At that point I asked two questions, first being why was Stewart given a 6-race probation, he didn’t do anything that I noticed and second, only probation for Busch… I could understand maybe not parking him, but please. NASCAR wants the drivers to show more emotions and the way I look at is that what happened at Walkins Glen last season between Harvick and Montoya, the key there, they were outside of there cars and not punching each other, that I like, that’s emotion.
However using you car as a weapon doesn’t work at all for me period and its an automatic penalty. I guess the third question should have been what is probation and what happens next? In that case who knows, will we see NASCAR react in that case… who knows and I wouldn’t count on it.
The Budweiser Shootout on the other hand showed a good race with lead changes and action thoughout the field and it ended with Dale Jr. winning his first race driving for Hendrick Motorsports. When you followed that up with the two Duel races that showed the same results with Dale Jr. winning the first Duel and Denny Hamlin in his Toyota winning the second duel.
At this point, it was all a building up to the 50th running of the Daytona 500 which I would rate somewhere in the lower part of the top 10. In no way does it even come close to last years with the second closes finish in 500 history and the wreck coming to the checkered nor does it top either the 1979 with the fight in the infield nor the famous 1998 500 when Dale Earnhardt after 20 years of trying won the 500 and the incredible seen on pit road following the race. However the 50th was a good one nonetheless.
I would describe the 50th Daytona 500 as what we had seen all week long, good close racing with a car that put on a good show and to top it all off, while you had a couple of different strung out packs at times and you needed a partner to do almost anything, the ending was one a little like last year in terms of coming up on the last lap to win, and what surprise winner with a last lap pass that brought me back even more towards last year and it all ended not with Tony Stewart who was leading on the white flag or Kyle Busch who lead the most laps, but with the Rocketman Ryan Newman pulling off the upset victory.
A surprise winner - the Rocketman Ryan Newman wins the 50th running of the Daytona 500. (Credit: Motorsport.com)
Be honest now, how many people picked Ryan Newman to win, let along Dodge to win, not me, I was behind Dale Jr. and I wouldn’t have been surprised if one of the Hendrick drivers nor a Gibbs driver won this race. I have to tip my hat to Ryan Newman, great show, way to be there at the end. Good winner, the nice guy in this case did finish first.
In the end, Speedweeks was good and so the Daytona 500, I even enjoyed the way NASCAR paid tribute to their history with the past winners, now it’s off to California, let’s go racing boys.
- Racedriven
