Hey Buddy, Need A Push? Yea Cool!

The 2011 Budweiser Shootout certainly lived up to its name, a Shootout. Two drivers, who was going to draw first? Actually two sets of two drivers, but you get the point.

It definitely was a different style of racing. 

Some will say that it was dull. No big packs. No solid 2x2 trains of cars. No "pack" to speak of. Is this a bad thing? Throughout the 90's restrictor plate races were full of cars running together, unable to race for themselves. Race winners were decided by who had the most cars behind them. If the low line had 5 cars nose to tail and the high line only had 3, the low line was probably going to be ahead at the flag. One-on-one passes for the lead on the last lap were few and far between. Top speeds were always kept just under the 200 mark, and big packs were the order of the day, literally.

With the COT all that changed. The big square cars have been able to draft much more than the last generation cars. What we saw in the Shootout was drivers who were able to decide their own destiny, drivers who were able to "race" for themselves. Yes they were still being pushed, still reliant on help from behind, but that's just the nature of racing at Daytona, it was this way before restrictor plates and it will always be this way.

I liked the race. I liked the fact that the drivers could overtake. I liked that come the last lap the third and fourth place cars were able to pull out and get level with the leader. I also liked that the second place driver was able to slingshot round the leader coming out of turn four on the last lap, with no help. 

Was NASCAR right to call Kurt Busch as the winner? Yes. The yellow line ruling should be enforced at all times. The last thing we all want is another (avoidable) airborne wreck. Will Hamlin pull down below the line next Sunday, err no.

Do I want 500 miles of that next Sunday? No... 100 miles? Yes!

Do I think that's what we are going to see? No. 

Even without NASCARs new cooling system pop off valves I do not think the 500 would be like that. Firstly; 43 cars will be on track, not 8 as it was at the end of the Shootout. That many cars on track together are going to stay together. There may be breakaways but eventually the rest will catch up and the pack will be together again. Secondly the drivers are not going to be able to maintain that style of intense racing for the whole race. 75 laps is one thing, 500 miles is something very different. We all know that the first 400 miles of a 500 mile race is a matter of survival, while the last 100 miles are serious. With this in mind I think the drivers will give each other a bit of room until the last 100 miles.

I also like NASCARs answer to the speed issue. For a change they have resisted a change to the restrictor plate. By leaving the plate the same NASCAR are saying, we like the racing, we like the draft, we like the overtaking. What NASCAR are trying to do is limit the length of time the cars can bump draft by restricting the airflow to the engines. The longer you bump draft, the more chance you have of overheating. So in theory the cars will still be able to hook up and pass as they did in the Shootout, but not for 50 laps solid. Now the two car draft should be used as an overtaking tool and not for lap after lap driving. If this works NASCAR should be applauded for being bold and not just running to a plate change to slow the cars.

 

Hopefully on Sunday we will see 43 drivers who can draft, can overtake in the pack with help and  one-on-one for the win. 43 drivers who are able to race for themselves and not just sit in the pack unable to move, waiting for the wreck. Drivers having fun!

The 125's will give us an idea of whether NASCARs changes have worked.

I for one can't wait!