The 2013 Daytona 500

This years race had the usual prerace chatter to it including the chatter out of the mile high sky box crowd. But after you get away from that there was a new stir in the air. True with Danica being on the pole that was a major plus for Nascar but the drivers were not as settled and content as usual.

The car they were casually driving around the track was calm and peaceful looking---until you get up close and personal with it. I saw several shots from the incar cameras and the car side panels especially around the rear wheels were really buckling and do not tell me this has no effect on the stability of a car close to the wall OR another car. Also if you watched the roof it was buckling also,never got to see the hood or the area around the splitter. Evidently these new cars are lacking in rear stability in a close pack because when one would get up close to a car it looked like the nose of the rear car took a different attitude and the center of the hood area bowed up. This is an area that I bet will be looked at Concord. I dont think they can duplicate two or three cars running at speed in that wind tunnel .

The cars do look different from each other on the track,due to some crafty decal work but there are true differences in the body pieces but still have to meet the close tolerance of the Laser,Jeff found that out this morning going to final inspection. I heard it took three times for him to clear customs, kinda like flying and clearing that screenings they do at the airport.

You didnt hear any noise from the drivers but I bet there are many a buzz with Crewchiefs and Car builders.

TRD or Toyota will be busy I bet with those cars having mechanical issues, That doesnt set to good with the general public being as their engine is their own Design. I really miss seeing the Dodge out there and bet Bad boy Brad does too.

Now our distinguished panel of experts here on R/R will dissect this and their point of view will be posted A N D then Nascar and Fox will have something of importance to relate to this week. on their shows.

But on the plus side all the injured fans are on their way to recovery and I hope everyone here says a short word of thanks to our maker for looking over and allowing them a speedy recovery ! ! !

Yep, Johnny... if I were a multi-time Super Bowl winning former head NFL football coach that sings, "Hail to the Redskins" in the shower, I'd be either looking at bringing my engine building back in house and away from that TRD group that must have a bunch of ex drag racing engine builders that just build engines to last a couple of passes.... or, maybe I'd go see if I couldn't concoct a super secret side deal for Hendrick to build me some Studebaker engines on the side in the middle of the night when no one is looking.

The cars looked sharp. The single file, follow the leader, no passing racing did NOT look sharp.

The R&D braintrust needs to figure quickly how to get two NASCAR stock cars side-by-side without spinning each other out.

And when Fox Television reviews its telecast, I hope it gives us some real pre-race analysis next year and spares me having to listen to the Brown Boys band and all that racket. YUK. If they feel they have to give me a pre-race show, just hire Humpy to produce some war games, bus jumps or pay Red Baron Pizza to bring back their Air Show. Now, that was an exciting pre-erace spectacle if you ever saw it. I did at Charlotte, New Hampshire and Michigan and I was was thrilled each time. Awesome stuff. Can't compare to those Brown Boys and the guy who thinks the word "BAN - NER" has three syllables when he sings the National Anthem.

Did Fox really have to put Erin Andrews on their race telecast? I couldn't stand her on ESPN. She milked her 15 minutes of fame by getting peeped at long ago. She was the only reporter in Daytona who couldn't find Danica, except she was live on-air at race start time. She didn't have any trouble finding that weird 25 Cents or Half-Dollar guy, though, did she? What was that all about. That guy had to be shot up with some leftover Lance Armstrong stuff. Must be another celebrity I never heard of and don't care to again brought in by Brian France.

And, speaking of football as I was above, who dreamed up those cheesy driver intros? I guess they were trying to emulate a college football team coming onto their "ball field." In football, however, the whole team comes out at once and the smoke and sound effects are much better. That deal was weak, weak, weak.

It gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling near the end to see Bobby Labonte, crack the top-10, but I was emabarassed for older brother, Terry. It was hurtful to see him out on the track looking like an old fashioned stroker.

At the risk of not giving you and Brother Tommie Clinard a chance to say, "I told you so" - I must say I thought Go Girl performed credibly, other than getting shuffled backwards in the final run for the roses. But, she was certainly not alone in getting snookered by that sneaky 5-Time bunch.

Continuing to pray for the recovery of fans hurt in the stands and hoping I've seen the last incident where a spectator gets hurt.

All in all, I was happy to see racing return, but was extremely dissapointed with the on-track show Sunday. There have been few, if any, more B - O - R - I - N - G Daytona 500s.

Last night, as I was checking all the news feeds I usually read, trending headlines included, in several places, the tweet by "50 cent" upon arrival at the track. He tweeted to his 8 million followers "Damn, there ain't no black people here". Very good for NASCAR's diversity efforts I would say. Trending very highly was the video of Erin Andrews rejecting the several attempts by "50 cent" to kiss her. Has our sport really degraded to the point that we have to have a "rapper" trying to kiss a "botox" babe on National television for entertainment. God, please don't let it be so.

I was not impressed with the pre-race entertainment either, but anticipating such a travesty I didn't turn on the television until 12:40. Couldn't take that much pre-race hype knowing what would be going on.

Johnny, you are correct about the aero tubulance on the cars. I noticed that right off and wondered how that was affecting the cars but then considering no one was trying to pass anyone I figured we would never know what, if anything, they can do about that.

I said in the Legendtorial last week that all the Danica publicity was/is good for NASCAR and I stand by that. Most of what I heard and read was all positive and she did run a good race. Will be interesting to see her performance as the season progresses but as long as she has the cheerleader with the biggest mouth in television leading the cheers every week from the booth, we will be assured that even her slightest accomplishment will be heralded around the world.

Not taking anything from Danica because she drove a fine parade, but please note that Regan Smith finished 7th and Michael McDowell finished 9th and J.J. Yeley 10th in cars with less than one eighth the financing enjoyed by the Green Car Group.

As to the event known as the "Daytona 500" itself, it ranks at the top of the most boring motorsports event ever. Until the last 10 laps it was more like a parade than a race. I always though RACE meant trying to get out front. Follow the leader never had a more visible tribute than that fiasco on track Sunday.

A topic of conversation here often gets around to the National Anthem. I think the guy who sang it Sunday did a very good job. I also heard there is no truth to the rumor that "Bombs bursting in Air" is going to be changed to "Toyotas exploding on track". That is a total fabrication by the Toyota folks doing everything they can to convince Americans that the "Toyota" is as American as Apple pie.

Guess I had better stop now before I get into real trouble. I've already offended the rappers, the botox folks, the Japs, and NASCAR. I do love the look of the "Gen Six" cars but lets compare them SIDE BY SIDE, not nose to tail.

i flew back and forth to the track a couple times this week - alot going on - the wreck in the nationwide seris the tv did not do it justice - way more serious and the tone was somber - just pure good luck and the grace of god somebody didnt get killed in this mess - behind the scenes brad took a hard shot in that wreck - im not saying he caused it but he gave apology to regan smith - junior told us after the twins were over that would probably be the best racing in cup for the weekend - he was so right - glad he got second - nascar is allready discussing tethers to the wheels and maybe a tunnel to cross under - dont know but it was brought up - nascar is reactive not pro-active - the pre-race show is what i saw in their plans last year - expect more carnival atmosphere - and yes nascar is going to become more trashy - you saw it sunday - more and more non-racing related stuff that insults your intelligence - it is amazing how technology can dumb people down - kudos to danica - dave i remember those air shows also they were awesome - just kinda gives you a sick feeling to see how it is today versus how it was - i left before the 500 started - from what i was told it was just a follow the leader train ride .

tim leeming - i see why they call you the legend - you said it all brother and then some - good job !!!

David Earnhardt, thanks for the kind words. I just try to say what's on my mind and in my heart. I'm pleased when someone appreciates the way I feel. Thanks again and keep reading. Join us for the radio show tomorrow night when I get my 15 minutes to rant!

Tim

The promo machine was in overdrive, and it was successful, but probably more akin to a one-hit wonder. The racing's got to improve, and Danica will not be the sensation as the tour slugs forward at Phoenix, Vegas, Bristol, etc. etc. Fortunately, for Daytona, the 'Gen-6' car was a curiosity and was milked to the max, as was Danica-mania. But, again, it all worked, and I found myself pulling for her. (Mr. 5-time does not move the needle, at least for me, and generates very little promotional ummph) Danica drove a very impressive race: ran top 10 all day, pit stops OK, and was definitely in a position to win in the closing laps..... (IMO) she could have won.

I was internet-listening to the Nationwide race on MRN, (could NOT find it on a radio station) and the severity of the last-lap crash was also downplayed. Reading between the lines, one could tell it was very VERY serious. Injured fans is worse case scenario, and to me, thatwas the weekend's major story

Haha, 'Toyotas exploding on track'. Maybe not in the anthem but if they brought back that preacher from Nashville, bet he'd gladly include it in his pre-race invocation.

I came here to read the real story and I got what I was looking for and more. Great analysis, summary amd comments, guys!

I'll follow up on this and listen to the Goat Rodeo tomorrow evening. Thanks! JB