Race Day at Daytona | Double-wide-open
Saturday, Jul. 04, 2009
Tony Stewart pits early in the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 4, 2009 in Daytona Beach, Fla. (Photo by Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images)
Tony Stewart (14) leads the field to start of the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 4, 2009 in Daytona Beach, Fla. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
AP
Tony Stewart, who will start from the pole position in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Coke Zero 400 auto race speaks at a news conference at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla., Friday, July 3, 2009.(AP Photo/Glenn Smith)
AP
Robby Gordon waits in his car during a rain delay for the evening practice session for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Coke Zero 400 auto race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla., Thursday, July 2, 2009.(AP Photo/Terry Renna)
AP
Driver Jeff Gordon, who will start in the No. 2 position in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Coke Zero 400 auto race, speaks at a news conference at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla., Friday, July 3, 2009. (AP Photo/Terry Renna)
3 things to watch
1. There were several drivers – Kevin Harvick, A.J. Allmendinger, Elliott Sadler and Reed Sorenson, among others – who enjoyed their best finishes of the season in the Sprint Cup Series' first event at Daytona back in February. Will those same drivers be factors again?
2. No doubt Dale Earnhardt Jr. has had his share of problems this season and has changed crew chiefs since the Cup series' last visit to a restrictor-plate track in April. Even with his struggles he finished second, showing he's still a force to be reckoned with on this track.
3. Now comes more fun with double-file restarts. At a track where having teammates has always helped, double-file restarts could throw a wrench into the decision by drivers with whom to “draft” since lead-lap cars will now line up side-by-side instead of single-file.
Picks
JIM UTTER: He hasn't exactly been setting the world on fire, but this is still Daytona and he was second in the recent restrictor-plate race at Talladega.
Winner: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
BOB HENRY: Sure, why not?
Winner: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Observations
There has been a lot of back-and-forth sparring between NASCAR and TV officials over who is to blame for late East Coast start times for Cup races. No one is taking responsibility but everyone believes it's a good idea. Well, when a copy of next year's Cup series schedule is released with all new early afternoon TV start times, then I'll believe everyone is on the same page.
So, Jeremy Mayfield goes to court for “emergency injunctive relief,” arguing he needs to be in Daytona to earn a living, and then doesn't show. I'm sorry, what was the whole point of Wednesday's court hearing again?
There has got to be a better way to set the starting fields for races at Daytona and Talladega than multiple-hour single-lap qualifying sessions. And with the new format for the Budweiser Shootout, the only benefit to come out of all that wasted time is a choice of pit stall.
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