Joey Logano Wins Daytona 500

[Cwood722]

What is everyone's thoughts on his victory?

[cookinbrak]

He deserved it, but I can't believe they didn't let them race back to the line.

[davos]

Good start to the year.  Excited about NASCAR for the first time in quite some time actually. 

[djp14]

Good race, but these days, the Daytona 500 is pretty much the only race I watch. The way they decide the championship is so laughable that I can't take it seriously.

[MurkN]

He deserved it, but I can't believe they didn't let them race back to the line.

 

I agree, what's the point of a Green-White-Checkered when it ends the way it did?

[Jackofalltrades]

I thought NASCAR gave it to him, but Jr and Harvick were in a good spot.

[stirs]

The reason, in my opinion, why Nascar is suffering, and make no mistake, it is suffering, is the speed.

 

Their idea of making the cars and tracks faster each year, takes away the "racing" which is why so many tuned in to start with.

 

For example, this week, they race at Atlanta.  In 1979, when the famous Cale Yarborough/Donnie Allison crash happened at Daytona and introduced Nascar to the whole country, look at the pole position speed for Atlanta.  They now run 30 mph faster making any touch or bump a race ender.  Most people now are only entertained by the multi car crashes which can be viewed at ESPN.

 

http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/Statistics/Season-Stats/Statistics.aspx?SubSeriesID=1&YearID=44&RaceID=6755&StatType=Past+Pole+Winners

[PhillyB]

it's not just speed, it's the tracks. big markets like texas and vegas and california have taken over with 1.5 mile boring-ass cookie cutter tracks that don't offer particularly good racing at the expense of venues like darlington and obviously rockingham, and the racing is subpar as a result. 

 

i also think matt kenseth and jimmie johnson killed the sport. kenseth won the champion ship by a huge margin in like 2003, and then nascar freaked and added a playoff system, and then jimmie johnson went and won 6 championships and everybody stopped giving a poo because jimmie johnson is bland, and now they're further struggling to make the sport relevant to a wider market on the even of gordon's retirement. ratings are going to plunge at the end of this year when he hangs it up.

 

it's a shame, i used to be a huge fan of racing back in the day.

[stirs]

Yeah, and back in the day for me was 20 yrs earlier than you, haha

[PhillyB]

Yeah, and back in the day for me was 20 yrs earlier than you, haha

 

i started following in 95 at the ripe old age of ten

[Goondal]

So I figured there is no point in starting a new thread.  Anyway, I am watching Atlanta, they are going to have a competition caution after twenty-five laps.  I hate when they have those stupid things.

[davos]

it's not just speed, it's the tracks. big markets like texas and vegas and california have taken over with 1.5 mile boring-ass cookie cutter tracks that don't offer particularly good racing at the expense of venues like darlington and obviously rockingham, and the racing is subpar as a result. 

 

i also think matt kenseth and jimmie johnson killed the sport. kenseth won the champion ship by a huge margin in like 2003, and then nascar freaked and added a playoff system, and then jimmie johnson went and won 6 championships and everybody stopped giving a poo because jimmie johnson is bland, and now they're further struggling to make the sport relevant to a wider market on the even of gordon's retirement. ratings are going to plunge at the end of this year when he hangs it up.

 

it's a shame, i used to be a huge fan of racing back in the day.

 

I agree with a lot of this but the last 2 seasons have been an improvement IMO. 

 

I grew up with the sport and was a big Bobby Labonte 90's fan.  Loved the few years where it was basically a triple-threat title match between Gordon, Dale Jarrett, and Labonte. 

 

 

[Carl Spackler]

I thought Logano drove like a dick in the 500 and made some pointless moves. He had a strong car and since Dale Jr. and Gordon weren't beside him on the restart, he had nothing to worry about coming to the finish. Jr. made some hellacious passes to get to third. 

 

It was a plate race overall and the usual suspects (Edwards, Larson) drove like assholes. Logano decided to join, and that's the only reason I was pissed he won. I don't mind Logano at all and think he's a good dude, but I don't like it when guys are rewarded for driving like it's the last lap and God forbid you just gotta take them three-wide on the apron on like lap 23.