Danica Guaranteed Daytona 500 Start by Tommy Baldwin
General
Today's reading brings a new article, dated February 3rd, by the highly respected Larry Woody of Nashville, a veteran of over 40 years in the NASCAR trenches. Larry makes most of the points I intended to make in the original post.
Larry, as do I, likes and respects Danica. He, like me, hates this buying and selling points to get somebody in the field who's never turned a lap in a Cup race (I really hope she turns a great qualifying lap at Daytona and doesn't need to fall back on the recently purchased points) .
Larry is about as "old school" as they come. Just opinion and a lot of knowledge gleaned from having been around the track since "pre-Winston Cup" times. I don't think the article has a Facebook reference. Here is one respected writer's opinion:
Danica Patrick will drive in the Daytona 500 later this month, but did she take the back roads to get there?
Woody: Danica Wriggles Way Into Daytona 500
Larry Woody
Senior Writer, RacinToday.com
Friday, 3 February 2012
In the spirit of full disclosure, let me say that Im glad Danica Patrick will be racing in this months Daytona 500.
Ive always admired Danicas sass, spunk and spirit, and following her endeavors will make the races she runs considerably more interesting.
Having said that, however, the way she got an automatic starting spot without having ever turned a competitive lap in a Sprint Cup race is absurd, and nudges NASCAR ever closer to the pro wresting precipice.
Heres how it happened (I think):
Although Danica signed with Stewart-Hass Racing, she will run some Cup races for Tommy Baldwin Racing. Why? Because Baldwins team finished in the top 35 last year, and under NASCARs system it is therefore guaranteed a start spot in the first five races this season.
Presto! Putting Danica in Baldwins car while employed by Stewart-Hass gets her into the Daytona 500.
Last years top 35 are guaranteed starting spots in this seasons first five races, then the automatic starts revert to the top 35 in the current owners points.
Like most other things in life, the automatic-starting rule looked reasonable on paper. But eventually shrewd team owners did what theyve been doing for six decades they out-smarted NASCAR.
Ive never liked the automatic qualifying rule from the start. I understand the principle it protects and rewards full-time teams that are most heavily invested in the sport. But it handicaps lower-level teams that are trying to claw their way in, or struggling to survive once theyre there.
Ive always thought that the fairest way would be to let every driver run his or her qualifying laps and the fastest 43 get to race. Everybody else loads up, goes home, and tries again next week. What could be fairer that?
NASCARs argument, of course, is that a superstar like Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, or Tony Stewart might have a glitch in qualifying and get left out. That would deny advance ticket-buyers a chance to see all the top drivers (and also dampen TV ratings.)
Thats why the starting lineup is rigged to make sure all the big-name drivers get in. And it works locking crowd-wowing Danica Patrick into the Daytona 500 is a perfect example.
Theres no question that its brilliant marketing strategy, but its patently unfair from a competitive standpoint. But, having covered NASCAR for 40 years, the more I see the less I understand when it comes to the spirit of competition.
For example: why does mega-bucks team owner Rick Hendrick sell engines to rival Stewart-Hass powerful engines Tony Stewart uses to beat Hendricks drivers?
A team spends a fortune on its engine program, working under tight security in a secret underground bunker, then turns around and sells the engines to the enemy. I dont get it.
Meanwhile a driver who has never turned a lap in a Sprint Cup race already has a starting spot locked up in the Daytona 500.
Im glad Dancia will be in the race. I just question how she got there.
Larry Woody can be reached at lwoody@racintoday.com
Larry Woody | Senior Writer, RacinToday.com Friday, 3 February 2012
