Usually I would give you all a recap of the race from this past weekend. But, with everything going on in the days leading up to the first big race of the season, I wanted to switch it up and give a different feel for the race fans.
Instead of a recap, I’m going to discuss what I learned watching the Budweiser Shootout.
After Kevin Harvick took the checkered flag in Saturday’s night’s event, everyone began talking about what could be expected in the 52nd Annual Daytona 500. All the excitement, the energy and the chaos of just 75 laps of racing were just a prelude to what next Sunday will bring.
But, what did we learn from Saturday night that could help, or hinder, the season-opener.
Let’s first look at what happened when the field got up to speed. When a driver established himself as the leader, what I saw was him being able to pull out quickly. Then, as the field came up to capture his draft and the momentum, the leader could halt that run and be able to hold off either line.
Look at how Tony Stewart was able to pull either the high or low line around the track. He’s figured out that the key to staying out front is slowing down the line that was approaching.
Unfortunately, we all know that the leader can’t always get the momentum slowed in time. What that showed is that the fast way for a majority of the race was the high line. This could be seen for a majority of the second segment, as guys like Stewart, Greg Biffle and eventual winner Harvick used the higher line to get the lead.
Normally, the leader wants to be on the low line, forcing the field to make the pass on the high side of the track. I don’t think that’s the case anymore, especially with these cars and the new rules. I’m predicting if a driver wants the lead late in the race, they’re gonna need to play with the yellow line in order to get it.
Finally, the one thing everyone noticed is that when NASCAR lifted the strict rules on bump drafting, letting the drivers “have at it”, we know now anything can happen.
More than once we saw guys shoving others down the back stretch, pushing them hard into turn 3 and getting the momentum to gain positions.
We also saw the consequences in the final two laps as Jeff Gordon shoved Biffle down the back stretch towards the front, but didn’t get off his bumper in time, causing a major wreck behind him taking out the likes of Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth, Mark Martin and others.
I’m not expecting anything like that early in the race, but then again mistakes do happen. Look at Talladega last April when seven laps in, a lot of tough cars were taken out. If this happens this year, it may be later in the race. It is then when all the dicing and tough competition will be.
In any case, everyone that will be at Daytona next Sunday can expect one thing: an incredible race.
Up next for the Sprint Cup Series at the Daytona International Speedway is the Gatorade Duel qualifying races. Saturday settled the front row for the race, with Mark Martin taking the pole and teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. starting outside.
Two races, 60 laps each, and many spots up for grabs to get in the race. The first race will set the inside line while the second will set the outside line. A total of 54 cars came to Daytona, and 11 of them will be packing up to head home and prepare for California.
Coverage of the Gatorade Duels will be on SPEED starting at 2 p.m. Thursday afternoon. I will have a wrap up after the races along with the full starting line-up for next Sunday’s Sprint Cup Series season opener.