A big improvement at Daytona

[Boneman]

For the first time in years, I watched most of the 400 and the Xfinity race too. I could not stand the way plate racing was for so long: cars that were unable to pass and just driving in formation.

Was it just a change in my perspective, or did the drivers have to DRIVE the cars now? They would take off sliding: front end, rear end, maybe both ends, and the driver had to chase them. They seemed faster than the track and I appreciated the vast improvement in the show.

It is interesting how a new winner appeared on the scene, but he followed the rules, rolled the dice and got lucky. Good on him!

[OldSchool+]

counterpoint

"I could not stand the way plate racing was for so long: cars that were unable to pass and just driving in formation. Was it just a change in my perspective, or did the drivers have to DRIVE the cars now? They would take off sliding: front end, rear end, maybe both ends, and the driver had to chase them. They seemed faster than the track and I appreciated the vast improvement in the show."--Boneman

Actually, I agree with all that.

But (respectfully-- to you, not so much to NASCAR), that boils down to "The crappy plate racing is not as crappy as it has been lately, it's more like the older, more-gooder crappy plate racing".

To recap old news:

>Their current, balance-the-car-on-the-head-of-a-pin-through-aero-and-plate package still produced largely one lane (for the top eight or so) contrived racing after a few laps.

>If for any reason two guys got together (it's a shame Kes went slower than Harvick, eh?), it still produced unheard of wrecks that were--as always--kind of pointless, dangerous, and expensive.

And then, NASCAR personally produced another sub par show with the rain deal. Now I get the lighting-within-8-miles = no-racing-due-to-liability thing, but imagine paying a hundred bucks or so to see...45 minutes of no rain and no racing followed by a rain out and a win by...whose favorite again...? Why, no one in the stands.

And, it was clear by six for sure, and it gets dark at nine, and they have lights, so... another bad decision, imo.

All that said--congratulations to Justin Haley and his crew chief. They won through strategy and that still counts.

And again, you are "right" Bones, given the sanctioning body, the plates, and the banking, the racing was better and the drivers more involved.

[OldSchool+]

ps--I am not a big supporter of "The Outlaw"--Kurt Busch, but he and his crew chief had the identical plan as Justin's team--but they got the shortest end of the stick, again largely courtesy of NASCAR.

[Boneman]

This was the first time I heard Dale Jr. on the broadcast team. Overall, he was a great addition. Aside from his recent and first-hand knowledge, he brought a boyish enthusiasm to the job that very few 40 year old men could ever muster.

If I watched a lot of NASCAR, it is likely that I would get tired to the constant chatter. Junior has a lot to say! But for an occasional fan like me, he was pretty entertaining.

[OldSchool+]

Agree some more. Dale is very entertaining.

What is especially good about that whole deal is that after his last concussion and treatment, he seems to have sharpened up a lot.

Am glad he got out when he did.

Meanwhile, Dale Jarrett now looks like one of the bad guys from Miami Vice (lol)!

[John Berti]

Was it just me or did anyone else notice that the NBC's lead announcer, Rick Allen, sounded an awful lot like Mike Joy? It was a good impersonation.