 View Post
                  The most boring Daytona 500 ever?!? That's a stretch. Was it the most exciting?! No, but it wasn't the most boringeither.

                  I'm wondering if you remember or know about the 1961 500where Fireball Roberts lead almost 150 laps out of the 200. Or the 1964 race where Petty led damn nearthe entire race?!?! I think he led allbut 15 laps?!?

                  How about 1968 where AJ won by 2 laps?!?! Yes, you heard me correct, he won by twofreaking laps!!!

                  How about the 2 Daytona wins but Bill Elliot where hedominated the entire race. Hell, in1987 he lapped the entire field except for 2nd place!! How exciting was that?!? Shit, I was nervous all race long wonderingif he was going to lap second place.
                  The Elliott wins were the only ones I saw. Elliott getting a lap down and coming back was very exciting (none of that "lucky dog" crap, Elliott ran 'em down under green!) Nothing like that could have happened in one-lane, no passing 2013 race. Also, Elliott's first Daytona win was exciting because it broke years of GM dominance, and Elliott had about the only really competitive Ford that day.

                  As for the other historically dominating performances, Petty and the Hemis in '64 involved plenty of passing and other excitement. And Fireball Roberts had an epic drive in that '61 Pontiac -- a real stock car with roll-up windows and which was based on a car that fans could buy the next day at their local Pontiac dealer (although the '61 500 was most certainly not as interesting as '59's photo finish or Junior Johnson's drafting day in '60)

                  None of the races you cited involved no-passing, single-file, follow-the-leader parades.

                  Was I glad to see JJ win? No, I was pulling for Mark Martin to get his first.
                  Martin's a disloyal jerk for driving a Toyota and clearly an over-the-hill has-been. Had he somehow won, NASCAR would have hyped it to death, but it would have been a terrible result.
                  Last edited by 38P; February 25, 2013, 08:44 AM.

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                  • #10
                    I get sucked in to watching to see the "New" car run. Turned out to be the same old parade for 450 miles. I'm done with it! Good thing there were empty seats Saturday or someone would have been killed.
                    Long Haul Gang 2011,12,13,14,15,16,17,19
                    The older I get The Faster I was!

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                    • #11
                      I at least like the fact I can tell which brand they are supposed to be from the front of the car now. I'll call that progress in the right direction.
                      Escaped on a technicality.

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                      • #12
                        Brand identity from the front is somewhat better with the Gen 6. The sides and rear . . . not so much (although it might be better on one of the new, giant TVs).

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                        • #13
                          I "watched" the race, mainly had it in the background while I played UNO with my 6 yr old. Also was not worried about missing anything when I had to get a beer, or dispose of one.
                          Neal

                          Drag Week 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by nesabo View Post
                            I "watched" the race, mainly had it in the background while I played UNO with my 6 yr old. Also was not worried about missing anything when I had to get a beer, or dispose of one.
                            NASCAR's more of a work-in-the-shop soundtrack nowadays. However, I'm still "sucked in" to closely watching the 500 because of tradition.

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                            • #15
                              So, let me get this straight, just so I understand; when a driver laps the entire field, or leads 85% of the race, that is exciting?!?! For who?!? Don't get me wrong, Bills dominance on both Daytona and Talladega is impressive. But, at the same time, when you lap the entire field, the race becomes extremely boring. I don't care if the rest of the field is single file or not.... Imagine being there in person when AJ Foyte lapped the entire field twice. Man, I bet there wasn't a person sitting down during that race.

                              Maybe that was Bill Elliots "Calling".... Hmmmmmm
                              sigpic

                              "People Sleep Peacefully in their beds at Night Because Rough Men Stand Ready to do violence on their Behalf."
                              - George Orwell

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