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 . . . .
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 . . . .
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