DAYTONA BEACH, FL - NASCAR’s new no holds barred rules, or lack of them, got their first real test Thursday evening at Daytona International Speedway.
A total of 24 cars took to the track for the first practice of the season. And while the practice was for Saturday night’s non-points Budweiser Shootout, it marked the first time this season that Sprint Cup Series cars took to the track in such numbers. And this season of course, NASCAR won’t be policing the drivers as much and the restrictor plates used at Daytona and Talladega are a bit bigger resulting in more power, making the practice Thursday night a test of sorts.
So how did the first test go?
Mark Martin in his brand new GoDaddy.com adorned Chevy, got up into Denny Hamlin entering turn one setting off a multi-car melee that forced at least six drivers to backup cars.
Among those caught up in the crash was Greg Biffle. Biffle seemed to think that part of the problem was drivers trying to find their limits.
“It’s aggressive bump drafting,” Biffle said with an air of sarcasm. “That’s what we were looking for – aggressive bump drafting. Trust me, we’re not finished. What are we, 20-30 minutes into practice? It’s gonna be awesome.”
It didn’t take long for others to find out just how ‘awesome’ it would be. Less then two minutes into the second practice, Juan Pablo Montoya and Kurt Busch got together coming out of turn four. Busch’s Dodge careened into the wall, Montoya limped his Chevy to the garage.
According to Jamie McMurray, who had only taken a few laps in his new No. 1 Earnhardt-Ganassi Chevy before it was destroyed, the problems might have stemmed from a little bit of over aggressiveness.
“We come here to race and it is fun,” McMurray said. “I mean, it is a lot of fun to get out there and be a part of that. But there is not really any reason to put yourself in a position to get run in to.”
For Mark Martin whose turn into the wall set off the carnage in the first practice, the problem was a simple mistake and not over aggressiveness
“I anticipated him (Denny Hamlin),” Martin said. “It looked like he was going to try to squeeze in on the outside of me, so I made an effort to give him the lane. And, he anticipated getting behind me, not that it wasn’t worth it to get in behind me instead. So, if either one of us had just anticipated something else, then it wouldn’t have happened.
In fact Martin said had he and Hamlin were actually taking it easy.
“I was making an effort to be on the cautious side and I think Denny did to,” Martin said. “And in this particular case it created a situation where we came together. Where if just one of us had been just a little bit wilder, maybe it wouldn’t have happened.”
Whether the first and second practice sessions will be any indication of things to come in the next week is anyone’s guess. But earlier most drivers said that while NASCAR might loosen up the officiating a bit, it might not be as wide open as a lot of people think.
“It's not that NASCAR is just saying, Okay, you guys have free rein,” said two-time champion Tony Stewart. “They're still gonna police everything. Trust me, they're still the father figures of the group here, and it has to be that way.”
Kyle Busch, one time teammate to Stewart, agreed but added the new policy may have some unintended consequences.
“I don’t know how much we’re actually going to get in our hands, but I think anything for the sport as far as a directional change or something is positive,” Busch said. “They wanted to see some better racing, some more excitement. I think their excitement may be crashes and hopefully we can keep everybody safe in that respect. I feel like it’s something that NASCAR is actually paying attention to and doing better for the sport.”
Reigning champion Jimmie Johnson actually thinks that NASCAR’s ‘new’ policy isn’t really all that new.
“NASCAR has been telling us for a few years that they've loosened up the reins and let us do your thing,” Johnson said. “I don't see a lot coming from that, I just really don't. On the track, guys race each other, we all race each other how we've been treated. Unless I go in there and start some stuff, start wrecking people, I just don't see it happening.“
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Comments
Are you kidding me? I loved watching Shootout practice. I told my wife from the git-go that they were gonna have the BIG ONE during practice. The cars were all over the track. You would've thought some of those guys had never turned a lap before on a super-speedway. But the fans got a great start on collecting "race-used" sheetmetal this year...there was alot of it that hit the market yesterday!
By the way, Greg, my son just got a new Outlaw Winged Kart. You think The Examiner could throw a little cash our way for sponsorship? Just thought I'd ask. Can't wait for The Danitona 500!
I wouldn't miss practice today for the world! If you think Shootout practice was crazy...what's going to happen when 20+ more cars are on the track...and alot of the drivers are "newbies" "part timers" or just "back markers"?! Hopefully the weather will hold out and the cars will get this much anticipated and much needed practice. I would hope the Shootout drivers from yesterday will pick their "on track" partners well during practice....If I was them I would go around the garage and make "pacts" with drivers they feel "comfy" with to form their on track practice groups. It should be interesting... I just hope my drivers make it through practice in the same car they started with!!!
Hamlin starts another wreck, shocker....and Keselowski cant drive, right Denny??? LMFAO. On the bright side for the Jr fans, atleast the 88 was in the garage when it happened....if this was 2009, he would have found that wreck.....
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