Anybody watching the Daytona 500 with me?

[Dannygator1989]

I know I'm probably the only win here who is a huge NASCAR fan, and I know there's probably some here that used to like it but have fallen off due to the rule changes over the last 20 years since Dale died (hard to believe it's been 2 decades).

I absolutely love it though and it gets me through the football offseason.

You guys should give it a chance. A LOT of great young talent in there now.

for me, I grew up a fan of Bill Elliott and Rusty Wallace. Then I happened to get lucky enough when I was in high school to start following this young guy named Jimmie Johnson and became a huge fan of Rick Hendrick and his whole organization. Tough to see Jimmie go but, being a Bill Elliott fan, it's been a blast to be a Chase fan.

And yes....I know...turn left...only the last 30 laps matter...blah blah blah....but there really is a thrilling strategy to the sport that keeps me watching every lap.

so, go #9.

 

[Dannygator1989]

I know I'm probably the only win here who is a huge NASCAR fan, and I know there's probably some here that used to like it but have fallen off due to the rule changes over the last 20 years since Dale died (hard to believe it's been 2 decades).

I absolutely love it though and it gets me through the football offseason.

You guys should give it a chance. A LOT of great young talent in there now.

for me, I grew up a fan of Bill Elliott and Rusty Wallace. Then I happened to get lucky enough when I was in high school to start following this young guy named Jimmie Johnson and became a huge fan of Rick Hendrick and his whole organization. Tough to see Jimmie go but, being a Bill Elliott fan, it's been a blast to be a Chase fan.

And yes....I know...turn left...only the last 30 laps matter...blah blah blah....but there really is a thrilling strategy to the sport that keeps me watching every lap.

so, go #9.

oh , and if you want a guy to follow who is truly a great guy that's spent years working as hard as he can to get from the bottom of the barrel and work his way up the ranks, check out Matt Dibenedetto. Great character guy. He's been so close so many times and you can't help but like the guy. Drives the #21 wood brothers Chevy.

 

[fsu939913]

Last time i watched a Nascar race Dale E. was still racing. I had the racecars as a toy when i was a kid but havent watched it much lately

 

[HeartpumpOB]

I know I'm probably the only win here who is a huge NASCAR fan, and I know there's probably some here that used to like it but have fallen off due to the rule changes over the last 20 years since Dale died (hard to believe it's been 2 decades).

I absolutely love it though and it gets me through the football offseason.

You guys should give it a chance. A LOT of great young talent in there now.

for me, I grew up a fan of Bill Elliott and Rusty Wallace. Then I happened to get lucky enough when I was in high school to start following this young guy named Jimmie Johnson and became a huge fan of Rick Hendrick and his whole organization. Tough to see Jimmie go but, being a Bill Elliott fan, it's been a blast to be a Chase fan.

And yes....I know...turn left...only the last 30 laps matter...blah blah blah....but there really is a thrilling strategy to the sport that keeps me watching every lap.

so, go #9.

Was a huge Petty fan. Watched for 31 years. After last years BS, I’m done with all of them. Will never watch another.

 

[fsu939913]

To give u a reference... Dale Jarrett was my favorite driver in the 88 car and Gordon was considered "a young whipper snapper" by my grandpa at the time.

 

[Dannygator1989]

Was a huge Petty fan. Watched for 31 years. After last years BS, I’m done with all of them. Will never watch another.

meh it was a little silly but with the way things are today, you'd have to stop watching all sports.

 

[Dannygator1989]

To give u a reference... Dale Jarrett was my favorite driver in the 88 car and Gordon was considered "a young whipper snapper" by my grandpa at the time.

Ha! So you remember when Jeff had that awful mustache 😂

 

[Dannygator1989]

To give u a reference... Dale Jarrett was my favorite driver in the 88 car and Gordon was considered "a young whipper snapper" by my grandpa at the time.

So throughout the 80s my dad and his brother-in-law and their friends would camp in the infield at Daytona every year. They watched some of the greats back then. Somewhere my dad has a silk Bobby Allison jacket.

 

[Gator Fever]

Just reminds me of the more boring types of car racing with all the changes now. Last I watched regularly was when Wallace and Earnhardt were the big rivalry. A lot more banging and hard racing back then compared to what came after that time. About the only time I watch some of it in recent years is if I am at the bar or a friend's house that might have the race on.

 

[PacoGator19]

Was a huge Petty fan growing up and then became a Gordon fan when he entered. Gordon was mostly hated because he was kind of the first guy to break the mold of the traditional NASCAR driver being a California boy, etc. But he could flat out drive a race car and was one of the best ever.

 

[Dannygator1989]

Just reminds me of the more boring types of car racing with all the changes now. Last I watched regularly was when Wallace and Earnhardt were the big rivalry. A lot more banging and hard racing back then compared to what came after that time. About the only time I watch some of it in recent years is if I am at the bar or a friend's house that might have the race on.

so you haven't watched regularly in about 25 years but you know how they race now isn't exciting.

cool.

 

[Dannygator1989]

Was a huge Petty fan growing up and then became a Gordon fan when he entered. Gordon was mostly hated because he was kind of the first guy to break the mold of the traditional NASCAR driver being a California boy, etc. But he could flat out drive a race car and was one of the best ever.

I was thinking about it today how unbelievable it is that he won 4 titles in 6 years from 95-01 and then raced for another 14 years without another title.
He was so young and about the closest he came was his final season when he won Martinsville in the dark to advance to the final 4 and finished 6th in the race to finish 3rd over all.

 

[PacoGator19]

I was thinking about it today how unbelievable it is that he won 4 titles in 6 years from 95-01 and then raced for another 14 years without another title.
He was so young and about the closest he came was his final season when he won Martinsville in the dark to advance to the final 4 and finished 6th in the race to finish 3rd over all.

I believe Everham was obviously a big part of that. They were really good together. The #24 team took a hit when he left.
Even though Jimmie Johnson won more titles, etc I do think Gordon was the better driver.

 

[PacoGator19]

I liked Wallace as well and Awesome Bill from Dawsonville who I’m pretty sure still has the fastest qualifying lap in Daytona history that likely won’t ever be broken. I didn’t like Dale at all but I do recognize he’s one of the best if not the best ever. Him and Gordon went after it pretty good but had a tremendous amount of respect for each other.

 

[Dannygator1989]

I liked Wallace as well and Awesome Bill from Dawsonville who I’m pretty sure still has the fastest qualifying lap in Daytona history that likely won’t ever be broken. I didn’t like Dale at all but I do recognize he’s one of the best if not the best ever. Him and Gordon went after it pretty good but had a tremendous amount of respect for each other.

yep so in 88 when Bill posted a 212 mph qualifying, they immediately changed the aero packages because the cars were damned near airborn at that point. They were just laying the spoiler down to pretty much flat.

the guys behind him in qualifying were all around 210-211.

wild.

 

[Dannygator1989]

The first big one just happened on lap 15. Bowman in the 48 was on the outside line trying to take 2nd away and got loose, destroying about a dozen or so cars behind him. The inside line pulled through but basically 7th through 20th got demolished in the blink of an eye.

 

[TEBOW TIME]

Hello from Rowdy Nation and Let's Go Kyle Busch 18!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[HeartpumpOB]

meh it was a little silly but with the way things are today, you'd have to stop watching all sports.

Just about have, no NBA, NFL. Sports was my life, you gotta draw the line somewhere. I’m done with the pc bullshit.

 

[Nicktheslick]

I know I'm probably the only win here who is a huge NASCAR fan, and I know there's probably some here that used to like it but have fallen off due to the rule changes over the last 20 years since Dale died (hard to believe it's been 2 decades).

I absolutely love it though and it gets me through the football offseason.

You guys should give it a chance. A LOT of great young talent in there now.

for me, I grew up a fan of Bill Elliott and Rusty Wallace. Then I happened to get lucky enough when I was in high school to start following this young guy named Jimmie Johnson and became a huge fan of Rick Hendrick and his whole organization. Tough to see Jimmie go but, being a Bill Elliott fan, it's been a blast to be a Chase fan.

And yes....I know...turn left...only the last 30 laps matter...blah blah blah....but there really is a thrilling strategy to the sport that keeps me watching every lap.

so, go #9.

I’m with you. Never paid much attention until I met this lady(now Mrs NTS) She was a huge NASCAR fan. Loved Bobby Labonte. I got into it. Right at the end of the Awesome Bill era. Picked up Dale Jarrett. Liked listening to Eli Gold.

 

[Dannygator1989]

I’m with you. Never paid much attention until I met this lady(now Mrs NTS) She was a huge NASCAR fan. Loved Bobby Labonte. I got into it. Right at the end of the Awesome Bill era. Picked up Dale Jarrett. Liked listening to Eli Gold.

so Eli is obviously iconic because of the Alabama success but man...him calling NASCAR was great.

On that note, the people calling the races matter too. I love the Fox broadcast. And so far Clint Bowyer has been a great addition with DW retiring. The NBC broadcast is eyerolling. Jr does a good job but Kyle Petty is awful.

 

[NavigatorII]

Eesh. No offense to anyone, but the rain delay just prolonged my couch nap. Once a year I settle back and snore for 4 hours. Best sleep of the year. A good left turn ruined. 😴

 

[gatordad3]

I kind of miss the tantrums thrown by some of the drivers, especially Kyle Petty back in the day.

 

[TennesseeGator]

I first remember watching in the mid/early 80's. My gramdmother was a huge Bill Elliott fan and my grandfather picked up on a fella that drove the #3 Wrangler car. At that time I chose to be a Geoff Bodine fan. Later in the 90's at first I was pulling Kyle Petty but the Hendricks squad caught my attention. Terry Lebonte in his Corn Flakes car and that fella with the DuPont 24 car. The fandom came more when they added Johnson and Jr.

Nowadays I don't really have a favorite. I guess if anybody I pull for Denny Hamlin. #FedEx...also Stenhouse Jr. I remember watching him during his dirt track days.

 

[Gator Fever]

so you haven't watched regularly in about 25 years but you know how they race now isn't exciting.

cool.

I know you said regularly but I think this was enough to convince me that is still the case after I quit watching it weekly.

"About the only time I watch some of it in recent years is if I am at the bar or a friend's house that might have the race on. "

It was kind of funny watching the announcers pretend a driver with one of the real big budgets coming in 20th regularly was a superstar however - the few times I did watch. - Danica Patrick

 

[Dannygator1989]

I know you said regularly but I think this was enough to convince me that is still the case after I quit watching it weekly.

"About the only time I watch some of it in recent years is if I am at the bar or a friend's house that might have the race on. "

It was kind of funny watching the announcers pretend a driver with one of the real big budgets coming in 20th regularly was a superstar however - the few times I did watch. - Danica Patrick

she was unbearable. A professional jam car. I don't know how many times my blood pressure would go up when Jimmie would be moving through lap traffic and end up next to her. You just knew she would do something idiotic.

she would occasionally show flashes of brilliance but it was more than outweighed by her mediocre driving that, everyone but her, seem to know was mediocre.

it says a lot that a guy like Aric Almirola took over the 10 and immediately had it vying for top 10 positioning and even wins.

 

[Dannygator1989]

I first remember watching in the mid/early 80's. My gramdmother was a huge Bill Elliott fan and my grandfather picked up on a fella that drove the #3 Wrangler car. At that time I chose to be a Geoff Bodine fan. Later in the 90's at first I was pulling Kyle Petty but the Hendricks squad caught my attention. Terry Lebonte in his Corn Flakes car and that fella with the DuPont 24 car. The fandom came more when they added Johnson and Jr.

Nowadays I don't really have a favorite. I guess if anybody I pull for Denny Hamlin. #FedEx...also Stenhouse Jr. I remember watching him during his dirt track days.

I always liked Denny until he started pissing me
off by wrecking Chase. Never seen the guy drive dirty before but for whatever reason he seemed to find a way to turn into Kyle Busch when Chase was in front of him going for the win.

 

[Dannygator1989]

I kind of miss the tantrums thrown by some of the drivers, especially Kyle Petty back in the day.

still plenty of tantrums. Just tune into Kyle and Logano any given Sunday.

 

[PacoGator19]

Hamlins team screwed up last night. Surprising. Clearly the best car on the night to only blow it like that.

 

[Dannygator1989]

Hamlins team screwed up last night. Surprising. Clearly the best car on the night to only blow it like that.

people don't give pit strategy the importance it deserves. They gambled and lost.

I WAS glad to see Logano screw himself and his teammate over at the end. Just wish Chase could have won that drag race with freaking McDowell.

 

[IrishPokerDog]

people don't give pit strategy the importance it deserves. They gambled and lost.

I WAS glad to see Logano screw himself and his teammate over at the end. Just wish Chase could have won that drag race with freaking McDowell.

yeah Logano screwed the pooch.... hella pile up on last lap

 

[sadgator]

Hamlins team screwed up last night. Surprising. Clearly the best car on the night to only blow it like that.

sadgator is a huge 18 fan...(which he is sure Danny loves)...

the Toyota’s totally blew that last pit stop...if not for that, the whole ending would have been different...

actually it was a pretty boring race for most of it...until that last half a lap...