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Why can’t the NASCAR season end at Daytona?
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Now that Jimmie Johnson has been crowned, again, we have to wait a little more then 80 days before the NASCAR Sprint Cup series takes the green flag at Daytona for the season opening Daytona 500.
The Daytona 500 is arguably the biggest race of the season. One of the main reasons why is because it opens the season. Everyone comes out of hibernation, new teams show up, old rivalries are reborn and everyone is on even ground.
NASCAR hasn’t always started their season at Daytona, but the 500 has always been one of the crown jewels early in the season with its unique qualifying format, the entire notion of ‘Speedweeks’ and the prestige of winning the Daytona 500.
So why doesn’t NASCAR end its season at Daytona?
The Daytona 500 has found a home at the start of the season and if NASCAR were to consider the same type of format at the end of the year it could be a great place to end a season as well.
That’s not to take away from Homestead which is the current season ending track, or Atlanta, which ended the season prior to that, but to end a season at the same track where it began, with all the pomp and pageantry that goes into a season opening Speedweeks, could make for one heck of a championship celebration. Add in the unknowns, the high-tension and drama of a superspeedway race and it could make a perfect ending to a Chase.
Jimmie Johnson was able to nearly cruise to the championship Sunday night. He finished fifth while up front Denny Hamlin won the race easily.
In this years July race at Daytona a huge pile up at the end left everyone wondering who won. That’s not to say that every race at Daytona should end in carnage but given the exciting nature of races at Daytona and Talladega the championship may not be decided until a last lap pass with the winner crossing the line by inches more often then it’s ever happened at Homestead. And while most fans applaud Johnson on his dominance and Hamlin on his win, the odds are against anyone cruising to victory at Daytona and that’s the way the Chase needs to end every single year.
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