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fastfordfan
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Qualifying is already in the books for the Daytona 500, but because of the 500′s unique format, the lineup hasn’t yet been set. Only the drivers that qualified on the front row (Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle for this year) know where they will start. Where teams finish in Thursday’s Gatorade Duel races will determine where they start in the 500. But while you might think that could lead to a good show, don’t expect any drama from those already locked in the race. Only those drivers looking to race their way into the Daytona 500 will be looking to take chances and possibly put on a good show.
Last Saturday night’s Bud Shootout was a crazy start to the 2012 season. Several big crashes took out key players, and we had the closest finish ever in that race. Only 12 of the 25 cars that started the race were running at the finish, and only 10 of those were even on the lead lap. But while the return to pack racing appeared to cause crazy racing, don’t expect that trend to continue on Thursday.
What the Duel races provide is a classic risk vs. reward situation. And in this case, the risk greatly outweighs the reward. The benefits of contending for the Duel win and a starting position for the 500 closer to the front aren’t enough of an incentive to push these drivers to race hard and take chances. It’s just too important for the teams to keep their primary cars intact for the start of the 500 on Sunday.
Because of a dizzying array of factors, what we now see is that the usual benefits of qualifying well are diminished at restrictor plate tracks. The better track position is nice, but it can be gained or lost in a matter of moments. And because track position isn’t as big of a deal, the importance placed on pit stops, and thus pit stall selection is diminished. Tires hardly wear at Daytona, so you’ll see a lot of no-tire and two-tire stops in the 500, with the emphasis being on getting the cars full of gas. When it doesn’t matter what stall you have, that added benefit of qualifying well becomes a moot point.
Teams spent all winter tweaking and massaging their cars for the 500, and they will be much less apt to put those cars in a position to be wrecked when the rewards aren’t great. Expect many of the top name drivers to take it easy in the Duel races, and also avoid the remaining practice sessions if possible.
The drivers to focus in on during the Duel races for drama are Kenny Wallace, Dave Blaney, Michael Waltrip, Joe Nemecheck, Michael McDowell, Mike Wallace, Robert Richardson, Robby Gordon, and JJ Yeley. They are all currently on the outside looking in and need a good finish in their respective Duel for a shot at the 500
Last Saturday night’s Bud Shootout was a crazy start to the 2012 season. Several big crashes took out key players, and we had the closest finish ever in that race. Only 12 of the 25 cars that started the race were running at the finish, and only 10 of those were even on the lead lap. But while the return to pack racing appeared to cause crazy racing, don’t expect that trend to continue on Thursday.
What the Duel races provide is a classic risk vs. reward situation. And in this case, the risk greatly outweighs the reward. The benefits of contending for the Duel win and a starting position for the 500 closer to the front aren’t enough of an incentive to push these drivers to race hard and take chances. It’s just too important for the teams to keep their primary cars intact for the start of the 500 on Sunday.
Because of a dizzying array of factors, what we now see is that the usual benefits of qualifying well are diminished at restrictor plate tracks. The better track position is nice, but it can be gained or lost in a matter of moments. And because track position isn’t as big of a deal, the importance placed on pit stops, and thus pit stall selection is diminished. Tires hardly wear at Daytona, so you’ll see a lot of no-tire and two-tire stops in the 500, with the emphasis being on getting the cars full of gas. When it doesn’t matter what stall you have, that added benefit of qualifying well becomes a moot point.
Teams spent all winter tweaking and massaging their cars for the 500, and they will be much less apt to put those cars in a position to be wrecked when the rewards aren’t great. Expect many of the top name drivers to take it easy in the Duel races, and also avoid the remaining practice sessions if possible.
The drivers to focus in on during the Duel races for drama are Kenny Wallace, Dave Blaney, Michael Waltrip, Joe Nemecheck, Michael McDowell, Mike Wallace, Robert Richardson, Robby Gordon, and JJ Yeley. They are all currently on the outside looking in and need a good finish in their respective Duel for a shot at the 500
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