Tag: Daytona

Daytona, NASCAR… Throw a bit of controversy in the mix… The result is the Xfinity “Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner 300″…

Yes, there were cautions and lead changes but it was Austin Hill with the checkered flag. (Again… He won last year, also)

Hill started on the pole and was in the front bunch for the most part. It was the last lap, however, that has some people looking a little closer. Sam Mayer made a hot move to get in front but speed, air, tight racing and an attempted block brought his Accelerate Chevy down on the other cars which threw the back out and into the wall. The result was a flip and roof slide that, fortunately, tossed the car back on the wheels as it came to a stop. Mayer was later checked and released OK from medical.

Sam Mayer, last lap at Daytona. Xfinity – Beef, It’s What’s For Dinner 300

The question becomes the caution and the timing. NASCAR last lap caution rules are based on who is in front at the “time of caution”. This has some #7 Justin Allgaier in a twist as he was in front as the #1 went loose, hit the wall, and was already flipped when the caution lights and flags came out.

Mayer already backwards and beginning to flip – Caution not yet on – Justin Allgaier (#7) has the lead

Call it maybe 2 seconds… 2 and a half… Maybe…? In that small span of reaction time to the events on the track, Hill had gotten by Allgaier as those lights came on. With that, NASCAR set the timing on the video replay to the timing of the caution “ON” and gave Hill the win.

Photo Call at the time of the caution.

Allgaier fans are a little upset. Was the caution “late”…? Could the caution have come quicker…?
Best we have is “maybe”. There are fingers on buttons and those fingers are attached to human beings that have eyes on different spots and have reaction times to what they see. At Daytona speeds, those reactions are measured with real distance.

Hill is the winner. Allgaier was third. John H. Nemechek came across in the 2nd slot, which could also be a thing as he was below the yellow apron line. Yes, he was forced down due to the on track action but…

Rules and calls are best left to the officials. Second guessing and hindsight calls are what water coolers are for…

Do we still have those…?

Racing hasn’t changed. Some venues have come and gone and some rules have been modified and the cars have evolved…

But racing hasn’t changed. It is still drive, pass, survive, win…

Now… There are some “fans” that like to pine on the “old days”… The pre “death of Earnhardt” days… The days of “racing was racing”…

They have no real clue what they are on about. They are romanticizing something they think they believe. Was it different? Yes… But the racing hasn’t changed. So… Are those differences really worth the effort of endless complaining?

Different, maybe, in the sense that more manufacturers were involved. However, some manufacturers don’t exist now. Different, perhaps, in the sense that racing did not have the competition of attention that it does now. There is a lot that exists now that hasn’t before. Gaming, video media, more than four TV channels… Different, in the very real sense that those changes “fans” claim have taken racing away from the roots were brought on by the death of the man they throw back to.

Dale Earnhardt’s death at Daytona changed everything and left everything the same. Nobody ever wanted to trailer away a bent up and broken pile of junk that just hours ago was a showcase of effort, money and a lot of time. The cost to replace or fix that for the next race was a big hit and money was, and still is, a strain.

The differences of rules, mechanics and safety have all had to evolve following the death of Dale Earnhardt. The safety changes alone for the drivers forced an evolution of engineering. The safety of the teams lining the pits made changes. The safety of the fans made changes. Those who complain that racing isn’t what it used to be seem to be complaining for the sake of increased injury or death without actually seeing that the effort on the track is what it always has been. Go faster than the others and win…

There is a lot of talk tossed about on stage racing and the “playoff” format. “Just let them race” seems to be a rally cry. They forget the long, “follow the leader” events as drivers held their equipment for the final laps. They seem to have forgotten that the season champion often was decided well before the season had reached the finale. For the most part, these fans had no real grasp of the points system then and haven’t bothered to try to see it now.

They complain because they want to make noise. They complain because they can. They complain because they always have. They complain because they can’t grasp that evolution of technology forces an integration of that evolution into everything.

They complain because the “good ole days” are gone. Those days were never as “good” as they think unless they actually look at why. With that, is it possible that the “changes” they point to in racing are simply something they can spout about without sounding so obviously short-sighted about the changes happening in society around them…?

NASCAR is evolving forward and, finally, embracing many changes that have already been filtering into other motorsports. Formula 1, IMSA, Indy, Rally, Drags… They have all embraced women, people of color and other nationalities… NASCAR makes some moves in that direction and we get “that ain’t racin’!” and “snowflakes are taking over!” and, well… worse.

For the most part, this is a response to a lot of what was spouted about on social media following the LA Coliseum “Clash”. People complained about the format and location and a lot about the rapping and “half time” entertainment. They moaned about the show, the racing and the time.

Well… The show is back at Daytona for the Duels. Will they find something to fuss about now…?

Yes… Of course they will…

Big changes for IMSA and the Rolex 24 are on the grid for 2023. However, unless you are a race fan or “car person” or otherwise involved in motorsport, you might never know. Regular television and their newcasts don’t seem to mention the Rolex or the scale of the race at Daytona as an opening of American racing for the new year. All eyes continue to follow the NFL and the season games leading to the Superbowl.

Now… We’re not saying that the Superbowl is not a big thing. It’s just that a mention or some
“B roll” of the pit area under a voice-over acknowledging that there is an event in Daytona would be appreciated. The number of points of interest create a few good angles to pursue for even a basic preview. After all… Twenty-four hour endurance races don’t happen every day…

For example, the return of the GTP class as the upper end prototype moving into 2023 which replaces the “Daytona Prototype” is a pretty big deal. The “Grand Touring Prototypes” feature Le Mans Daytona hybrids and Le Mans Hypercars allowing manufacturers to showcase and build upon hybrid technology while racing with improved performance. The GTP class was king of the road back in the 1980s into the 90s and the return with new tech should be something to watch into this new season.

GTP then (left) and GTP new for 2023 (right)

Another angle, perhaps, are the drivers and teams running with mixed backgrounds of open wheel and sports car racing. The location, Daytona, also presents the story line as a motorsport focus for the good part of a month. The “Roar”, the Rolex, The NASCAR Duels and the Daytona 500 put Daytona on the international map as a focal point of speed.

For car fans there are even more bits to look at. A large field and variety for this year means more action on the track and more emphasis on manufacturers mixed with driver skill and team performance. Mix that with the racing in the Michelin Pilot Challenge and the manufacturer mix is expanded even further.

Perhaps, a sideways glance with a dash of humor could entice some mention in prime time news. Porsche is having a time with the current race package and the Balance of Performance rules. The new 992-type 911 GT3 R entries are not running with the rest of the pack very well. They are easily 2 to 3 seconds off the pace. After the “Roar” practices and shakedowns, the IMSA ruling on BoP did not offer bump for Porsche. Their confidence, however, in the machine and the teams seems to be holding as they look for performance during the Rolex.

Football seems to be king this time of year. All we are saying is… “Hey… Over here..! There are some things happening that might have some interest to your viewers… “

Coverage is on NBC, USA and Peacock for the Rolex 24.
Andy Blackmore Design also has the 2023 Rolex 24 Spotter’s Guide available. This is a race fan “must have” for keeping track of who is who in what out on the track!

There is a lot of racing coming up. Here in Virginia, the Rolex 24 has a lot of connections. The GTD Pro / GTD classes will be racing at Virginia International Raceway later on. Some of these drivers (Hélio Castroneves confirmed) could show up at Motor Mile Speedway for the SRX event later this year. As a lead in to NASCAR, Virginia is to host quite a bit of action.

Put the football down and go racing!

It’s on! Temperatures are a little chilly for Florida but the racing is set to roll with the sun. Rain is not in the forecast for Daytona and the ROLEX 24 is on the grid with 61 entries over 5 classes. The driver list is deep with talent from across the motorsport spectrum. Once again, to get up to speed on who is driving what and how the colors and numbers play out, get the Official ROLEX 24 Spotter’s Guide from Andy Blackmore Designs!

Racing has already begun with IMSA as the Michelin Pilot Challenge / BMW M Endurance Challenge raced Friday, January 28. Porsche made a big appearance with their 718 Cayman GT4 placing 3 spots in the top 5 including the win with the #28 RS1 team in the Grand Sport class. Turner popped their #95 and #96 M4 machines in the third and fifth slots.

In the Touring class, KMW took the checkers with their #5 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce with spots two and three going to the Bryan Herta Hyundai teams.

Saturday racing will begin with the IMSA Prototype Challenge set for Saturday morning. For watching the ROLEX 24, the options present variety and choice. Flag to flag coverage is available on Peacock, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app. An active subscription to a cable provider or a nominal fee may be required to watch this way. Broadcast times vary across standard NBC or USA TV.

Yes. Yes it is a bit confusing and just a little frustrating as NBC shut down NBCSN in favor of Peacock and the app pay gates. On the other hand, it is not expensive and their is a large variety of programming outside of IMSA.

Catch what you can as the ROLEX 24 goes green with the IMSA / WeatherTech schedule for 2022!

It’s time. Literally. This weekend the “Roar” is set for testing and practicing for the ROLEX 24 which goes green the following weekend. Next month, the Daytona 500 will start NASCAR with a new car design. With that, NASCAR is not heavily represented with the “Roar” and ROLEX this time around. On the surface, it would seem a good idea as some aspects of the “Next Gen” Cup Car are pulling from the IMSA racing style. As examples, consider the center hub wheels and the refueling system. NASCAR Xfinity Series Champion Austin Cindric may be a lonely representative racing a Mercedes in GTD Pro.

IndyCar, however, has a wider set of drivers ready to rolling out with the opening weekends for IMSA. Jimmie Johnson, NASCAR champion and current IndyCar driver, will drive with ALLY / Action Express. Defending IndyCar champion Alex Palou will be racing Ganassi Cadillacs with Scott Dixon and Marcus Ericsson. Meyers Shank Racing team mates Helio Castroneves and Simon Pageanud are running. Alexander Rossi is also in a seat for the ROLEX.

A big thing missing from IMSA for 2022 is NBCSports. NBCSN had been a staple on cable systems for quite some time. Now, in order to watch the bulk of IMSA racing, a pay gate subscription to NBC Peacock TV is required. Note that the late season NASCAR races will be on broadcast NBC or cable USA. The Peacock subscription is only $4.99/month and brings with it a lot of sport and entertainment, including expanded coverage of the upcoming Winter Olympics. It is, however, a bit of a kick to add yet another subscription to those most of us already have.

Some fans, based on social media discussions over the “ROAR” weekend, seem to be put out just as the season gets started. Beyond any perceived difficulties in watching the races, the “old ways” discussions are popping once again. What is it about race fans, surrounded by technology every day, that make them complain about change on every level? It has to be obvious that automotive technology has progressed to the point that there is no “going back” to racing like it was even 10 years ago. Computers, engineering and safety as a constant concern with competition have pushed all of motorsport to review everything that happens on race tracks.

This weekend, as the “Roar before” practices and runs some of the qualifying, IMSA has apparently stepped in with some changes. This has folks that are bigger fans of confrontation instead of competition throwing accusations and pointing fingers. It comes down to the “Balance Of Performance” to maintain a level field of competition. Fuel capacity changes along with some performance adjustments have some fans claiming this is an effort on IMSA to give advantages to certain manufacturers or teams.

Let’s be real, here… IF there was an effort to give an advantage to a team (or teams) by the sanctioning body (IMSA) that was so obvious that the average domestic beer consumer could see it then, certainly, the owners and drivers on site and being supplied with these rule changes would see it. The money and logistics involved in racing at this level would not allow BoP changes to make it unsustainable. No team is going to field a car if they can see from the onset there is no competitive chance on race day. Perhaps some race fans watch too much professional wrestling…

Corvette was given a slightly larger air restrictor… BMW has a bit more boost… Ferrari has a little more boost but also a weight increase… Fuel capacities were adjusted…

Obviously… The world is ending…

The ROLEX 24, despite these changes and the beer fueled criticisms, will run the last weekend of January. It is a an event full of variety, speed and color. Sixteen manufacturers, plus the prototype chassis suppliers, are represented with this endurance race to officially open the United States racing season. Check your Peacock status and let’s go racing!

IMSA online – IMSA, Info, Schedules, Results

Peacock TV – Online subscription

Daytona International Speedway – Raceday Info and Schedules

2022 is starting much like 2021. This pandemic thing is still with us and causing all sorts of issues. How those issues play out as the racing season begins to look at green flags is yet to be seen.

However, some of the changes coming to racing within the sport are quite extensive. As January opens, the eyes turn to Daytona and IMSA / WeatherTech. The ROLEX 24 will see some changes in the classes such as GTD Pro instead of GT Le Mans. GT Daytona retains the designation from before. To review the classes and schedule for the upcoming season, check IMSA / WeatherTech online.

Daytona remains in focus, of course, as IMSA rolls out and NASCAR rolls in for the season opener Daytona 500. It is here that 2022 racing will showcase change on a scale unprecedented in NASCAR. The engineering and styling in the move to the 2022 Next Gen car far surpasses the changes that brought in the “Car of Tomorrow” over the familiar late model style. The 2008 CoT brought forth a new focus on driver safety with chassis, seating and cage enhancements. The Gen-6 Cup car that is being retired as of last season brought body shapes closer to manufacturer versions and put other progressions in place such as digital dash panels and more views on safety.

The Next Gen car making its debut in the Cup series is a leap in every way. The styling is meant to further represent manufacturer street versions. The body is now a composite of carbon fiber and plastic instead of sheet metal. Team fabrication shops will be focusing on Xfinity or Camping World series chassis as Cup cars will have a uniform central chassis that is the same for all. The front and rear suspension and drive train are also fairly uniform and bolt on to the common subframe. Independent suspension and rack and pinion steering change up the handling while a 5 speed sequential transmission replaces the 4 speed pattern. Larger brakes mean a step up to larger wheels. 18 inch aluminum wheels with a center axle lug replace the 5 lug steel wheels. This may be the most obvious change to fans as these wheels will look much different than before. The refueling system and wheel changes may resemble the pit stops of the sports cars which just ran a few weeks before at the ROLEX 24. Goodyear Eagles are still the tires on the track but with a wider stance and lower profile than before.

“Next Gen” NASCAR Cup Car new for 2022 – See more at NASCAR.com

Fans should be excited for the new season and the changes. However, hangers on to the past still haunt the sport. Some just can’t get over the wall with the changes that have come along since the death of Dale Earnhardt. They can’t seem to grasp that time and technology have influenced safety and cost beyond the “good old days” and there is no going back. However, NASCAR can and should do a better job of bringing the personalities of the drivers and teams closer to the fans. Many tracks have embraced the concept with expanded access to garages and infield viewing. The fans follow drivers. The drama is not based on the cars but the interaction of the drivers is what pumps the attention of the fans. The tracks that do well have embraced the national aspect of the sport while inviting the local flavor of the fans in the area.

The local short tracks, the ovals from the hard pack dirt to the paved historic starters of the sport, are also gearing up for some performance changes. The fans may not notice but the teams and the drivers have been busy over the “off season” to make sure their cars are up to the match standards set in place for 2022. There are some body allowance rules and some chassis enhancements that will need attention before the first late model green flag drops for 2022. Hopefully, there has been some “catch up” time for the tires to get stocked for the demand. The late season of 2021 had races cancelled and tracks scrambling for tires just to make events on the basic level.

The costs of NASCAR sanctioned late model style racing has been a hurdle for many and low “car counts” at many tracks has been an issue. Fans want a show and 5 cars on track doesn’t really bring it. New rules are trying to address these cost issues but racing is often a money pit that is hard to fill. Tracks are looking at new events and new types of racing to bring in participants and fans. Drivers, tracks, sponsors and fans are facing some challenges but tracks are committed to push on.

INDYCar is putting off major changes to next year. An expanded hybrid engine system is expected. Formula 1 is putting a number of changes in place for 2022. Much like NASCAR, F1 is putting emphasis on competition and expanded safety. Aerodynamic downforce through wing and body shape design should enhance close racing with better stability. Larger wheels and low profile tires should also enhance handling and reduce heat in race conditions. The front wing and nose have a new design and the rear wing has rounded, rolled tips. F1 changes are targeted, like NASCAR, to engage racing from the driver to the fans.

Other series will likely have some changes. NHRA, for example, is expanding some options for engine performance in some of the classes. Rallycross is looking at some format changes to increase competition. Motorcycle racing from superbike to motocross may also make a change or two for the upcoming season but who can tell…? Those 2 wheel racers are a bit off to begin with…

Expectations are high for many. Short tracks, dirt tracks and other small and local racer venues are looking at their own challenges moving into the year. Drivers and teams are digging for sponsors to carry to the tracks but racing will need attendance to thrive. For 2022, racing fans should take a little time and visit the tracks that run every weekend instead of just holding out for the “Big Guns” in the national series to visit a handful of tracks.

Let’s go local. Let’s go racing.

Daytona is throwing a lot of “firsts” at us for 2021. The Daytona Cup Road Course wraps a month of racing in Daytona, going back to the “Roar” and Rolex for IMSA in January to the Clash, the Duels, the 500 and this, the road course. This year the schedule is Daytona times two for NASCAR points races to start as just one “first”. (Back to back Daytona 500 and Daytona Road Course one week later)

Of course, Daytona hosts the “first” points races for IMSA and for NASCAR.

IMSA-Rolex 24 and Wayne Taylor Racing. Yes, it was a third win for WTR but… 2021 marks the “first” year running an Acura powered DPi (Switched from Cadillac).

Kyle Busch won his second Busch Clash – but his “first” scheduled race with new crew chief Ben Beshore. (Beshore subbed for a few races in 2017)

Alex Bowman grabs the pole in the Daytona 500 – His “first” points start in the #48 replacing retired Jimmie Johnson (*Bowman had the pole in the #88 in 2018).

Michael McDowell makes his mark with his “first” Cup win at the Daytona 500.

Ben Rhodes gets his “first” Daytona win, and his “first” year of 2 wins, and his “first” 2 wins in a row – All at Daytona for the Camping World Trucks to start the 2021 points season.

Ty Gibbs wins his “first” Xfinity start – Xfinity Daytona Road Course.

Christopher Bell won the Daytona Cup Road Course – His “first” Cup series win.

Now… After a month of racing… We leave Daytona. However, the next race is still in Florida – At Homestead Miami. (A “first” for Homestead to immediately follow Daytona…)