2009 NASCAR running thread

I'm seeting the over-under on tonight's first wreck at Lap 2, Turn 4. What say you?

 

I had it at lap 17 of the ARCA race and still got shorted.

Helluva finish.

And the guy who was driving #23 in the ARCA race ought not be allowed near any racetrack again. He was hospitalized after causing that last wreck, as was the driver of the green/yellow car he tried to drive through (who had to be cut out of his car via the roof).



Frank Kimmel (44) was an innocent bystander.

Bobby Gerhart (5 car) was also hospitalized; he suffered a broken neck in 2007 at the Pocono ARCA race and his flat-tire-wall-crunch may have aggravated it.

 

I realize Fox isn't in the business of giving away free advertising, but I wish they'd give viewers good looks at the cars and the drivers at the start of the year, especially this year with so many faces in new places.
I reaize its probably moot though seeing the top 10-15 last year will be the same top 10-15 this year.

 

Speed Channel's been hitting that hard for days now. Where you been?

 

Fuckin' conspiracy guys[/jr fanboi]

 

RCP has a good column from the Orlando Sentinal about Daytona slashing ticket prices, kind of on the heels of Tim Rosaforte's similar take on the PGA Tour with regard to fans.

Watching the qualifying today made me think the first month of the season might be pretty interesting. The off-season was like musical chairs and some pretty good drivers were left with crappy rides when the music stopped.

I do have a question though. What is the point of some teams only racing a limited schedule?

 

You hope to do well in those few races to convince another sponsor to pay for running in some other races.

 

I apologize if this was already discusses, but I don't want to wade through 17 mobile pages to find an answer.

Why was Tony Stewart excluded from the top 35? I thought he got owners points from last year through his buying into a team?

 

Nah. The 70 team (which became his 14 team) finished out of the top 35 in owners' points. The 66 team (which became the other Stewart-Haas car, Ryan Newman's 39 team) finished in the top 35 in owners' points last year, which is why it became Newman's team.

 

I think I understand. Was that an arbitrary decision? Did Stewart let Newman take the higher points since he had a Cup champions provision?

 

Good. No. Yes.