Actually I have to disagree to a point. While yes seeing the big wrecks that take out the best, mediocre, and bad drivers happens, I would argue that Daytona and Talladega are the most equal races on the schedule. They are the only tracks where having a near perfect car as you put it means nothing.

Face it during the summer stretch coming up we will be hearing the same set of names (Johnson, Gordon, Busch, Busch, Jr, Biffle, Kensith, Brad K.) because we will be on the cookie cutter tracks. At least there are 4 races a year when a complete underdog has the chance to win the race. Last year's Daytona 500 was won by a kid in his second race, Trevor Bayne, in a part time underfunded car. This year Dave Blaney had a chance to win the 500, in a normally start and park team. Like the road courses it is refreshing to have different people running up front for a change.

What I do think is that the media, and NASCAR, tend to go overboard with the big wreck mentality. I would go as far as to say they changed the rules package at the plate tracks specifically to cause big wrecks. Last year the two car draft brought more quality passing for position and the lead, but fewer big wrecks. This year NASCAR gets their big wrecks back with the pack racing, but it also bring fewer quality passing. The stats say it all, yesterday Mike Joy in the booth said there were 7 different leaders in the first 15 laps of the race last year and this year there were like 2. What NASCAR ended up doing was take good racing strip it down and gave us a 200 mph parking lot again. At Daytona it was worse with less passing, and no pack, just a line of cars playing follow the leader.

I personally think they need to go back to the 2-car draft. Yes you need a partner to make it work, but that has been true of plate racing since its inception. Go on youtube and take a look at the past races, every driver who got a head of steam and passing cars has someone behind them. Heck even Dale Sr. in his last win had Kenny Wallace in the #81 glued to his back end tearing through the field from 18th to the win in 3 laps.

But the "fans" (sponsors and network most likely) didn't like it. Why? Well because most of the time you had a pusher and a pushee. The pushee would be out front with their sponsor right on the hood getting the exposure while the pusher's hood was buried in the fuel cell of the car in front. And there was so much passing and cars charging from out of nowhere that TV couldn't keep up. In a line of cars you have no passing and can focus on the line, or just one car if they are running away from the field (like all other tracks). You had 4-5 passes for the lead in a single lap with the 2-car draft. A lot of action and little way to cover it especially when you as an organization are just trying to follow certain drivers or "stories".

What if they just make it a non-points race, there are some teams who might be screwed becouse of this..I love fallowing the points I got charts that NASCAR stats don't have...lol....Jeff Gordon is done...that is hard to believe..JPM was a few points from th 12 th to tenth spot (standings) (the way the race was going before he got wrecked) if he could of had atop 5 or 6 finish...and how about Kurt he got hurt the worst that team would of rocketed upward until AJ dicided to block...a side note: Speed's channal golden boy AJ is in too much car, he is driving a good car but he can't do anything with it, that guy is totally overrated....I can think of a few drivers JUNK right now that can get a top ten week in and out in that car......

QUOTE(#1):

Originally posted 09:38 AM ET  05.07 by Raistwalker

Actually I have to disagree to a point. While yes seeing the big wrecks that take out the best, mediocre, and bad drivers happens, I would argue that Daytona and Talladega are the most equal races on the schedule. They are the only tracks where having a near perfect car as you put it means nothing. Face it during the summer stretch coming up we will be hearing the same set of names (Johnson, Gordon, Busch, Busch, Jr, Biffle, Kensith, Brad K.) because we will be on the cookie cutter tracks. At least there are 4 races a year when a complete underdog has the chance to win the race. Last year's Daytona 500 was won by a kid in his second race, Trevor Bayne, in a part time underfunded car. This year Dave Blaney had a chance to win the 500, in a normally start and park team. Like the road courses it is refreshing to have different people running up front for a change.What I do think is that the media, and NASCAR, tend to go overboard with the big wreck mentality. I would go as far as to say they changed the rules package at the plate tracks specifically to cause big wrecks. Last year the two car draft brought more quality passing for position and the lead, but fewer big wrecks. This year NASCAR gets their big wrecks back with the pack racing, but it also bring fewer quality passing. The stats say it all, yesterday Mike Joy in the booth said there were 7 different leaders in the first 15 laps of the race last year and this year there were like 2. What NASCAR ended up doing was take good racing strip it down and gave us a 200 mph parking lot again. At Daytona it was worse with less passing, and no pack, just a line of cars playing follow the leader.

I WROTE: I can think of a few drivers JUNK right now that can get a top ten week in and out in that car......

SHOULD OF BEEN: I can think of a few drivers in JUNK CARS right now that can get a top ten week in and out IF they had that car.....

QUOTE(#3):

Originally posted 10:55 AM ET  05.07 by asifyouknow

What if they just make it a non-points race, there are some teams who might be screwed becouse of this..I love fallowing the points I got charts that NASCAR stats don't have...lol....Jeff Gordon is done...that is hard to believe..JPM was a few points from th 12 th to tenth spot (standings) (the way the race was going before he got wrecked) if he could of had atop 5 or 6 finish...and how about Kurt he got hurt the worst that team would of rocketed upward until AJ dicided to block...a side note: Speed's channal golden boy AJ is in too much car, he is driving a good car but he can't do anything with it, that guy is totally overrated....I can think of a few drivers JUNK right now that can get a top ten week in and out in that car......

Kurt's incident was a different one than Allmandinger's. Brad K got into Kurt not the #22.

As far as the #22 blocking, that is a racing incident. That could have happened at a short tack (as witnessed earlier this year at Martinsville), a 1.5 mile cookie cutter, or a road course. It looked like less of a black and more of a he didn't know the 11 was there. DW said it was a block, but it's DW every time the man opens his mouth he makes himself look dumber and dumber. The 11 started making his move to 3 wide before he crossed the start finish line, which is legal because he was not making a pass, and the 22 was about half a second behind the 11 to making it 3 wide. All in all it was a racing incident that is all.

Kurt Busch's wreck is more a product of plate racing. He got tagged by the 2 while bump drafting in a turn. It can be done but is hard to do. I can't say I feel bad for Kurt, not a fan of his and never will be.

Gordon's problem is the 4-car team of HMS. Every owner that has gone to 4+ cars has always had 1 of their teams struggle behind the others. It was the #6 at Roush, the #07 at Childress, and typically the 88 and 5 at HMS. This is just Gordon's year to be the odd man out at HMS.

As far as Montyoa goes, yes it was bad he got wrecked, and the hit in points he took (which was only one position) and while he might have done well if he was able to finish, he also could have done bad. He could have been leading on the last lap and get hung out with no one to draft with and ended up 20th. That is a product of plate racing for better or worse.

QUOTE(#5):

Originally posted 10:50 AM ET  05.09 by Raistwalker

Kurt's incident was a different one than Allmandinger's. Brad K got into Kurt not the #22.As far as the #22 blocking, that is a racing incident. That could have happened at a short tack (as witnessed earlier this year at Martinsville), a 1.5 mile cookie cutter, or a road course. It looked like less of a black and more of a he didn't know the 11 was there. DW said it was a block, but it's DW every time the man opens his mouth he makes himself look dumber and dumber. The 11 started making his move to 3 wide before he crossed the start finish line, which is legal because he was not making a pass, and the 22 was about half a second behind the 11 to making it 3 wide. All in all it was a racing incident that is all.Kurt Busch's wreck is more a product of plate racing. He got tagged by the 2 while bump drafting in a turn. It can be done but is hard to do. I can't say I feel bad for Kurt, not a fan of his and never will be.Gordon's problem is the 4-car team of HMS. Every owner that has gone to 4+ cars has always had 1 of their teams struggle behind the others. It was the #6 at Roush, the #07 at Childress, and typically the 88 and 5 at HMS. This is just Gordon's year to be the odd man out at HMS. As far as Montyoa goes, yes it was bad he got wrecked, and the hit in points he took (which was only one position) and while he might have done well if he was able to finish, he also could have done bad. He could have been leading on the last lap and get hung out with no one to draft with and ended up 20th. That is a product of plate racing for better or worse.

You did not comment on my AJ take my friend...is he in over his head...why is SPEED so in live with the guy?......is he overrrated...

AJ has shown improvement every year he has been driving. Switching to the #22 might have been the best equipment hes has ever driven in Cup, but it might also be his career downfall. As far as I can tell it is a 1 year deal, and most drivers take about a year to get used to a new ride. I think AJ should have stayed with Petty, mainly because he was starting to hit some good runs late last year in equipment he was fitting into. He has backslid a little with the jump to Penske, which I think will have a bad effect on his career if he doesn't end up in victory lane this year.

I can't speak about his relationship with SPEED, other than he has to be bringing something to the broadcast if they keep using him.