By Sam Atwell 

This year I have taken my time to write my thoughts about the season opening race. I thought that I might get over being mad, but it has not worked. After waiting three long, cold months the racing season had finally arrived. Doing a syndicated radio show that deals with Sprint Cup racing the off-season seems even longer, but it was time for Speedweeks. Cars were finally on the track, the countdown to the Daytona 500 was over then 150 or so laps into the race it was over! I feel cheated by the weather and not seeing what could have been a spectacular finish of the Daytona 500. Don’t get me wrong, I am happy for Matt Kenseth he was a deserving winner, but if they had run, the final 48 laps there would have been another driver in victory lane.

I am also mad about “the big one” This big one could have and should have been avoided! I have looked at the replays over and repeatedly and I believe that Junior was at fault in this situation. Granted he did have a big run on Brian Vickers and yes, Vickers did make the move to block Junior, but Junior turned into him and spun him out taking out the probable winner of the race. My other problem with “the big one” is the fact that NASCAR ignored the situation, using the old standby phrase it was a racin’ deal! If Junior turning into the left rear of Brian Vickers was a racing deal, then NASCAR owes Jason Leffler an apology for the penalty they assessed him on Saturday in the Nationwide Series race.

I love Fox and the way they broadcast the Sprint Cup Series races, but the obvious excuse making for Junior by Ole DW has to stop. The initial reaction by the Fox booth crew was the correct reaction, then after further review, they had to enter the Junior PR mode. Of course, Junior was frustrated; he had screwed up on pit road twice! There was no one to blame but Junior, except for all the pit road signs that are the same color! I have thought for a long time that the problems with the number 8 and now the 88 team have been with crew chief Tony Eury, Jr., I am beginning to think that it might be a problem with the driver and an attitude. I remember a couple of seasons ago when Junior was having trouble with his car at Bristol and he spun out on purpose to get a caution. Then there was the time at California or Texas when the car was running so badly the Junior just pulled off the track and went to the garage. There is no entitlement in NASCAR. For Junior to feel like Vickers should not have blocked him is wrong. They were battling to be the first car one lap down and with rain on the way Vickers did what he had to do. Just imagine what would have happened if Junior had blocked Vickers and Vickers spun Junior! It would have been a brilliant move by Junior and an intentional act, no question about it, by Vickers to destroy Junior’s chances at Daytona. 

I will leave the subject of race times and pre-race programming for another rant, but I will say start the race an hour and a half sooner and we get the whole race in.

The good thing is that the sun will come up in the east and we get to go racing again next weekend!

Tags: , Dale Earnhardt Jr., Daytona 500, NASCAR, Sprint Cup