Pace Laps: Sandbagging Central?, The NASCAR Week Ahead And Beach Battles

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*Sprint Cup: Sandbag Central At The Beach?* No, I’m not talking about the soft stuff your NASCAR favorites will be tanning on the next two days, enjoying a well-deserved break at Daytona before practice starts up midweek. I’m looking at strategy, in particular during Saturday night’s Sprint Unlimited that could cause a different look to Sunday’s Daytona 500.

During this weekend’s race, while Kevin Harvick led the most laps it was clear Matt Kenseth had the fastest car. For most of the first segment, his No. 20 Toyota remained in command up front, blocking any challenges while the field struggled to simply stay attached. But as rivals realized Kenseth was a favorite, they also recognized he suffered from a paralyzing disadvantage: both his Joe Gibbs Racing teammates were sitting in the garage, out of the race and unable to help. That left Harvick and company choosing to railroad past during the third and final segment, booting Kenseth from first place on Lap 62 to the outskirts of the top 10.

Wild Card No More: Why NASCAR Will Never Win at Restrictor Plate Races

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“If you ain’t first, you’re last.” We hear it several times a weekend, a statement most drivers believe to its core. Winning is everything, simple as that, and you will never hear drivers, fans, or media say otherwise. It’s what these teams live for.

But NASCAR? Well … they can’t seem to win for losing, especially when it comes to these restrictor plate races. Just think back to last season, when Tony Stewart flipped over during the green-white-checkered finish in last Fall’s wild Talladega ending. Even though Stewart walked away from the wreck completely unharmed thanks, in part, to NASCAR’s safety innovations, there were still fans screaming for the heads of those who thought this type of format was a good idea. It’s unsafe, they said, and we shouldn’t be risking the lives of drivers for entertainment.

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The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2013 Sprint Unlimited at Daytona

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The good news is that nobody had to worry about points on Saturday night. The bad news is that many teams come to Daytona with three cars: their Sprint Unlimited car, Daytona 500 car and Daytona 500 backup. After a practice wreck, some teams could be left scrambling. Carl Edwards’s team already loaded his Unlimited car on a hauler bound for Charlotte after his practice wreck; they’ll fix it, hang new sheetmetal, and bring it back to serve as the Daytona 500 backup as Edwards was forced to pull his original second car out for Saturday’s race.

2013 NASCAR Season Preview

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A nail-biting finish at this year’s Daytona 500? That’s what NASCAR hopes for with the introduction of its new Gen-6 race car. *NASCAR: 2013* *Your …

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From Tragedy To Triumph? Everyone Wins With A Moving NASCAR Newtown Tribute

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When it comes to Valentine’s Day, I’m conflicted. Like many typical males, there’s a part of me that thinks the whole holiday is silly. If it’s the only day you ever feel compelled to get your lover flowers, should you really be with them? Shouldn’t the ways in which we all come together, for one moment in time to remind people how much we care, be something we do consistently, all 365 days a year? Believe it or not, I have many of the same feelings when it comes to something so mundane as NASCAR Media Day. In the past four weeks, we’ve had Daytona testing, the Media Tour, Acceleration Weekend and countless press conferences and public announcements. The diehard fan has been following every move; the casual one won’t pay attention to anything until Saturday night. Why, in this day and age of 24/7 social media do we need this over-the-top event down in Daytona to remind ourselves of stories that, by and large, have not changed since the last time they were reported?

Four Burning Questions: Will the Gen-6 Cars Live Up To The Hype In The Unlimited?

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It seems like just yesterday Brad Keselowski was hoisting the Sprint Cup championship trophy in honor of his grand performance in the 2012 Chase. But alas, it’s been almost three months now since NASCAR last took to the track, and this Saturday night the stars of the sport will make their glorious return to start 2013, competing in the newly rebranded Sprint Unlimited race (formerly known as the Bud Shootout). There will be a mind-boggling array of changes on display in this event, such as (another) new style of drafting, new rules, new jet dryers, and of course the much-ballyhooed Gen-6 race cars.

It goes without saying that we have lots to cover this week, so let’s get started, shall we?