How does NASCAR do it? The economic situation is as bad as it can be in the United States. Yet, the grandstands were (almost) full at the Daytona International Speedway on Saturday evening to see the legendary Bud Shootout!
The formula was new this year. Instead of the pole sitters of last season, this time, NASCAR changed its formula to include six of the top drivers of each car manufacturer (Ford, Chevrolet, Dodge and Toyota) plus one «wild card» or chosen driver.
Some 28 drivers took the green flag a little past 8:00 pm. A first wreck early in the first leg of the race (a first 25 laps followed by another 50 laps) eliminated drivers like David Ragan (Ford No 6), and Scott Speed (Camry No 82) as the accident was... almost caused by...who else than Robby Gordon (Dodge No 7 to be turned into a Camry for the 500) who ran into Joey Logano (Camry No 20) who had just come from a second place in the ARCA race a few hours before.
A spin by Elliott Sadler (Dodge No 19) with some 20 laps to go during the second leg forced a yellow flag, pit stops and a restart. And another crash, this one by Paul Menard (Ford No 98) hitting Dale Earnhardt (Chevy No 88), Bobby Labonte (Ford No 96) and Greg Biffle (Ford No 16 for the second time) caused another yellow and pit stops.
Two laps to the end, Biffle lost it again for a seventh caution while his teammate Jamie McMurray (Ford No 26) was leading. Then, two laps to go, green-white checker!
McMurray seemed to have it made but got passed by Kevin Harvick (Chevy No 29) on the last lap when they all crashed behind them! Mears (Chevy No 07) and Johnson (Chevy No 48) got together and...that was it!
Harvick wins it, McMurray comes in second and Tony Stewart (Chevy No 14) finishes third. Wouldn't you wish all NASCAR races were Bud Shootouts?
The formula was new this year. Instead of the pole sitters of last season, this time, NASCAR changed its formula to include six of the top drivers of each car manufacturer (Ford, Chevrolet, Dodge and Toyota) plus one «wild card» or chosen driver.
Some 28 drivers took the green flag a little past 8:00 pm. A first wreck early in the first leg of the race (a first 25 laps followed by another 50 laps) eliminated drivers like David Ragan (Ford No 6), and Scott Speed (Camry No 82) as the accident was... almost caused by...who else than Robby Gordon (Dodge No 7 to be turned into a Camry for the 500) who ran into Joey Logano (Camry No 20) who had just come from a second place in the ARCA race a few hours before.
A spin by Elliott Sadler (Dodge No 19) with some 20 laps to go during the second leg forced a yellow flag, pit stops and a restart. And another crash, this one by Paul Menard (Ford No 98) hitting Dale Earnhardt (Chevy No 88), Bobby Labonte (Ford No 96) and Greg Biffle (Ford No 16 for the second time) caused another yellow and pit stops.
Two laps to the end, Biffle lost it again for a seventh caution while his teammate Jamie McMurray (Ford No 26) was leading. Then, two laps to go, green-white checker!
McMurray seemed to have it made but got passed by Kevin Harvick (Chevy No 29) on the last lap when they all crashed behind them! Mears (Chevy No 07) and Johnson (Chevy No 48) got together and...that was it!
Harvick wins it, McMurray comes in second and Tony Stewart (Chevy No 14) finishes third. Wouldn't you wish all NASCAR races were Bud Shootouts?