NASCAR running thread

He was his first year or two.

If you can make Denny Hamlin a sympathetic figure, you're doing something wrong.

 

Danica wins the pole for Sunday's Daytona 500 ...

 

ESPN's executives just excused themselves to go change their pants.

 

I bet they'll give it almost as much or more coverage than they gave to MJ's 50th birthday.

 

I've never thought that much of her as a driver but I congratulate her on winning the pole. I'd like to see her win the race. It would definitely open a lot of eyes.

 

All three Stewart-Haas cars were very fast.

Danica ways (at least) 100 pounds less than Newman and Stewart.

And there's why she's on the pole and not one of the guys.

My theory, at least.

 

They have to add weight for any driver who weighs less than 200 pounds. There may be a slight advantage in strategic placement of the ballast vs. body weight, but it's limited.

It's not why she's on pole.

 

Danica Does Daytona (if she wins)

Feel free to use.

 

I regressed qualifying speed on driver weights and found a significant negative correlation (r = -.379). This suggests that about 14% of the variation in qualifying speed is explained by variation in driver weight. I was surprised it was that high.

HOWEVER ...

I do not think these cars vary in weight with the drivers in them, seeing as how NASCAR has a specification for what they must weigh with the driver/fuel. Further, NASCAR mandates a minimum weight on the right-hand side, so it would be reasonable to assume that all teams do whatever "trimming" (re: weight) by adding to the left-hand side. There doesn't seem to be much of an advantage to having a small driver (although most of those guys are pretty short/slim as athletes go).

Also, Patrick, whose weight is listed as 100 lbs., is 100-plus pounds shy of just two drivers -- Newman and Michael Waltrip -- who tried to qualify today.

 

If you honest to god think Tony Stewart isn't more than 200 pounds, I don't know what to tell you.

I've made it without seeing a single second of racing, but was scrolling through my FB feed and saw a post from Mike Massaro saying "Just finished my interview with the Daytona 500 pole winner" over a pic of him and Danica. I nearly choked on my soda.

 

I think Danica's weight was only ever an issue in Indy. They (reportedly) weigh the cars empty. NASCAR (and NHRA) takes the driver's weight into consideration.

 

So I get off a plane to the news that "Danica finishes on the pole" and all I can think is, "dammit, when are they going to stop reporting on her love life?"