Harvick, as you’ve probably heard, beat Mark Martin by the closest margin in the history of electronic scoring at Daytona.
Writers like Jenna Fryer and David Poole were softer on NASCAR than some, like Ray McNulty, who came out with guns blazing.
We (and a chorus of others) have long pressed NASCAR for some sort of consistency in its rulings. Fryer makes a good point in relying on previous precedent, pointing out that Dale Jarrett was awarded a win at Talladega when a last-lap wreck — well behind the leaders — took a win away from Tony Stewart.
But how well do precedents work when there’s a new one every few weeks?
Fryer also gave time to Cup competition director Robin Pemberton, who lamented that his organization would be lambasted no matter what it decided. There’s no denying that he’s right.
But sometimes in life, you get sacked by the tough-crap rule. Think about the Oakland Raiders in that AFC Divisional game in snowy New England in 2002.
You know. The tuck rule.
In the light of the Raiders’ subsequent loss, the rule seems silly. But it’s a rule nonetheless; the referees applied the then-little known statute to the play, and it turned the tides of at least one NFL franchise.
For better or worse, they’re the rules. As NASCAR applies them, they’re not rules; they’re guidelines.
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: If NASCAR really wants to be taken seriously and play with the big boys of professional sports leagues, it will make a concerted effort to enforce the rules it has on its books, no matter the situation.
This isn’t specifically about the yellow flag at Daytona; instead, it’s more indicative of the culture of NASCAR and its shape-shifting rulebook.
Once they prove they have the backbone and the wherewithal to use what they have in an even-handed manner, it will become a little easier to accept Pemberton’s words.

Sunday was hardly racing’s finest moment. Instead, we’re treated to more typical restrictor-plate racing, which seems to have long ago worn out its welcome. How long will be forced to watch uneventful racing until the final 50 laps, when it’s like watching a train wreck waiting to happen?
The script is too predictable. Whenever the Cup boys arrive at Daytona and Talladega, there’s little action for the first 75 percent of the race as drivers stay out of trouble. In the final 25 percent, there’s a breakaway pack followed by a bunch of cars running three- and four-wide. Then, someone slips up, and hell breaks loose.
Lather, rinse, repeat.
As sure as I’m sitting here, the following happened last night as my wife and I were watching.
Darrell Waltrip: “Tires are smokin’! Sheet metal’s draggin! And we’re still racin’!!!”
Me, to my wife: “Until someone screws it up.”
Mike Joy: “And McMurray gets turned around!”
(USA Today sports TV columnist recalled Waltrip’s comments better than I did, so I used his verson.)
Watching and knowing calamity is inevitable is not my idea of a great race. It’s not if, but when.
The race is notable because of the gravity of it, but that’s about all. The teams and NASCAR itself pimp the Daytona 500 as the Super Bowl of auto racing.
If that’s true, we watched Rex Grossman, not Peyton Manning.
• SPEAKING OF THE ANNOUNCERS: Maybe because we’re typically really busy at this time of year and my crankiness goes off the charts, but the guys at Fox seemed intolerable on Sunday.
For the second time in a week, someone at Fox got their facts wrong on Juan Pablo Montoya. Last Sunday during qualifying, the network posted a graphic that listed Montoya with zero Nextel Cup starts. Montoya qualified for and started in last season’s finale at Homestead, where he finished 34th.
Waltrip noticed the error, and quickly corrected it on-air. But on Sunday, Joy referred to the Daytona 500 as Montoya’s Nextel Cup debut. Come on guys, it’s not that hard. It’s a small thing, certainly, but it’s also not too much to expect that their assertions are correct, especially from a pro like Joy.
Gripe No. 2: It’s like clockwork. Martin led for the final 25 laps; with 18 left in regulation, the gushing began. Talking about Martin’s long career, him and Roush’s amicable breakup, moving to Chevy, career stats, blah blah blah.
Look, I realize Martin was the most compelling storyline, but with so much racing left, that seems a bit risky.
Gripe No. 3: Not long after Martin took the lead, Waltrip managed to tell us that the two guys behind him, Matt Kenseth and Greg Biffle, would almost rather see Martin win the race than themselves.
Is he serious?
Apparently not. A few minutes later, one of Fox’s pit reporters — Matt Yocum, I believe — reported that Martin’s crew chief, Ryan Pemberton, was listening to other team’s radio to try to determine what their strategy would be. Biffle, Yocum said, had a definite strategy in mind.
Seems like they weren’t content to let him win after all.
Gripe No. 4: Kurt Busch took out Tony Stewart, through no fault of his own, while the two were running 1-2. Stewart hit the apron, had to slow up, and Busch didn’t have enough time to get out of the way before nudging Stewart in the left rear.
Waltrip’s explanation was sufficient, and anyone with half a brain would have realized he was right: It was one of those racing deals. We could have done with three views of the incident, but the replay and analysis seemed interminable. Waltrip was forced to say the same thing over and over, giving the whole thing an apologistic tone.
We get it. It’s no one’s fault. Let’s move on.
• WHY NO YELLOW? A quick-hitter from David Poole nails it. The yellow should have been out as the wreck was happening on the final lap. Yes, that would’ve given Martin the win.
I’ll admit to pulling for Martin. But moreover, it’s about consistency, as Poole writes.
Think about last year at Indianapolis. NASCAR’s failure to throw a yellow during a wreck on the final lap caused a secondary wreck that put Kasey Kahne’s chances of making the Chase in major jeopardy.
The best explanation comes from Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Mark Bradley, who tells the story of NASCAR’s long-after clarification. But even that doesn’t explain the why.
I’ve got an e-mail into one of NASCAR’s PR folks, and will report back what I hear (if anything).
• IF MARTIN HAD WON, wouldn’t that have been a kick in the gut to Ford? The esteemed manufacturer has seen plenty of its stars head elsewhere in the past few years.
• WATCHING STEWART in the lead, I couldn’t help but think: What’s gonna happen to him?
Sure enough, he got punted by Kurt Busch, ending his chances at winning. And Stewart, to his credit, stood in front of the camera and talked openly about his latest Daytona disappointment.
The more I think about it, the more it seems like Stewart is the current-day Dale Earnhardt.
Both were drivers of incomparable talent who had won championships and proven themselves as the elite driver of their time. Both tried time and again to win the Daytona 500, only to see their chances fade in unimaginable ways. Earnhardt, of course, finally got his win in 1998 after decades of unsuccessful attempts.
And I see Stewart evolving into a friendlier person when he deals with us. Certainly, in the past six months, I have a different impression of him, and I can’t help but think that it’s somehow similar to how Earnhardt grew into the sport’s elder statesman.
Certainly, Stewart’s legacy is ongoing, and it’s impossible to judge at the moment. But the parallels are too great to ignore.

Then we can get back into the flow of qualifying Friday and racing Sunday. We’re creatures of habit, so it makes sense we like routines. About 10 years ago, back when I was somewhat close to being in shape, I remember looking at our practice schedules in college.
They had all these weird drills and weird times — group drills at 10:30 a.m.? — and it struck me how nice I’d feel in a month or two, when we’d be done with three-a-days, out of the heat and back on our regular-season schedule.
We’re on the cusp of that now, thankfully. Let’s get to racing.
• BUT BEFORE WE CAN START, on Sunday at least, we’ll be treated to a rendition of our national anthem from Kelly Clarkson.
NASCAR couldn’t wait to tell us this in a breathless preseason press release.
“In a landmark collaboration bringing together two touchstones of American culture,” the release shouted, “superstar singer Kelly Clarkson has partnered with NASCAR for the 2007 season.
“...The relationship kicks off Sunday, February 18, prior to the Daytona 500, where Clarkson will headline the NEXTEL [press releases like to use lots of caps] Tribute To America live on FOX [see?]. The event salutes music as the fabric of America and will feature thousands of cast members on the Daytona International Speedway’s historic five-acre tri-oval area.”
Wow. Where to begin. Clarkson’s a darn good singer, sure, but even this is a little over the top. This release came out around the time of Benny Parsons’ passing; NASCAR managed to put out an 11-paragraph release on that.
The Clarkson release clocked in at 13 paragraphs.
I understand it’s their job to pump up news, but come on. Let’s try to keep it within the realm of this reality.
I’m also wondering if there will be performers in Lake Lloyd, part of the infield at Daytona. Racing and synchronized swimming — now there’s a combo!
(And, for the record, NASCAR Scene’s Lee Montgomery had an earlier blog lampooning this same deal. I can honestly tell you I was inspired to write this before Montgomery’s post appeared, but didn’t get much of a chance until now.)
• READY FOR ESPN? I can hardly contain my enthusiasm. But they’re coming, broadcasting the entire Busch slate and most of the late-season Cup schedule.
If you hang around a watercooler enough, especially one that is frequented by a number of sportswriters, you’ll hear ESPN generally disregarded as a place that always puts style over substance (think about the interminable catchphrases on any SportsCenter) and one that will serve its own interests first above all. Seattle P-I columnist Ted Miller noted this as well, so you know it’s not just me.
The network left all of its NASCAR coverage to Mike Massaro, who had the thankless task of not really being recognized by NASCAR after it broke up with the network six years ago.
But prior to the start of last season, ESPN had announced it was getting back into NASCAR coverage. And, whaddya know, a heavyweight like Chris Fowler shows up at Daytona, hosting full segments on SportsCenter. (I don’t begrudge Fowler, who is, for my money, among the very best in the business.)
Hmmm. They didn’t care so much about it when they weren’t broadcasting it — despite its sky-rocketing fan base — but now, they can’t devote enough hours to the sport.
It sounds awfully hollow to say to fans, well, you didn’t matter to us before. But hey, now that you’re affecting our ratings, we love you!
Such is what we’ve come to expect from the so-called Worldwide Leader.
• A LIBERAL READING: The lid has blown off of NASCAR cheating, dominating headlines amid suspensions, fines and point penalties.
Someone, and I’m sorry I can’t remember who, that Michael Waltrip’s infraction was, above all, sloppy. If you’re going to cheat, you can do a lot better than that.
With that in mind, it was a year ago that Chad Knaus, Jimmie Johnson’s crew chief, got busted and was sent home for four weeks. There’s a story up from early last NASCAR season, a look at cheating from Rick Minter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, a story that seems to resonate well at this particular moment.
Perhaps Knaus’ best work came at Dover in 2004, when Johnson and Kyle Busch went 1-2 with clever shocks that raised the back end. The cars failed to clear inspection initially, but “settled” after a few minutes and sailed through. The shocks didn’t break any rules at the time, but NASCAR moved quickly to keep that from happening again.
And that’s only the most recent example. The AP’s Mike Harris, in a blog from Wednesday, singles out Smokey Yunick as a true cheating pioneer. The stories there are priceless.
If you read enough, these kinds of stories pop up from time to time. Like someone who made some room in the frame and put in a load of ball bearings, designed to help the car turn just a little bit better. (I can’t remember the exact story, but I think the frame broke on the track and caused a caution for spilling its load.)
Is it cheating? Is it creative engineering?
Good question.
Enjoy the race on Sunday.

I caught some of the in-between coverage on Thursday. My intent was to watch all of it, both races, but I had to skip out of the office to go do an interview that was postponed by snow. But that’s neither here nor there. (And, as a result, I need to get this done quick to move onto other things.)

I saw a replay of Michael Waltrip taking out Dale Earnhardt Jr., and according to the AP report, that helped him get in. Obviously, it’s impossible to tell exactly what happened, but honestly, it looked like a careless mistake. One could argue that less grip with new tires was a contributing factor, and it may well have been. But all I saw was Waltrip giving Little E a firm nudge in the rear quarterpanel, something we wouldn’t expect from someone who’s been around as Waltrip.

Waltrip and the other two cars in his operation are in, along with Boris Said. James Hylton, the 72-year old driver trying to make a go of it, finished 23rd and did not qualify. Still, he was all smiles afterwards. It’s hard not to be happy for the guy.

• MIKEY DOESN’T LIKE IT: One thing I’ve noticed in the Waltrip-busted story: As you’ve no doubt heard, Waltrip was penalized 100 points, two key members of his crew were sent home, suspended indefinitely and fined $100,000 — penalties double those announced Tuesday for three Evernham teams and a Roush team. All for some goo that was found on the intake manifold of the No. 55, a substance the AP later reported was a component of jet fuel.

Waltrip apologized this morning, and he’s always seemed to be a sincere guy. It’s hard to believe his apology was anything less than genuine.

Toyota, according to various results, is fuming. According to ESPN, the manufacturer’s competition arm, Toyota Racing Development, is preparing to send a letter to its teams, saying two of three strikes have been used. The next team that crosses the line will risk losing Toyota’s support — and that’s a huge, huge deal.

Remember the brouhaha when Bill Davis Racing was busted for commingling with Toyota, even though it was still running Dodges (last item)? Dodge promptly pulled its support, and BDR, though hardly an elite team, went through a considerable drought.

The effect of this would be doubly crippling for any Toyota team. Imagine running a new car and, for the most part, new operations without the support of your manufacturer. Darn near impossible.

Toyota teams will be on their best behavior for the remainder of the season, rest assured.

• ON ODS: Matt Stanmyre’s report a few days ago that ODS would remain open brought a lot of comments, not surprisingly. Some were published on the Journal Messenger’s editorial page this morning; letters to the editor have also been published.

Both sides were pretty well represented, both online and in the print edition. I’ve made my feelings known in the past, so I won’t belabor the point. But a few comments stuck out to me:

“Times change, kids. Most of us grow up and realize its [sic] not all about how it used to be. Families grow, life has to include more folks in our tiny lil’ world. Your liberty ends where your ‘hobbies’ impact the neighborhoods you play in. I bet most of the drag strip fans don’t even live and pay taxes in PWC.”

Mr. anti-nonymous’ condescending tone makes it hard to take his argument seriously — if there’s even an argument there. Look, if you want us to believe you, try not to belittle the audience. (And, if you must know, I live in the west end of Alexandria. And while it’s not drag-strip loud, we’re not far from an approach path to National and it’s not uncommon to hear helicopters of some kind whizzing past at 2 a.m.)

Nicholas Lampropoulos of Manassas writes in a letter to the editor that we should be more sympathetic to his situation, since developers never mentioned how close his subdivision is to the speedway and that the county allowed re-zonings to keep the track alive.

One can easily argue the county could have done a better job in allowing development around the track. But how far is too far? I grew up in a town in Pennsylvania that had its own track, Mahoning Valley Speedway, located out in the country. On most Saturday nights, we could hear the sounds of the track, even though it’s a good five miles away. Could that be considered disrupting?

My wife and I are starting to talk about buying a house in the near future, and we’ll be doing lots and lots of homework. It seems to me that if we relied solely on real estate agents, we’d be selling ourselves short. It’s their job, after all, to sell us the place; our saying no doesn’t help them.

I’m having a hard time buying ignorance as an excuse.

There was one letter-writer who wrote that he bought his house two years before ODS moved in, and if he was frustrated about that, that’s a lot more acceptable than saying, ‘well, we didn’t know.’