T-Minus 3 Days Until the 2005 Daytona 500
Welcome to the first (and last) Thursday special edition of Speed Addicts here at the Pulse. As always, I’m your lovable little speck of a redneck, here to take you on a mesmerizing journey down into the depths of the MTV Generation’s version of Hell. Reader Beware: This baby clocks in at quite a lengthy pace, which includes quite a few verbs, pronouns and conjunctions to be dealing exclusively with the Southern “sport” of choice. And since half of my target audience probably have the attention span of Adam Sandler at a Red Sox home game, then I may be battling against the will of God here. Nevertheless, I will always strive to bring you, the faithful little knuckleheads that patron Inside Pulse, the very best in NASCAR coverage. Besides, who else here covers NASCAR? Nobody, baby; that’s why I get to be a smartass towards Kurt Busch so much.
We’ve got plenty to cover today, including a comprehensive review of NASCAR qualifying from Daytona and both Gatorade Duels later today, info on the Craftsman Truck Series event on Friday, the Florida Dodge Dealers 250; the Hershey’s Take Five 300 Busch Series race on Saturday, IP NASCAR Power Rankings, Know Your NASCAR Trivia Edition, and the big one: the Official Inside Pulse Preview of the 2005 running of the “Great American Race”, the Daytona 500.
2005 Daytona 500 Qualifying Recap
Qualifying for this year’s Daytona 500 took place this past Sunday, and unveiled quite a few surprises. We touched a wee-little bit on the trials on Monday, but I was saving the meat and potatoes of the coverage for today. We’ll break this down first by the position that the drivers qualify in, and then we’ll review the manufacturers and the performance of their drivers during the time trials.
1. #88 Dale Jarrett (Ford – 188.312 MPH)
2. #48 Jimmie Johnson (Chevrolet – 188.170 MPH)
3. #24 Jeff Gordon (Chevrolet – 188.155 MPH)
4. #29 Kevin Harvick (Chevrolet – 187.915 MPH)
5. #01 Joe Nemechek (Chevrolet – 187.837 MPH)
6. #10 Scott Riggs (Chevrolet – 187.758 MPH)
7. #11 Jason Leffler (Chevrolet – 187.715 MPH)
8. #97 Kurt Busch (Ford – 187.699 MPH)
9. #21 Ricky Rudd (Ford – 187.414 MPH)
Pole Position – Dale Jarrett took the pole for this year’s Daytona 500 with a speed of 188.312 MPH, a decent speed set (he bested the ultra-hot Jimmie Johnson by 0.142 MPH). While qualifying on the pole position is not a guarantee to victory (especially at a monster like Daytona), it should be noted that Dale Jarrett won the 2000 Daytona 500 from the pole position, so the feat has been accomplished before.
Chevy: A Daytona Revolution – Six out of the first nine qualifiers during Sunday’s time trials were Chevrolets. Three were Fords (though a Ford is on the Pole). The highest Dodge qualifier on Sunday was Kyle Petty, with Mike Skinner qualifying 13th and the sensational Kasey Kahne clocking in as the fifteenth fastest qualifier. Definitely some good news for the Chevrolets in this year’s field.
10. #38 Elliot Sadler (Ford – 187.398 MPH)
11. #36 Boris Said (Chevrolet – 187.122 MPH)
12. #45 Kyle Petty (Dodge – 186.974 MPH)
13. #23 Mike Skinner (Dodge – 186.753 MPH)
14. #16 Greg Biffle (Ford – 186.587 MPH)
15. #09 Kasey Kahne (Dodge – 186.501 MPH)
16. #05 Kyle Busch (Chevrolet – 186.486 MPH)
17. #42 Jamie McMurray (Dodge – 186.397 MPH)
18. #14 John Andretti (Ford – 186.324 MPH)
19. #31 Jeff Burton (Chevrolet – 186.270 MPH)
Kasey Kahne Qualifies 15th – The sophomore Kasey Kahne, who finished 3rd a year ago in the 2004 Daytona 500, is probably one of the strongest contenders under the Dodge banner heading into the 500. While he failed to find Victory Lane in 2004, the talented but young Kahne will have his work cut out for him if he plans on making the 500 his first victory.
20. #0 Mike Bliss (Chevrolet – 186.262 MPH)
21. #02 Rusty Wallace (Dodge – 186.150 MPH)
22. #19 Jeremy Mayfield (Dodge – 186.143 MPH)
23. #06 Mark Martin (Ford – 186.123 MPH)
24. #18 Bobby Labonte (Chevrolet – 186.112 MPH)
25. #99 Carl Edwards (Ford – 186.047 MPH)
26. #04 Mike Wallace (Chevrolet – 185.908 MPH)
27. #22 Scott Wimmer (Dodge – 185.793 MPH)
28. #20 Tony Stewart (Chevrolet – 185.701 MPH)
29.#12 Ryan Newman (Dodge – 185.659 MPH)
Farewell, Sir Martin (and “Krusty” Rusty, too) – This year’s Daytona 500 marks the final time both Mark Martin and Rusty Wallace will compete for that elusive 500 title. While Wallace is still contemplating his retirement, Martin is definitely going for his final try at a Daytona 500 win this year, so expect the FOX television coverage to focus in on him whenever he’s near the front.
The Joe Gibbs Show – Bobby Labonte and Tony Stewart both qualified closely together, and will also be racing in the 2nd Duel together. Aside from the Waltrip/Earnhardt Jr. tandem, the Gibbs Racing team will be the most prominent duo in their respective duel, so look for them to cooperate as much as possible when they can hook up.
Hello, Newman – Ryan Newman is an interesting case-study, that’s for sure. At one point, Newman was on an incredible streak, rivaling Jimmie Johnson’s run during the 2004 Chase for the Cup. Although Newman, historically speaking has had some problems running well in the early half of the Nextel Cup Season, one couldn’t help but think that Daytona is a potential win for Newman.
30. #07 Dave Blaney (Chevrolet – 185.636 MPH)
31. #1 Martin Truex Jr. (Chevrolet – 185.575 MPH)
32. #33 Kerry Earnhardt (Chevrolet – 185.502 MPH)
33. #15 Michael Waltrip (Chevrolet 185.448 MPH)
34. #40 Sterling Marlin (Dodge – 185.445 MPH)
35. #41 Casey Mears (Dodge – 185.300 MPH)
36. #25 Brian Vickers (Chevrolet – 185.239 MPH)
37. #49 Ken Schrader (Dodge – 185.109 MPH)
38. #07 Robby Gordon (Chevrolet – 184.911 MPH)
39. #08 Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Chevrolet – 184.888 MPH)
O’ Junior, Where Art Thou? – What the Hell happened to Dale Jr. here? An uncharacteristically poor showing in qualifying from Junior (along with a similar sub-par performance from Waltrip) have raised questions as to whether or not DEI has lost its competitive edge at Daytona. Mikey and Junior had better show up during their Duel, or else all may not be so rosy in DEI Land.
40. #00 Kenny Wallace (Chevrolet – 184.703 MPH)
41. #27 Kirk Shelmerdine (Ford – 184.665 MPH)
42. #09 Johnny Sauter (Dodge – 184.528 MPH)
43. #37 Kevin Lepage (Dodge – 184.400 MPH)
44. #66 Hermie Sadler (Ford – 184.211 MPH)
45. #73 Eric McClure (Chevrolet – 183.963 MPH)
46. #17 Matt Kenseth (Ford – 183.494 MPH)
47. #77 Travis Kvapil (Dodge – 183.415 MPH)
48. #92 Stanton Barrett (Chevrolet – 183.098 MPH)
49. #13 Greg Sacks (Dodge – 183.024 MPH)
Kenseth? 46th Position? – Speaking of guys that had shitty qualifying runs, what the Hell was Kenseth doing out there on Sunday? Doing his taxes from the car?
50. #32 Bobby Hamilton Jr. (Chevrolet – 182.990 MPH)
51. #89 Morgan Shepherd (Dodge – 182.789 MPH)
52. #55 Derrike Cope (Chevrolet – 182.275 MPH)
53. #34 Randy LaJoie (Chevrolet – 181.159 MPH)
54. #52 Larry Gunselman (Ford – 178.409 MPH)
55. #93 Geoff Bodine (Chevrolet – 177.085 MPH)
56. #80 Andy Belmont (Ford – 174.683 MPH)
57. #43 Jeff Green (Dodge – DNF)
I have nothing witty to add for these guys, except to say good luck in your respective Duels. You’ll need it, that’s for damn sure. A special shout out goes to Jeff Green, who failed to finish his qualifying run on Sunday. Even though his chances of making the 43-car field are dwindling down to near-zero, Green is a decent fellow, and here’s to hoping that the old Petty tradition can find its way into the 500.
A final analysis shows that the Chevrolets are definitely the class of the field in 2005, though that means jackshit when the green flag drops. Chevrolet manufacturers must be pleased by their cars’ performances during the last few practices (they’ve practically been the fastest of the cars out their, sans the 4th Practice this week). Again, though, the 500 is wide open, and one can’t really get an idea for who is in position to win until the Duels have shuffled up the field.
[Credit: NASCAR.com]
2005 Gatorade Duel at Daytona
Ha, what do you know? Here are the Duels, just as promised. Coverage of these races start at 1 PM on the FX Network (times of the two races will vary depending on the length of the first race and the fall of the green flag for the first duel itself). I’ve already covered the duel twice before, and if necessary, you can refresh your memory by visiting last week’s column to get more info. Needless to say, the Duels are essentially in place to add to the attractiveness of Speed Weeks. Here’s a final description of the Duels from NASCAR.com:
Once qualifying is over, the field is set by merging the highest ranked 35 teams in the owner standings with the fastest seven cars not in those 35 positions, in the order of their qualifying speeds. The 43rd position is reserved for a former champion, provided he is not already qualified and satisfies the rulebook’s criteria. If unused by a former champion, it goes to the next fastest car in qualifying. The lone exception is the Daytona 500, which uses qualifying and two 150-mile races to determine the field.
Race #1
The running order is determined by Odd-Numbered Positions (Dale Jarrett qualified first, thus he will sit on the pole for the 1st Duel. Jeff Gordon qualified third, but since he is the 2nd odd numbered qualifier, he will start second in the Duel, etc).
Race #2
The running order determined by Even-Numbered Positions (Jimmie Johnson qualified second on the outside pole, thus he will sit on the pole for the 2nd Duel. Kevin Harvick qualified fourth, but since he is the 2nd even numbered qualifier, he will start second in the Duel, etc).
* Once again, don’t forget to check back here at Inside Pulse on Thursday night for complete recaps and coverage of the Gatorade Duel at Daytona.
Official Inside Pulse Preview of the 2005 Daytona 500
Race- 1 of 36 (Official Start to the 2005 Nextel Cup Season)
Time- 2:00 PM on FOX / 1:15 PM on MRN Radio / 11:30 AM on XM Satellite Radio
2004 Winner- Dale Earnhardt Jr. (#08 Budweiser Chevrolet)
2004 Pole Sitter – Greg Biffle
2005 Pole Sitter- Dale Jarrett (#88 UPS Ford – 188.312 MPH)
Race Purse- $17,623,980 (Winner Receives Minimum of $1,430,030)
Yes, after months of waiting, we’re finally getting close to the start of the Daytona 500. And man, will it be nice to start typing California beginning on Sunday night! The Daytona 500 is the start of the NASCAR Nextel Cup Season (duh), and is being run on February 20th, 2005 this year (again, duh). The 500 is a two hundred lap event held during the daylight hours (its sister race, the Pepsi 400 is the night race at Daytona). Dale Jarrett will take the field down to the green flag this year, regardless of the results of the Gatorade Duel at Daytona. This year’s field could potentially contain seven former Daytona 500 winners (Jarrett, Gordon, Waltrip, Marlin, Earnhardt Jr., Cope and Bodine), as well as seven former NASCAR Winston/Nextel Cup Champions (Jarrett, Gordon, Busch, Wallace, Labonte, Stewart and Kenseth).
The Daytona International Speedway itself is a 2.5 Mile tri-oval, and shares the title of being the fourth largest track on the NASCAR circuit (road courses Watkins Glen and Infineon Raceway, and Talladega are longer, and Indianapolis Motor Speedway is also 2.5 miles long). Daytona shares the distinction (with Talladega) of being a restrictor plate race. That is to say, all cars in the race have a special restrictor plate installed to cut the amount of air that flows into the engine, thus reducing speed to somewhat safer levels. This became instrumental in the Superspeedway races following a series of horrific crashes in the 1980s and early 1990s. This also means that drivers at Daytona use little of their brakes during the course of the event. That’s not to give off the impression that Daytona is an easy course to race; it’s not. Drivers have to constantly be aware of “the Big One”, a multi-car crash that happens occasionally at Daytona and Talladega. Though Talladega is more likely to see a crash on this scale, Daytona has had its share of wild rides in the past. In recent years, both Michael Waltrip and Ryan Newman have taken a tumble on the track, and many the world over remember the late, great Dale Earnhardt’s incredible wreck several years ago (he flipped several times down the backstretch, only to finish the race!) Because of its high speeds, Daytona is an especially dangerous track to race at. As most everyone knows, Dale Earnhardt was killed in a last-lap crash during the 2001 Daytona 500. What you may not know (if you didn’t catch the ESPN biopic 3) is that Dale Earnhardt’s close friend and fellow NASCAR veteran Neil Bonnett was also killed at Daytona. He died during a crash in 1994 at the track, in a very similar manner to Dale Earnhardt. A track worker was also killed just last year during a freak accident during an ARCA race.
When you watch the race on Sunday, be prepared to see a lot of “drafting” and “blocking”. Drafting is when two cars get together, with one right behind the other. This cuts the amount of air flowing off the spoiler (or back) of the lead car, and dramatically decreases the amount of air against the grill (or front) of the tail car. Thus, the two cars when drafting can run faster than a car that is running by itself. Thus, when you will hear during the broadcast that a car has fallen out of the draft, it means that he is either hung out to dry, or he has fallen too far behind the pack to maintain the draft. You will also notice drafting lines during the course of the race. Daytona is a tricky place sometimes, and a particular line around the track may only work during the first half of the race. This is why during restarts you’ll see one line of cars start to pull away from the other, only to see the other line catch back up with the first line. “Blocking” refers to one car moving his car around the track in order to prevent another car from passing. You will especially see this towards the end of the race if the first and second place cars are within a car length of each other. Blocking is riskier than it may seem, because if you attempt to block a driver that is already underneath you, you’re more than likely heading towards the outside wall, or the inside retaining wall, whichever way the momentum from your spin takes you.
In the past few years, the finishes to the Daytona 500 have not been as close as, say, the very first race in 1959. Jimmie Johnson is one of the leading favorites to win this year’s event, though there are always others in contention, including Michael Waltrip (a two-time winner) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (the 2004 winner). Jeff Gordon has taken the checkered flag in the 500 twice (1997, 1999), as has Sterling Marlin. Dale Jarrett is a three-time Daytona 500 winner, and is the active leading driver in that category. Tony Stewart had a second place run last year, but is not historically good at Daytona. Mark Martin and Rusty Wallace will both be making their final appearance in the 500.
Predicted Cautions: 6 (2 – Debris, 1 – Engine Failure, 3 – Crash)
Green/White/Checker Finish: No
Predicted Winner: Jimmie Johnson (#48 Lowe’s Chevrolet – Hendrick Motorsports)
2nd Place – Ryan Newman
3rd Place – Kasey Kahne
4th Place – Boris Said
Estimated “Big One”: 10 Cars (5 Out, 2 Re-Enter the Race, 3 Damaged)
Florida Dodge Dealers 250 (Craftsman Truck Series)
Time- Friday, 8:00 PM EST on the Speed Channel
2004 Winner- Carl Edwards
Race Purse- $807,103
Predicted Winner – Dennis Setzer
Hershey’s Take Five 300 (Busch Series)
Time- Saturday, 1:00 PM EST on FOX
2004 Winner- Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Race Purse- $2,409,495
Predicted Winner – Martin Truex Jr.
Inside Pulse NASCAR Power Rankings [2/13-2/19]
If you recall in the first edition of Speed Addicts, we had gone through the projected top ten finishing order in the 2005 Chase for the Nextel Cup. Well, we like to keep things interesting for you here at the Pulse, so we’ll be keeping you up to date with the top ten drivers during a given week. This week includes the 2/12 Budweiser Shootout as well.
1. Jimmie Johnson
First he wins the Budweiser Shootout, and then qualifies second for the Daytona 500. If you have some money to burn this weekend, put it on Johnson for both the Duel and the 500.
2. Dale Jarrett
What can Brown do for you? Well, it can apparently revitalize your career enough to get you on the pole for the Daytona 500. Here’s to a decent year for the #88 UPS Ford crew.
3. Jeff Gordon
Once upon a time, Jeff Gordon used to be the target of numerous jokes and ribs. Well, he still is to an extent, but now that Kurt Busch has stepped up to take Gordon’s place, the fans can finally take note of how good this guy really is.
4. Kasey Kahne
The Alliteration Abomination returns! Yeah, it sucks, but who cares. Kahne is still the shit.
5. Boris Said
Since when did a road course veteran learn how to drive on the farthest thing from a road course? If Said can run half as good as he did during his practice sessions, he may just get him a full-time ride yet.
6. Kurt Busch
Got milk, momma’s boy?
7. Tony Stewart
In the past two years, our friend Tony the Tiger has taken shots at both Darrell Waltrip (hero) and NASCAR beat writer Monte Dutton (wicked awesome writer). This year, Tony Stewart takes up hostilities with Martha Stewart and Jose Canseco.
8. Mark Martin
Here’s to your farewell tour, Mark Martin. Hopefully, you can take home a Nextel Cup Championship for all your years of hard work and persistence.
9. Ryan Newman
Rocketman should have one Hell of a run on Sunday, so long as he manages not to roll his car in the Daytona infield this year like he did two years ago.
10. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Has the real Dale Earnhardt Jr. shown up in Daytona yet?
Know Your NASCAR: Trivia Edition
This section is geared more towards international readers as opposed to American readers, who probably know a bit more about NASCAR racing by sheer osmosis. Each week, we’ll drive headlong into a facet of Stock Car Racing here in the United States, whether it be a bit about the sport itself, its personalities, or its history. This week is a bit different, though. Everyone is welcome to get involved this week, as you are encouraged to send in your answers for the following trivia questions to PegasusX@InsidePulse.com . The correct answers will be posted next Saturday, so try and and answer them WITHOUT looking for the answers, knuckleheads.
Question #1 – Who won the first Daytona 500 in 1959?
Question #2 – Name the only driver to win the Daytona 500 seven times.
Question #3 – Who won the 2001 Daytona 500?
That’s the warm-up round. Now for some more difficult ones…
Question #4 – Richard Petty won his final race in Daytona at the 1984 Firecracker 400. Who finished second in that race?
Question #5 – Richard Petty won the 1979 Daytona 500 after 1st and 2nd place drivers’ Donnie Allison and Cale Yarborough crashed with half a lap left to go. Who finished 2nd in the race?
Question #6 – Who was the lead commentator for CBS during the 1998 Daytona 500?
Ready for some “Smack your mother before you get these right” questions?
Question #7 – Burt Reynolds starred in the 1983 racing movie “Stroker Ace”, in which both a 2nd generation and 3rd generation driver appeared. Name them.
Question #8 – Since the modern era (1971- ), there have been seven different car makes to win the Daytona 500 (Oldsmobile, Mercury, Buick, Dodge, Pontiac, Ford, and Chevrolet). Name the first driver to win the Daytona 500 in the Modern Era driving an Oldsmobile.
Question #9 – There have been five times in NASCAR history (in the modern era) where the pole sitter has won the Daytona 500. Name all five times that this has happened.
Now for the mack-f*cking-daddy of NASCAR trivia questions…
Question #10 – This driver competed in only one race in the 1985 NASCAR season, and made a grand total of $1,125 in his short career. He never finished above 34th Place. What is his name?
Victory Lap for the Pimps
Memo to Eric: No one ever claimed the South to be filled with geniuses. We here in Dixie have odd and often strange ways of doing things, such as taking a fake $1 Million bill and trying to purchase like a hundred buck’s worth of stuff at the local Wal-Mart. Of course, rednecks vary from state to state, but I don’t see the need to get into THAT right now. But doesn’t it strike anyone as being quite funny that the only places on the Cup Circuit that NASCAR takes right turns would be as far north (Watkins Glen) and as far west (Sonoma-Infineon) as you can go, convieniently placed as far away from the south as possible? You still get your pimp, though. Here you are.
Here’s where Nguyen gets some PIMPAGE
Seeing as I’m a softie, I’ll give Nick Pomazak some pimpage too.
Todd Rogers says what I’ve wanted to say ALL ALONG about Jose Canseco.
Victory Lane
That’s it for this one, boys and girls. Remember to check back tomorrow night for complete coverage of the Gatorade Duel at Daytona, plus more info on what to expect for the rest of Countdown Week! Until we meet again, I say piss off, my loveable little drones. Cool runnings!
