2014 Daytona 500 Pre Race Thread

dpkimmel2001

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Let's get this year started already with a mug of Daytona. It's it's not just any mug..... It's the Big One!

20140219_074105.jpg
 
Race: Sunday, February 23, 2014 in Daytona Beach, FL
Title Sponsor: none
Scheduled Green Flag (approx): 1:20pm/et

Note the green flag time. For those of you that love to bitch about the pre race show.
 
Descriptive Forecast
Wednesday
Partly cloudy. High near 80F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.
Wednesday Night
Clear to partly cloudy. Low 59F. Winds light and variable.

Hourly6AM12 Noon6PM12 Midnight
Temp. | Dew Point58 | 5676 | 5872 | 6163 | 62
Wind3 mph North7 mph SSW7 mph SE5 mph SSE
Humidity95%54%68%96%
Chance of Precip.NA0%0%0%
Cloud CoverNA56%1%10%
ConditionsNAPartly CloudyClearClear
 
escriptive Forecast
Thursday
Partly cloudy skies. High around 80F. Winds SE at 10 to 20 mph.
Thursday Night
A few clouds from time to time. Low near 65F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.

Hourly6AM12 Noon6PM12 Midnight
Temp. | Dew Point60 | 6076 | 6473 | 6467 | 65
Wind3 mph SSE12 mph SE12 mph SE8 mph SSE
Humidity100%66%73%93%
Chance of Precip.0%0%0%0%
Cloud Cover25%14%5%35%
ConditionsFogClearClearPartly Cloudy
Sunrise & Sunset
 
Descriptive Forecast
Friday
Partly cloudy early with thunderstorms becoming likely during the afternoon. High 79F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
Friday Night
Partly cloudy. Low 63F. Winds light and variable.

Hourly6AM12 Noon6PM12 Midnight
Temp. | Dew Point66 | 6578 | 6675 | 6565 | 63
Wind6 mph South12 mph SSW5 mph WSW4 mph North
Humidity97%67%71%92%
Chance of Precip.20%30%70%10%
Cloud Cover51%65%87%47%
ConditionsPartly CloudyChance of a ThunderstormThunderstormPartly Cloudy
 
Descriptive Forecast
Saturday
Scattered thunderstorms in the morning becoming more widespread in the afternoon. High 74F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
Saturday Night
Scattered thunderstorms during the evening, then partly cloudy overnight. Low 61F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.

Hourly6AM12 Noon6PM12 Midnight
Temp. | Dew Point64 | 6373 | 6468 | 6264 | 62
Wind4 mph North6 mph NNW7 mph NNE4 mph ESE
Humidity96%74%82%94%
Chance of Precip.20%50%50%10%
Cloud Cover62%72%54%52%
ConditionsFogChance of a ThunderstormChance of a ThunderstormPartly Cloudy
 
Descriptive Forecast
Sunday
Partly cloudy early with thunderstorms becoming likely during the afternoon. High 74F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
Sunday Night
Isolated thunderstorms during the evening, then partly cloudy overnight. Low 59F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.

Hourly6AM12 Noon6PM12 Midnight
Temp. | Dew Point62 | 6272 | 6471 | 6464 | 63
Wind2 mph SSW7 mph WSW9 mph WSW4 mph West
Humidity99%77%79%99%
Chance of Precip.10%30%30%20%
Cloud Cover54%53%57%76%
ConditionsPartly CloudyChance of a ThunderstormPartly CloudyMostly Cloudy
 
Descriptive Forecast
Sunday
Partly cloudy early with thunderstorms becoming likely during the afternoon. High 74F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
Sunday Night
Isolated thunderstorms during the evening, then partly cloudy overnight. Low 59F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.

Hourly6AM12 Noon6PM12 Midnight
Temp. | Dew Point62 | 6272 | 6471 | 6464 | 63
Wind2 mph SSW7 mph WSW9 mph WSW4 mph West
Humidity99%77%79%99%
Chance of Precip.10%30%30%20%
Cloud Cover54%53%57%76%
ConditionsPartly CloudyChance of a ThunderstormPartly CloudyMostly Cloudy
Bad news already eh? You and ur damn weather :mad::p
 
ODDS TO WIN 2014 DAYTONA 500 (2/23/14)
TeamOdds
Jimmie Johnson10/1
Kyle Busch10/1
Kevin Harvick10/1
Dale Earnhardt Jr.10/1
Matt Kenseth10/1
Tony Stewart12/1
Denny Hamlin12/1
Brad Keselowski12/1
Kasey Kahne15/1
Jeff Gordon15/1
Joey Logano18/1
Kurt Busch18/1
Carl Edwards20/1
Clint Bowyer20/1
Austin Dillon25/1
Jamie McMurray25/1
Ryan Newman30/1
Martin Truex Jr.30/1
Greg Biffle30/1
Field (Any Other Driver)30/1
Brian Vickers35/1
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.40/1
Michael Waltrip40/1
Kyle Larson40/1
Danica Patrick40/1
Paul Menard40/1
Marcos Ambrose75/1
Trevor Bayne75/1
David Ragan75/1
Casey Mears100/1
David Gilliland100/1
AJ Allmendinger100/1
Justin Allgaier200/1
Michael Annett200/1
 
Still hold contempt against NASCAR for not throwing the yellow. Cars were everywhere. That was Martin's win and everyone knows it.

Whenever NASCAR ends a race on the last lap under yellow, a part of my soul dies. "Oh, that car spinning to the infield is too dangerous, but you couldn't throw that yellow for Mark in 2007, could you?!?!?!"
 
Three words..... Yellow Line Rule.

About time for that to come back into play. How about a little yellow line controversy?
 
ODDS TO WIN 2014 DAYTONA 500 (2/23/14)
TeamOdds
Jimmie Johnson10/1
Kyle Busch10/1
Kevin Harvick10/1
Dale Earnhardt Jr.10/1
Matt Kenseth10/1
Tony Stewart12/1
Denny Hamlin12/1
Brad Keselowski12/1
Kasey Kahne15/1
Jeff Gordon15/1
Joey Logano18/1
Kurt Busch18/1
Carl Edwards20/1
Clint Bowyer20/1
Austin Dillon25/1
Jamie McMurray25/1
Ryan Newman30/1
Martin Truex Jr.30/1
Greg Biffle30/1
Field (Any Other Driver)30/1
Brian Vickers35/1
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.40/1
Michael Waltrip40/1
Kyle Larson40/1
Danica Patrick40/1
Paul Menard40/1
Marcos Ambrose75/1
Trevor Bayne75/1
David Ragan75/1
Casey Mears100/1
David Gilliland100/1
AJ Allmendinger100/1
Justin Allgaier200/1
Michael Annett200/1
I'll take:
Jeff gordon for a $100
Danica Patrick for a $100
Marcos Ambrose for a $100
 
Rule Change Alters Strategy


In a season of change for NASCAR, the biggest alteration for the Daytona 500 can be measured by a ruler. A very small ruler.

NASCAR increased the rear spoiler height from 4 to 4.5 inches for Budweiser Speedweeks and it’s made a difference on the track. Some drivers say the side draft seems more potent and that a car can close on one ahead quicker.

That could have been a contributing factor in the multi-car crash in last weekend’s Sprint Unlimited, when Matt Kenseth came down on Joey Logano. Kenseth said he did not realize that Logano had filled the gap below him before making his move.

That’s something drivers will seek to better understand when Sprint Cup practice resumes Wednesday at Daytona International Speedway in preparation for Thursday night’s qualifying races and Sunday’s Daytona 500.

"The closing rate and the side drafting was a good bit quicker," said Ryan Newman, who finished eighth in the Sprint Unlimited. "Everything was magnified. If you got out of the draft, you lost it quicker. If you got back behind two- or three-wide, you could gain quicker."

When drivers talk about the side draft, they are referring to cars running side-by-side. The car slightly behind will move closer to the rear wheel of the car it’s beside and transfer the air off its car to the back of the car it’s trying to pass. With the larger rear spoiler, it can make side drafting more effective.

"With (the spoiler) being taller, it’s more sensitive," Jimmie Johnson said. "You don’t need to be as close. As soon as you start breaking the bumper plane (of the other car), it starts to slow that car down more. It’s just more dramatic."
Dale Earnhardt Jr. says that side drafting, once an offensive weapon for drivers, has become more of a defensive move on the track.

"These cars get stuck beside each other where our old cars, even the COT, you would side draft a guy and that would create enough momentum to clear and that’s how you used the side draft to pass," he said. "Now, we’re just using the side draft to keep guys from passing. We can stall each other out so hard."

That’s what happened on the final lap of the Sprint Unlimited, allowing Denny Hamlin to win. He pulled out to a large lead at the start of the final lap. Normally, that is not good in restrictor-plate racing because that can help cars behind gain momentum and use that to pass when they reach the leading car.

That didn’t happen this time because of the side draft.

Brad Keselowski was alone in second but needed help to reach Hamlin. Keselowski couldn’t get it because Logano and Kyle Busch ran side-by-side behind him, side drafting each other. That slowed both, allowing Keselowski to pull further away from any car that could help him catch Hamlin.

"This car is just way more sensitive to the side draft than the old car was," Busch said. "I don’t know why. It just seems to be that way. There was nobody behind Brad to push him back up to Denny. (Logano) and myself were just racing each other and you can’t really get away too easily in those situations."
 
I can't remember when i have been so excited for a race to start. I even turned down working with a team at a drag race in Phoenix this week just because i didn't want to miss speedweek. I already had my plans made to make a large pot of chili and bbq hot dogs for the races this week... and nothing short of death is going to stop me.:)
 
Should be interesting... I find it funny that I've been able to watch the "evolution" of plate racing over the mere 5 years ive been watching lol .. gone from pack to tandem to whatever the hell that was last year and now they have to deal with all this... the style of plate racing seems to change every race..
 
I think this is going to be the most exciting 500 since the tandem "era". I still hate that they got rid of that. IMO it was way better than pack racing.
 
More wrecks coming as drivers adjust to new aero package at Daytona


If drivers learned anything during the 75-lap Sprint Unlimited Saturday night at Daytona International Speedway, it's that they need a lot of help to make a run from the back of the field to the front. But once they get a bit of help, watch out.

They will have more help Thursday and even more on Sunday in the Daytona 500. Whether it will be enough remains the big question heading into the biggest events of Speedweeks.

Denny Hamlin won the Sprint Unlimited, a race that started with 18 cars and ended with eight Saturday night. The Budweiser Duel qualifying races on Thursday — 150-mile races to set the field for the Daytona 500 — will have 25 drivers in the first race and 24 in the second.

“You need a lot of help,” Kyle Busch said after the Sprint Unlimited. “Early, I got a good run off of Turn 4 and I don’t know if (the driver in front) was on the brakes to kind of back up to me. I think he got out a little too far and I made an educated decision there to just pull alongside him and side draft him, slow him down, get by him and get back in line.
“It worked, but those are few and far between.”

Last year in the Daytona 500, drivers hugged the high line up against the wall until late in the race. Drivers who made moves often were hung out to dry, losing several spots in the draft.

NASCAR has changed the aero package slightly with the spoilers increasing from 4 to 4.5 inches in height. The splitters have straight edges instead of curves and the rear fascia is bowed out a little more around the wheel well. When drivers race side-by-side, they can tell a difference.

“Those fenders and quarter panels don’t seal tightly on the tire like we used to have in 2004 and those older cars, so the air is moving in and around the wheel well a lot differently,” Dale Earnhardt Jr said. “The flare on the quarter panel and fender creates quite a bit of drag on the side of the car.

“We are learning a lot about that and it is getting us stuck beside each other where we can’t really get past each other and we have got to have a guy shove us by real hard.”

That shove, though, is substantial as the cars seem to gain ground quickly.

"It is going to be crazy,” said Kevin Harvick, who had a chance to win the Unlimited with a damaged car. “When you get a push and you get gaining on somebody, the closing rate was pretty rapid, and the side draft is a little more effective than it was last year.

“You can get yourself in trouble pretty quick. Because it always happens pretty fast."
Matt Kenseth found that out in the Sprint Unlimited when he dove to the inside lane and hit Joey Logano, igniting a multicar crash that involved at least eight cars.

The cars aren’t necessarily going faster than before but the car in front appears to slow with increased drag because of the way the air moves around the new bodies and the taller spoiler. It appears almost as if a driver gets sucked back to the pack instead of the driver behind catching him.

“With the spoiler being taller, the car is much more sensitive to cars next to you and near the back of your car,” defending Daytona 500 and Cup champion Jimmie Johnson. “As they get close to you, even when they are dead behind you and trying to pull out, you can feel it change the airflow and really slow the car down.

“The taller spoiler is acting more like a parachute and the car is much more sensitive to side-drafting.”

Earnhardt said nine cars involved in wrecks in the Unlimited shouldn’t be a sign of things to come.

“It puts on a better show, but I don’t know if it’s going to tear up more racecars,” he said. “The Unlimited race has always torn up a lot of racecars.”

Drivers who don’t need to race their way into the Daytona 500 might be a little hesitant to make moves or get into the fray Thursday for fear of damaging their primary cars.

“The things I saw Saturday night were all driver errors, cutting down when you shouldn’t be making double moves, causing double trouble,” said Fox analyst and three-time Cup champion Darrell Waltrip, who watched the race on TV while recovering from surgery. “I thought the cars raced pretty well together, a lot better than they did last year.

“That side-draft thing is one driver to the next. It doesn’t work for everybody. Every driver doesn’t know how to do it and every driver doesn’t know how to bump-draft somebody.”

It will be up to the drivers to adjust because their cars have very little adjustability for restrictor-plate tracks.

“You’re locked into the majority of everything aero-wise,” former Cup crew chief and Fox analyst Larry McReynolds said. “You’re locked in the rear springs, you’re locked in the rear shocks.

“You don’t have a lot of tools in the toolbox to work with here the way the rules are. It’s going to be more the drivers learning where to put their car and what to do on the racetrack.”

from here
 
Still expecting that train of cars for the first 150 laps and then from there it will get dicey.
 
Descriptive Forecast
Sunday
Partly cloudy early with thunderstorms becoming likely during the afternoon. High 74F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
Sunday Night
Isolated thunderstorms during the evening, then partly cloudy overnight. Low 59F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.

Hourly6AM12 Noon6PM12 Midnight
Temp. | Dew Point62 | 6272 | 6471 | 6464 | 63
Wind2 mph SSW7 mph WSW9 mph WSW4 mph West
Humidity99%77%79%99%
Chance of Precip.10%30%30%20%
Cloud Cover54%53%57%76%
ConditionsPartly CloudyChance of a ThunderstormPartly CloudyMostly Cloudy
Ohoh...I sense rain delay or Monday race.
 
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