"Not You're Granddads NASCAR"

With about 10 laps to go the phone rang. A friend of mine was also watching the race. At this point I was sat leant forward half-on, half-off the couch. Volume levels started to go up as the excitement grew... then the yellow. I sat back for a minute and our voices dropped to their normal levels. 

 

Who's lined up with who? Mark Martin pushing Tony Stewart on the high line looks good! The 21 is in front for the first time, surely a "sitting duck" as the TV commentators kept saying. Low line looks less promising. Can the 21 hold on? 

Green flag flies and suddenly I am on the edge of the couch again, and our voices go up a level. Go Smoke! White flag, the 5 and 14 have gone backwards; they are out of it, 21 still in front. Go 21! Turn 3, voices LOUD NOW but nervous, no couch needed now!! Come on 21! Oh no here comes Edwards with a big run! GO 21! Out of turn 4... 21 blocks Edwards run... COME ON 21!! Nowhere near the couch now!! At the tri-oval... HOLD ON 21!! Chequered flag!! 

Wood Brothers to Victory Lane!! How cool is that!! And relax...

A lot is being said about the Daytona 500 so I will keep it short and simple - 

Good Things -

TV Coverage - For me the pre-race show alone was an enjoyable roller-coaster ride. I felt the FoxSports guys did a good job of portraying the excitement, the anticipation, the drama... the volume went up for Brad Paisley and down for the well judged Earnhardt tribute.

Push-me / Pull-me - The two car hook-ups are fun to watch. The cars move around a bit, work together, pass, drop back, go high, go low. The drivers are not just sat in a big pack unable to race for themselves! They have to earn their pay checks!

Bizarre Things - 

Radio Chatter - Not only are the drivers racing at 200 mph, two or three wide, not only are they bump drafting all the way round the 2.5 miles of new tarmac, not only are they communicating with their own team and their own spotter but they are also talking to each other, team mate or otherwise, while they are doing it! Amazing!

Exciting Things -

Great start for NASCAR! Good Daytona 500, lots of close racing, a big wreck with no flying cars or injuries, a dramatic finish, and a great plot line to start the year!!

In the pre-race show one of the TV guys said this is "not you're Granddads NASCAR". New points system, new drivers, new Daytona surface, new style of drafting...

So far so good!!

If 2010 was "have at it, boys" then maybe 2011 is... "NO LONGER YOU'RE GRANDDADS NASCAR"!

Congratulations to Trevor Bayne and Wood Brothers Racing, winners of the 2011 DAYTONA 500!!