As a NASCAR fan, there are really only two ways to view the new two-car hookups which will undoubtedly dominate Sunday's Daytona 500.
Your first option is you can hate it. You can get upset that the famous pack racing is gone, scream at your TV and make angry phone calls to NASCAR about how they've ruined the Daytona 500.
Your second option is you can accept it and deal with it. Some of you can even grow to like it, though only about one quarter of you say you do right now.
Let's be honest: In the interest of reason, Option No. 2 is your best bet. I say this because there is nothing – at least nothing reasonable – that can be done about the two-car tandems.
The two-car drafts are here. And they're not going anywhere.
You may think that stinks. I don't disagree with you. But what are you going to do about it?
Heck, what can NASCAR do about it? It's really not NASCAR's fault this time. Don't you remember the huge pothole in the track last year? It had to be repaved. Repaving it was the only smart thing that could be done there.
And once the track was repaved, the door was opened for drivers to expand upon what they'd learned the last few years at Talladega. Let the pushing begin.
Maybe NASCAR didn't anticipate the drivers had figured out just how long they could push. That may have been a mistake. But even if NASCAR had seen this coming, what could they do?
Could NASCAR ban the push-draft? No, they've tried that. Passing a rule outlawing pairs racing would leave NASCAR in the same predicament it saw at Talladega in October '09.
You probably remember that race because it may have been the worst restrictor-plate race ever. And it's what ultimately decided on "Boys, have at it" as the new drafting policy.
So passing a rule is not an option. How about changing something technical on the cars?
That hasn't seemed to work, either. NASCAR already tried to break up the two-car drafts by mandating a pop-off valve and shrinking the grille opening in hopes the cars would start to overheat sooner – therefore discouraging the drafting.
It maybe limited the number of paired-up laps to four or five at a time, but it didn't do much else.
What else can NASCAR do?
Until the track wears out and begins to lose its grip – making cars slip and slide through the corners like on the old surface – this is the kind of racing we'll see at both Daytona and Talladega.
Pack racing is gone, folks. And it's not coming back...at least for the next five years or so.
Obviously, that's not ideal. The four restrictor-plate races each season became must-watch events because the pack racing was so compelling. Each event left viewers perched on the edge of their seats, holding their breath for 500 miles.
The Big One. The drama of having 30 cars cross the finish line within one second of each other. The lottery-ball nature of the winners.
All gone.
And now? We have a bunch of cars running around attached to one another like mating dragonflies.
So it's not great. But as viewers, it's what we're all going to deal with for 500 miles on Sunday.
The biggest positive about the two-car drafts is that even if the final 30 or 40 laps are green (which is unlikely), we're guaranteed an interesting finish. At the last second, the pushing car will try and pull out, likely creating a side-by-side finish for the Daytona 500.
And memorable finishes are often what make a race, right?
Unfortunately, there will likely be portions of the 500 miles that are strung out and dotted with two-car pairings all over the track. To longtime NASCAR fans, that's ugly.
NASCAR would be wise not to offer "most lead changes ever" and other similar statistics as "proof" that the race is great. Viewers know what they see, and statistics aren't going to change many opinions if the racing isn't compelling.
On the other hand, it also won't do you or me or anyone else much good to throw a temper tantrum about how much the two-car tandems suck compared to the big packs.
Getting angry at NASCAR for the two-car drafts is like being mad at a racetrack for not having a dome over it in the event of a rain delay. These situations – whether a thunderstorm or the perfect storm that created two-car drafting – is beyond everyone's control.
So when you sit down to watch the 200 mph do-si-do of synchronized racing on Sunday, it's OK if you don't love it. But the reality is this is what we've got, and you might as well just deal with it along with the rest of us.
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Comments
Okay, we are stuck w/2 car packs. I don't like it.
It’s boring, imo. It also means that I don’t have to watch only the last 15 laps of the race. I can get every other exciting part I need to see from VL, NN Sunday nite & NN roundtable Mon nite. Won’t cost me near as much of my time. And I won’t be bored either.
by Pamm on Feb 19, 2011 7:03 PM EST reply actions
Let's be fair...
Couldn’t the same be said about any “normal” restrictor plate race?
by Steve Luvender on Feb 19, 2011 7:14 PM EST up reply actions
I agree
I don’t mind it simply because I know I don’t have any other choice other than to not watch. That’s not a very good option in my opinion. Have the races been boring so far this week? At times. They’ve also been exciting at other times. But you can say the same for many past Daytona/‘Dega races when this wasn’t even an issue.
by nelly88 on Feb 19, 2011 7:04 PM EST reply actions
Hopefully there will be better coverage than today
A good portion of the race coverage focused on four cars…the front four. It was ridiculous. The most action we saw was when there was a crash or the last ten or so laps.
Then the lack of coverage in Victory Lane which had to be replayed on the followup program. They cut away from the race almost immediately after it ended with very few interviews and those were mostly Cup drivers.
Nascar and ESPN have learned nothing. Read somewhere that ESPN’s response to the commercial issue was that they arent airing as many as they could based on their contract. Bottom line…they are collecting a check and have no concern for the fans.
by Bobbie1231 on Feb 19, 2011 7:10 PM EST reply actions
How many times have we seen pack races turn into a single line of cars for dozens of laps at a time? In my opinion, these races are no worse than the pack racing we’ve seen. And we reduce the risk of having 20+ cars being torn up in a huge wreck. As spectacular as the Big One is, I’m not going to miss it if it doesn’t happen.
I’m sorry so many people are getting bored by this racing. I’m not. And I’m going to enjoy and appreciate that I get to watch the Daytona 500 this year. Racing is back.
by JCBeckner on Feb 19, 2011 7:17 PM EST reply actions
Here's what I've found...
Here’s what I’ve found after hanging around the track this weekend and talking with other fans:
If your driver is in one of the contending tandems, the two-by-two racing is actually pretty fun to watch.
If your driver is stuck back in 15th place+, it plain sucks.
There is no more watching your driver come from the back of the pack to the front in the final two laps (which is what has really given Daytona and Talladega their reputations). It’s more like a traditional 1.5 mile race where one of the guys toward the front with 10 to go is going to win, it’s just a matter of who.
Mark my words: If Jr. is in one of the lead tandems towards the end of this race, everyone will all of a sudden “love” the two-by-two. If he’s back in 20th, shit will hit the fan. (note: I am NOT a Jr. fan)
by Eric Mitz on Feb 19, 2011 7:18 PM EST reply actions
I am positive you wrote this article just so you could use the “mating dragonflies” line.
by SuchaHassleToJoinThisBlog on Feb 19, 2011 7:57 PM EST reply actions
Well, there is one thing they could do
I don’t mind the two-car hookups that much, in part because if you ignore the fact that there are two cars together, it looks like a normal race. Cars get lapped; there are cars all around the track, etc.
But if NASCAR really wants the pack racing back, there is a way to get that, even with the new surface. Simply redesign the rear of the car in a way that makes it impossible to push.
by goat10000 on Feb 19, 2011 8:13 PM EST reply actions
DANCING WITH THE CARS
I’m mad as hell. Who or what is responsible for ruining my restrictor plate racing? OMG…WTF…
Sorry for yelling but I really am mad. Did I ever mention that I absolutely love restrictor plate racing? Restrictor plate racing means three wide, 15 deep, lap after lap after lap. If anybody gets loose 20 cars may pay the penalty. The drivers have never liked it but that never stopped them from competing. As a fan, it is just so god awful exciting to watch. On TV, the camera can get all 43 cars in one short shot. When I turn on NASCAR on TV or better yet when I spend big bucks to attend a race, I don’t want to see “Pairs Dancing.” I don’t want drivers looking for a dance partner. I don’t even want to hear the terms: tandem, working together, looking for a dance partner, dance with the one that brung ya, or any other gay term. I don’t watch Dancing with the Stars or any of those dancing shows because they are gay. While I can appreciate the skill and grace of pairs skating in the Olympics, they’re still a little gay. I want testosterone when I watch racing and there was no other form of racing in the world that required more testosterone than restrictor plate racing.
For those of you that may think me too homophobic, how about this analogy. Watching Daytona this week reminds me of love bug season in Florida. Who doesn’t hate love bug season and what it does to your car. And if you don’t like that one, I’ve got my prison analogy but I really don’t think you want me to go into that.
I am heartbroken. Daytona now looks like every other cookie cutter race. TV camera shots have two, maybe four cars in the short shots. I want 43 in the shot at a restrictor plate track crossing the finishing line faster than I can count to two.
Is the smooth new track to blame, or the new nose? NASCAR has always tinkered with the rules and gave out a smaller plate this week. I can only hope that the 500, with all 43 cars out there at the same time, may end up with more pack racing than the Twin 125s. But the drivers seem more happy to dance than race so I’m not holding my breath. Let’s just get this over with so I can look forward to Talladega.
by Points Leader on Feb 19, 2011 11:22 PM EST reply actions
If the race is gonna consist of two cars driving around the track nose to tail then nascar should just create a tandem car. Just strap two cars together and have’em race like that. Thats what it looks like anyways. Or just make them run old style motors from back when the 500 was actually interesting.
by dbos on Feb 20, 2011 10:21 AM EST reply actions
"You probably remember that race because it may have been the worst restrictor-plate race ever."
New Hampshire strongly disagrees. =P
Senior Writer and Editor for SBNation's Nascar Ranting & Raving (http://www.4ever3blog.com/)
by MattWeaver on Feb 20, 2011 12:18 PM EST reply actions
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