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NASCAR Sprint-Cup Series
GURSS: Quiet Before the Chaos
After all my pontificating, you’d think I’d be dumb enough to pick a winner – or at least some favorites to win the Daytona 500 this Sunday...
Jade Gurss  |  Posted February 10, 2009   Daytona Beach, FL
Faster. Louder. The weekly column on SPEEDtv.com by Jade Gurss. (Harold Hinson Photo)

The population of seagulls out-numbered the humans for the past several days inside the giant 2.5-mile bowl that is the Daytona International Speedway. As the birds feast on whatever morsels and scraps were left behind from the thrilling Budweiser Shootout, the NASCAR teams have little but their hotel bills until on-track action picks up again with Wednesday practice and the Twin-150s Thursday afternoon.

Historically, the action (or lack thereof) in the Budweiser Shootout hasn’t predicted what would happen in the longer, points-paying Daytona 500, but after several days of watching practice, I suspect we are going to see some furious chaos this week.

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The high-banks at Daytona have become a series of bumps and ripples with aging pavement. Mix that with the rock-hard suspension set-ups on the Cup chassis, and there is sure to be action aplenty. Even the highest definition TV coverage can’t convey the skittish look and feel of these cars, especially when they’re buzzing in large packs like bees, gingerly bouncing and rollicking around. In person, it’s a breath-taking sight, and it will certainly make for good viewing for the 500.

Unlike years past, there seems to be the ability for the pack to pass the leader, which could increase passing at the front, which had been lacking in recent years with the previous style of Cup cars. The bumps in the track, which make the pack so volatile early in a run, will also serve to spread the field once the tires become worn. If there are long periods of green flag racing, look for the best handling cars to move forward and the pretenders to fall back.

Speaking of pretenders, there is a long list of small, single-car teams entered this season. Not to denigrate their effort, but I suspect the final line-up of 43 starters will look about what one would expect. However, that isn’t to say the mid-pack fight for positions won’t be crazy in Thursday’s last chance qualifying races, quite possibly leading to some violent crashes. When drivers and teams need to make it into the big show to pay the bills, that desperation leads to desperate moves on the track.

So, after all of this pontificating, you’d think I’d be dumb enough to pick a winner – or at least some favorites. If the Shootout is any indication, I suspect we’ll have a large number of cars that will lead the race for at least a lap or two, but the finish, as usual, will be like the roll of some very large dice.

I have no idea which team or driver will win – or even the make of racecar. Chevrolet looked great in qualifying, but Toyota dominated on the restrictor-plate tracks last season. The Ford of Bill Elliott looked like a rocket all weekend and the Roush cars were strong in the Shootout. Which leaves Dodge, who seemed weaker and more vulnerable last year, only to finish the 500 one-two in 2008. So, pick your favorite, cross your fingers and hold your breath for what will undoubtedly be a patience-free, 500-mile sprint at Daytona.

And isn’t that what fans pay hard-earned money to see?

The opinions reflected herein are solely those of the above commentator and are not necessarily those of SPEEDtv.com, FOX, NewsCorp, or Speed Channel

Jade Gurss is the owner of fingerprint, inc., a sports publicity company. He has written two New York Times Best Sellers, including what is believed to be the biggest-selling motorsports book in American publishing history (Driver #8 with Dale Earnhardt Jr.). His two decades of publicity and marketing experience involves nearly every category of motorsports, including nine innovative seasons as NASCAR publicist for the Budweiser brand and Earnhardt Jr. His blog can be seen at: http://fingerprint.typepad.com


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