2014 in NASCAR
- Thread starter JRS
- Start date
Dunno about you guys, but I'm stopping up to watch the Duels. Currently watching the Trucks practice, still loving the new bodies 
Duels done, grid set. Barring moves to the rear for backup cars and engine changes (and there'll be a few) this is the lineup.
Some notes:
1) Both Swan cars are in, pretty fantastic achievement for that team.
2) Kevin Harvick's car failed post-race inspection after Duel 1, the team made a track bar adjustment in the race and I guess went a bit too far with it.
3) Both of the Labonte brothers are in on Duel speed, neither one had to use the champions provisional. Terry swears this Daytona 500 (his 32nd, I think?) will be the last one he enters.
Some notes:
1) Both Swan cars are in, pretty fantastic achievement for that team.
2) Kevin Harvick's car failed post-race inspection after Duel 1, the team made a track bar adjustment in the race and I guess went a bit too far with it.
3) Both of the Labonte brothers are in on Duel speed, neither one had to use the champions provisional. Terry swears this Daytona 500 (his 32nd, I think?) will be the last one he enters.
Trucks soon. Oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy....
....oh boy.
Been looking forward to this all winter
***edit***
Weather not looking grand for it....
....oh boy.
Been looking forward to this all winter
***edit***
Weather not looking grand for it....
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Rain delayed the start of the Truck race, but when it got going....damned good show. Everyone behaved themselves until lap 74, and the inevitable Big One.
It seemed as though Timothy Peters was the only one able to drag the outside line right to the front - when anyone else tried, they got up into the top 10 then got stuck. I guess they got the side draft working on that truck to such an extent that it didn't upset its performance at pulling people along. The bump draft was working much better this year with the shape change to the trucks - since pushing one another around the track is now banned, bump drafting is essential and you don't want to be spinning someone out every time you do it. Still got a few trucks wiggling around, mind. And the speeds are inching higher and higher.
Kyle Busch - what can I say? I don't like the kid, but when he's on form and behaving himself he's possibly the fastest driver out there. Hopefully he's finally grown up this year! That last gasp move was perfectly timed - closest finish ever for the Truck series at Daytona I think (0.016sec
)
It seemed as though Timothy Peters was the only one able to drag the outside line right to the front - when anyone else tried, they got up into the top 10 then got stuck. I guess they got the side draft working on that truck to such an extent that it didn't upset its performance at pulling people along. The bump draft was working much better this year with the shape change to the trucks - since pushing one another around the track is now banned, bump drafting is essential and you don't want to be spinning someone out every time you do it. Still got a few trucks wiggling around, mind. And the speeds are inching higher and higher.
Kyle Busch - what can I say? I don't like the kid, but when he's on form and behaving himself he's possibly the fastest driver out there. Hopefully he's finally grown up this year! That last gasp move was perfectly timed - closest finish ever for the Truck series at Daytona I think (0.016sec
)Meanwhile, over in the Nationwide series, Dylan Kwasniewski qualifies on pole position in his first start. Kwasniewski is the reigning K&N Pro East champion, he also won the West series championship in 2012.
Turner Motorsports swept the top 3 places, with Kyle Larson second and Danica Patrick third.
Turner Motorsports swept the top 3 places, with Kyle Larson second and Danica Patrick third.
Soldato
Crashy smashy!
It was a good race otherwise, very static, but amazing talent on display.. and congrats to Kyle Busch..
Soldato
So Kyle Busch wins the trucks by 0.016 seconds, and Regan Smith wins the Nationwide by 0.013 seconds..
Photo finish for the 500 then?
Photo finish for the 500 then?
Soldato
And Junior wins the 500 after a 6 hour rain delay..
..and a bunch of nasty wrecks. Surprised that Dillon got 9th after hitting everything but the pace car
Surprised that Dillon got 9th after hitting everything but the pace car
So close to perfection, yet so far....
Congrats to Junebug on his second Daytona 500 victory!
Cup and Nationwide this weekend (along with the NASCAR Mexico Series IIRC), the trucks don't run again until Martinsville at the end of March.
Probably a pre-emptive move (also, Ryan Reed crashed pretty heavily just before, causing a yellow anyway). The way tyres are loaded on ovals doesn't mix well with water. Besides that, there's a much bigger risk of a dangerous pile-up on a high-banked oval in the wet given the high average speed. Lights\wipers etc aren't standard, hence the red flag at one of the Montreal races to fit them.
I am somewhat amused that it rained in Avondale at this time of year.
Ironic considering the response to rain in recent years of F1.
JRS is often keen to point out when he thinks F1 is chickening out
Well, if F1's management would stop chickening out on stuff then I'd stop hanging a lampshade on it. I'm quick to praise TPTB when they do something decent. Just as I'm quick to rag on NASCAR's hierarchy when they pull BS moves (the lack of action against Carl Edwards after Atlanta '10 for example).
NASCAR could run on ovals in the rain just fine....as long as Goodyear could make a tyre that would let them.
But they can't.
Because it isn't possible.
But they can't.
Because it isn't possible.