Speedweeks comes to a close and McMurray takes home the win.
Sunday marked the official beginning of the 2010 NASCAR season, and the end of Speedweeks in Daytona.
Although Saturday’s Nationwide Series race seemed more like “The Danica Patrick Show”, Sunday was all about the legends (and rookies) of NASCAR as they battle not only one another, but the track itself. A red flag dropped on the race – 78 laps remaining – for over an hour and 40 minutes while work crews tended to a pothole that could have led to certain danger. In fact, Jimmie Johnson fell prey to this pothole as it cut one of his tires, resulting in a damaged wheel. The hole was approximately 18 inches long, and 8 inches wide.
After an estimated 30 minutes on pit road, NASCAR allowed drivers to exit their cars if they wanted to. Drivers found different ways of dealing with the tedium from getting a bite to eat, to…just taking a catnap in their race cars, as Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 car for Joe Gibbs Racing did. Drivers, such as Clint Boyer (#33 car for Richard Childress Racing), decided to get a bite to eat. Boyer was race leader at this point.
Eventually, with the hole filled in, the yellow flag was waved and cars were ushered back out on the track. Sadly, the red flag was dropped for a second time when the patching compound failed with only 39 laps to go. A stronger compound was used the second time around, and officials made certain the hole would stay filled. After, cars were again ushered onto the track by the pace car, and the race resumed, making for an epic finish.
Prior to the beginning of this season, NASCAR announced a change to the Green-White-Checker rule. Now, instead of only one attempt to finish a race under a green flag, drivers would be given three attempts. As one would expect from Daytona, all three attempts were indeed used. Finally, after the last attempt, it became an epic battle between Jamie McMurray (#1 Earnhardt/Ganassi Racing) and Greg Biffle (#16 Rousch Racing). With the white flag out, the two battled back and forth to take home the win. Biffle tried nudging McMurray, but couldn’t shake him in the slightest. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (#88 Hendrick Motorsports) pushed past the other cars (including Biffle) to give Jamie a solid draft. The checkered flag dropped with Jamie McMurray taking home his first Daytona 500 victory, and giving Jr. a respectable 2nd place finish.
Though, the red flag incidents have called to question: should the track be re-paved? The track was last paved in 1978 – more than 30 years ago. Some drivers, such as Tony Stewart, say no. They feel the 2.5 mile track should remain in its current state. Stewart stated he liked the current slick surface of the track. Others, like Clint Boyer felt as though there’s no excuse, in 2010, for the track to be in such rough shape. Boyer’s splitter was damaged as a result of the pothole.
Currently, the track is scheduled for a $20 million repaving to be done in 2012, but officials may be willing to bump up the date if deemed necessary.
