Daytona 500

It is after 7:00 PM on Sunday and I just finished watching the Daytona 500. The race started just after noon today. Repair of a pot hole that looks like it was shipped in from Kansas City delayed the race for over 2 hours. After 2 attempts at a green flag finish, Jamie McMurray won. The final lap was as good as most restrictor plate races are, with close driving, risky moves and final lap passes for the win. Dale Jr. moved from 10th to 2nd place in the final lap. It was a race that showcased why NASCAR racing is the fastest growing sport in America.

Terri and I were fortunate enough to experience the Daytona 500 in 2001. That was the year after Dale Earnhardt Sr. was killed in a last lap, turn 4 accident. Daytona is a sporting spectacle. Much of the event happens outside the track. Hundreds of thousands of people flock to Daytona and Orlando the 2 weeks proceeding the race. Pre-race events begin one week before the 500. Terri and I were part of a racing tour, so were able to listen to hall of fame drivers speak about the traditions and history of the race.

We learned about restrictor plate racing. Restrictor plates limit the amount of air and gas that enters the engine and thereby restricts the horsepower and speed. Restrictor plates are for fan safety. Without them, cars would reach speeds of 240 MPH. The track would not be able to contain cars or parts during accidents. Drivers would also suffer from excessive G-forces be more likely to make poor decisions that lead to accidents.

We also toured the track and the pits. Witnessing first hand the steepness of the 33 degree banking deepens the appreciation of the skill required of the drivers. Just before the start of the race, we were able to meet several drivers (Rusty Wallace, Elliot Sadler, and Ryan Newman) in a Hospitality tent paid for by NASCAR sponsors. NASCAR does a fantastic job of making their stars accessible to the fans.

The start of the race is hard to explain. Forty-three cars, each with engines producing over 800 horsepower, make 3 laps at low speed. The noise is deafening, but only a sample of what is to come. Once the green flag drops, the cars gain speed slowly. Engines rev to over 9,000 RPM. The cars near their top speed of 200 MPH after the first lap. All 43 cars remain nose to tail as the speed pastes them against the high banked corners. There is nothing I can compare the noise to. You must wear earplugs or risk deafness. Even so, the volume can be felt deep within your chest.

NASCAR is a strange sport. The big event of the season, the Daytona 500, is the first race of each season. It is like holding the Super Bowl in September. The stereotype of NASCAR stars are that of dumb hillbillies with deep southern drawls. Many are seen as knuckle-dragging idiots that could only make a living driving fast and risking their lives. Nothing could be further from the truth. Today's NASCAR drivers are college educated athletes that have spent most of their lives honing a skill. The drivers work their way up from go-carts to local short tracks, and then through the progressively more difficult levels of NASCAR racing. Many of the younger drivers hold engineering degrees. Their job is not only driving a car, but also leading a team comprised of engineers, body, chassis and engine builders. On race day they motivate the pit crew that is instrumental in their success. They feed their pit team the information they need in order to improve the speed and handling of their car during pit stops. NASCAR is truly a team sport.

NASCAR fans are stereotyped as beer drinking, pot bellied, back woods hicks. Partially true. But the sport is growing in all demographics. CEO's and movie stars are normally seen at any race. The fans are more loyal than average. Since the NASCAR season rotates through 30-40 cities each season, each race is a big event locally. Most races draw at least 100,000 fans. Some draw over 200,000. Many fans follow the races from city to city much as a dead head would follow the Grateful Dead to each concert. The difference is that NASCAR groupies usually own fifth wheels and live in luxury the week leading up to the next race.

This year's Daytona race ended as it should. Over 30 drivers were within 2 seconds of the lead, fighting and clawing to improve their position. The most minuscule of error led to dramatic consequences. Hundreds of thousands of dollars of equipment were destroyed in high speed crashes. And it came down to one lap. At least 10 drivers had a legitimate shot at winning the race. The winner was not evident until he completed the 4th turn and shot towards the checkered flag. That is NASCAR at Daytona.