Daytona

NASCAR Stock: Driver Power Poll- March 4

Three races into the 2008 season, we can begin to identify trends. Let’s take a look at who’s moving up, and who’s going down.

#1- Carl Edwards- I mean really, are you surprised? While everybody was busy chatting up the Hendrick Chevy’s and the  Gibbs’ Toyota’s, Cousin Carl snuck into the top spot after two consecutive wins in a Roush-Fenway Ford. How long he stays at the top will depend on Edwards shoing he can do more than just win on an oval. His odds of staying at or near the top are enhanced by the fact that Edwards swept the two Atlanta races in 2005.

#2- Kyle Busch- His stock is wobbling after fading in Las Vegas. I’ve always said that it would be Tony Stewart who would deliver Toyota’s first win at the Cup level. Busch has me re-thinking that. Man, has he looked crazy fast this season.

#3- Kasey Kahne- The driver of the Budweiser Dodge battled a start at the back and a nasty case of the flu to finish 6th, his 3rd top 10 in 3 races. His victory will end soon. Believe it.

#4- Ryan Newman- Newman’s been on a steady descent since his Daytona victory. Still, he’s running fast and running well. Did anybody really think that ANY Dodge would running so well ? C’mon, be honest.

#5- Kevin Harvick- After an “o.k.” top 15 finish at Daytona, Happy has been inching upward. I talked a lot of trash about the RCR Chevys before the beginning of the year. Harvick and teammate Jeff Burton have me eating my words. Harvick’s first Cup victory came at Atlanta in 2001, following the death of his RCR predecessor- one Dale Earnhardt.

#6- Dale Earnhardt Jr.- His 2nd place finish at Vegas is worthy of props. Remember this naysayers- Junior’s accident at Fontana was not his fault. He could give Edwards, Kahne and Busch a run for their money at Atlanta.

#7- Tony Stewart- His stock took a big time hit with his big time hit in Vegas, but that start aside, Smoke has looked good in stretches in 2008. He’ll be back- trust me.

#8- Elliott Sadler- Who??? The journeyman teammate of Kasey Kahne has been a revelation so far. His showing in Vegas could have been even better, were it not for a pit road penalty.

#9- Greg Biffle- Speaking of journeymen, Biffle has kept himself in the top 15 in all three races. Married life must be agreeing with him and Biffle must also be taking lessons in consistency from Roush teammate Matt Kenseth.

#10- Jeff Burton- Burton’s had some very promising runs in the early going. He doesn’t seem to have enough to win, but he takes good care of the car and finishes races.

It’s still early, but these names keep coming up in the top 10. The question is one of how long the Roush Fords, Childress Chevys and Evernham Dodges can keep it up.

  

Newman wins at Daytona: Am I Hallucinating?

I just want to know how many people honestly thought that a Dodge driven by Ryan Newman would be the winner at the Daytona 500. Hear that silence? That’s nobody speaking up. Today we saw once again why sporting events aren’t won on paper, and how anything can happen once the white flag waves at Daytona.

The way the Gibbs Toyotas were running today, I was just sure that my forecast of a Tony Stewart victory would come to pass. If not him, it would be Kyle Busch. Kurt’s little bro looked like he built Daytona the way he was leading laps today.

While Stewart, Busch and other strong Toyota runners were disappointed, the disappointment Team Hendrick must be feeling is palpable. Rick Hendrick worked hard to put his brightest star, Dale Earnhardt Jr. in victory lane, and the plan was working. Until today. By his own admission in post-race interviews, Junior made a few questionable decisions, and though he ran well- he came up short. It also didn’t help that Lil E most likely draft partners (fellow HMS studs Gordon, Johnson and Mears), had problems of their own. It’s a reminder of how tenuous team dominance or dominance of any kind is in ths sport.

Still, the biggest surprise to me is the performance of cars bearing the Dodge name plate. Joining Newman in the top 10 from Dodge were Kurt Busch (who started 43rd), Kasey Kahne, Elliott Sadler, Reed Sorenson and Robby Gordon (who just defected from Ford 3 weeks ago when he hooked up with Gillett Evernham). 

So much for the Toyota takeover, or another dominant day by Chevy.

Today reminds us that while we had plenty of story lines going into 2008, we were reminded that there are plenty more that remain unwritten.

Stay tuned. 

Curing the Off-Season Blahs

I don’t care who you are, even the most die hard fan finds it hard to stay inspired during the off-season. Even NASCAR, with it’s outrageously short hiatus of two and three-quarter months, leaves its fans moaning the blues for a time. Even though we know the folks that make the sport go round need a break once in a while, we still clamor for “more, more, more.” It’s just like cousin Clem’s moonshine, the answer to the question of “How much is enough?” is invariably “Just a little bit more.”

On this fine Christmas day, my dear wife has come to my rescue. At the expense of sounding like a corporate shill, I am going to plug my source of relief to get me through these next 54 days as we await the 2008 edition of the Daytona 500. Much to my delight, I am now the proud owner of  ESPN’s “Ultimate NASCAR Volumes 1 through 4.” I just finished watching volume one, and man am I inspired. This installment has me pondering a wealth of NASCAR subject matter from its personalities to all the changes coming down.

I know many fans have numerous issues concerning the current state of NASCAR and it’s coverage- especially at ABC/ESPN. While I agree their in-race coverage could stand a major tune up, I think you’d agree that America’s premier sports network deserves props for a couple of things: #1- ESPN put NASCAR on the national map back in a time when NASCAR was considered a mere regional sport. #2- ESPN does do an excellent job with programs and features. The DVD I just watched has been brilliantly produced and has a little something for everybody.

In volume one, ESPN explores the rise of the sport from its inception back in the late 1940’s, thanks to Bill France Sr. and his band of rogues. In 58 years, it’s truly amazing to see how “stock car” racing has evolved from the moonshine running dare devils of yesteryear to the high tech poster boys of today. It’s grown from a day where 12 races a year occurred within a 200 mile radius to today- where we have race stops that range from New Hampshire to California. I know France Senior was a visionary, but America’s #2 sport behind only the NFL? I don’t know if he could have seen the explosion we have now.  This series does a great job of taking us through these changes, while keeping it interesting.

I’m quite sure a volume like this is not the only one of its kind. They’re fun to watch and they make you think some about where stock car racing has been and where it’s going. It’s a great way to get through a winter day.

It sure beats shoveling snow and Seinfeld re-runs.