Humpty's Sprint Unlimited And Daytona 500 Race Intro/Comments & Other Nascar Prattle

[GA_Boater]

Humpty's Sprint Unlimited And Daytona 500 Race Intro/Comments & Other Nascar Prattle

Back for another season of Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall of Nascar racing. Fall of Nascar, mmmmm, - No comment.

The 2016 season kicks off tonight with the Sprint Unlimited exhibition, followed by a week of qualifying starting on Sunday, the Duels (with a new sponsor) on Thursday to set the final field for next Sunday, for the 58th Daytona 500.

Following tradition, the Speedweeks schedule from MRN, it's a long one even with Thursday and Friday, 2/11 - 2/12 knocked off ;

Date​	Event​	Time​	Radio/TV​
SAT 2/13​	Sprint Cup Series 1st Practice​	10:30 a.m. - 12:25 p.m.​	MRN/FS1​
​	Sprint Cup Series 2nd Practice​	1:30 p.m. - 3:25 p.m.​	MRN/FS1​
​	ARCA Race​	4:15 p.m.​	FS1​
​	Radio Pre-Race​	7:00 p.m.​	MRN​
​	TV Pre-Race​	​	FS1​
​	Sprint Unlimited​	8:15 p.m.​	MRN/FS1/FOX​
SUN 2/14​	Daytona 500 Qualifying​	1:30 p.m.​	MRN/FOX​
WED 2/17​	Sprint Cup Series 3rd Practice​	5:00 p.m. - 5:45 p.m.​	MRN/FS1​
​	Sprint Cup Series 4th Practice​	6:10 p.m. - 6:55 p.m.​	MRN/FS1​
THURS 2/18​	Sprint Cup Series 5th Practice​	12:00 p.m. - 12:55 p.m.​	MRN/FS1​
​	Camping World Truck Series 1st Practice​	1:30 p.m. - 2:55 p.m.​	FS1​
​	Camping World Truck Series Final Practice​	4:00 p.m. - 4:55 p.m.​	FS1​
​	Radio Pre-Race​	6:00 p.m.​	MRN​
​	TV Pre-Race​	​	FS1​
​	Can-Am Duel - Race 1​	7:00 p.m.​	MRN/FS1​
​	Can-Am Duel - Race 2​	9:00 p.m.​	MRN/FS1​
FRI 2/19​	XFINITY Series 1st Practice​	10:30 a.m. - 11:55 a.m.​	FS1​
​	Sprint Cup Series 6th Practice​	12:00 p.m. - 12:55 p.m.​	MRN/FS1​
​	XFINITY Series 2nd Practice​	1:00 p.m. - 1:55 p.m.​	FS1​
​	Sprint Cup Series 7th Practice​	2:00 p.m. - 2:55 p.m.​	MRN/FS1​
​	XFINITY Series Final Practice​	3:00 p.m. - 3:55 p.m.​	FS1​
​	Camping World Truck Series Qualifying​	4:30 p.m.​	FS1​
​	Radio Pre-Race​	7:00 p.m.​	MRN​
​	TV Pre-Race​	​	FS1​
​	Truck Series NextEra Energy Resources 250​	7:30 p.m.​	MRN/FS1​
SAT 2/20​	XFINITY Series Qualifying​	10:00 a.m.​	FS1​
​	Sprint Cup Series Final Practice​	12:15 p.m. - 1:55 p.m.​	MRN/FS1​
​	Radio Pre-Race​	3:00 p.m.​	MRN​
​	TV Pre-Race​	​	FS1​
​	XFINITY Series PowerShares QQQ 300​	3:30 p.m.​	MRN/FS1​
SUN 2/21​	Radio Pre-Race​	12:00 p.m.​	MRN​
​	TV Pre-Race​	​	FOX​
​	Sprint Cup Series Daytona 500​	1:00 p.m.​	MRN/FOX​

Sprint Unlimited

Brian Vickers will drive the #14 in place of the injured Tony Stewart. Once again Nascar bends their rules to fit their whims. Their own eligibility rules for entries is for drivers, not teams or cars.

• The 16 drivers from the previous year's Chase; e.g. in 2015, every driver from defending series champion Kyle Busch through 16th place Clint Bowyer
• Drivers who won pole positions via knockout qualifying (excluding winners of practice one, should qualifying be rained out)
• Previous Unlimited winners that attempted to qualify for any of the 36 points races in the previous season
• Previous Daytona 500 front row starters (both inside and outside polesitters) if they did not win a pole position at any of the other 35 races during the previous season
• Any remaining spots are filled by the highest drivers in the previous season's final point standings to not be automatically entered into the Unlimited on any of the other qualifications

I'm happy that Vickers has at least a partial ride for the season, but he shouldn't be running the Unlimited. Per Nascar's Steve O'Donnell, the logic is;

"When we looked at it, it's due to some unforeseen circumstances. A lot of prep work went into that car. There are a lot of implications for the 14 not being in that race. In this instance, we made the decision to allow the 14 to participate."

OK, Mr. O'Donnell, why isn't Chase Elliott driving the Unlimited in the #24? The 24 team has been working hard to prepare for the season and could have prepared an Unlimited car. Especially since the 24 car was 3rd in the 2015 points standings, unlike the 14, which was 28th.

Daytona 500 News and Notes.

Nothing has changed from last years. The rules and structure of Nascar are unchanged. Well a couple of highlights or lowlights depending on your point of view.

• Truck races will have a competition caution every 20 minutes as long as there were 20 yellow-free minutes and no timer for the final 20 laps. What does this mean at Daytona? How many laps can be run in 20 minutes? Does anyone remember the 2008 Allstate 400 at the Brickyard? Competition cautions every 10-12 laps because the tires/Car Of Tomorrow combination was so bad. It seems every Truck race this year will mimic the Brickyard disaster and Nascar better be ready for the fallout until they pull theirs heads out!
• All 3 series now have a Chase format.
• Newly introduced Sprint Cup Charters for 36 teams. These teams have guaranteed starting spots in every race for the next 9 years. The Wood Brothers, with the longest running continuous team effort in Nascar are not eligible!
• New qualifying rules with the chartered teams in the race, regardless of anything.
• New Overtime rules for G-W-C finishes.
• All three series have reduced maximum field sizes. 40 for Cup and 4 Open spots for non-chartered teams unlike previous years with 43 spots and no guarantees, except provisionals. Thankfully, provisional are gone.
• Comments from Nascar indicate Tony Stewart will be given a chance to compete in the Chase. Still no word on when he may return, Last year Kyle Busch missed 11 Cup races and the Chase rules were waived for him.
• Most important of all - All track bar wrenches must be yellow. Can't lose sight of one of those! :facepalm:

iboats Fantasy Live

Once again we have a winner take all, fun fantasy game on Nascar. right here. Click on the Play Now button under the Fantasy Live logo. Create an account if you need or pick up just like last year.

Speaking of last year, FlaCowboy was our 2015 Champion. There has been talk in the iboats garage since Homestead about plans to dethrone Cowboy. Methinks there are some devious iboaters. Congratulations on keeping the rest up us behind you, FC. :first: may be harder to get this year.
Join us and start making your picks before the green flag drops on the 21st for the 2016 Daytona 500. Choose wisely, my friends. And Good luck.

As always,

Humpty_Boater

 

[GA_Boater]

The first race of 2016 is all but over, 1st exhibition race anyway.

Lets see how the new G-W-C rules works.

 

[GA_Boater]

Hamlin wins.

What did we learn? Just this - Even with only 25 cars, the big one still happens, several times. :facepalm:

Qualifying tomorrow at 1:30 PM.

 

[FlaCowboy]

Speaking of last year, FlaCowboy was our 2015 Champion. There has been talk in the iboats garage since Homestead about plans to dethrone Cowboy. Methinks there are some devious iboaters.

I just came from our Nascar Iboat League and looks to me like you folks have brought in some Pirates to dethrone me As Nick Saban said...the Championship is (ours) mine and there is no "defending it" we are playing for a new title

The Unlimited was crashed filled however it looks like the drivers can come from behind to the front...McMurray did it in less than 5 laps

Let the fun trash talking begin...cause I got enough bones and sauce for everyone...:laugh:

 

[GA_Boater]

Yikes - We're up to 25 in the league and a week to go before Daytona. I'm not sure if there is a limit on members, but here is the link if anyone wants to join

http://fantasygames.nascar.com/live/join/iboats

What could you mean, Cowboy? We are a genteel bunch and are always courteous. We sit on the veranda, the ladies drinking mint juleps and the men are sipping Kentucky bourbon. What do we chat about? Why ways to keep you off the podium, anti-bone pulverizers and sauce sucking technology, FC. Good luck! :lol:

 

[64osby]

Looks like Fox is also up to its usual nonsense; ten laps to go, with green flag racing and they go to a commercial.

They come back to a blow engine yellow and go right back to a commercial. :faint2:

Hamlin ran a good race. Two cars ended the race with no damage. If the 500 is like that race watch out. :watermelon:


No bones about it, the FC racing team must have changed their logo, 'cause all I see is a bullseye on the bumpers and doors.

 

[GA_Boater]

Looks like Fox is also up to its usual nonsense; ten laps to go, with green flag racing and they go to a commercial.

They come back to a blow engine yellow and go right back to a commercial. :faint2:

Hamlin ran a good race. Two cars ended the race with no damage. If the 500 is like that race watch out. :watermelon:


No bones about it, the FC racing team must have changed their logo, 'cause all I see is a bullseye on the bumpers and doors.

If Fox would wait until Waltrip ran out of words to utter, we would never see any commercials. Bring on the ads!

Did you see how JJ's splitter dug into the grass and ripped the front off his car? I've see splitters peel turf like a sod machine, but not destroy the front end like that.

Could the Cowboy have clandestine sponsorship from that French competitor to Walmart - Target'?

 

[fhhuber]

My prediction:

The tow truck will drag at least one car off every race.

 

[aspeck]

Ended up watching the race on the ipad in the bathroom! Don't ask!:facepalm: :facepalm: Loved Carl's comments after his wreck ... when no points are on the line, they drive like maniacs and have a lot of fun. He certainly took all the blame for his wreck as did Vickers with the wreck he caused (but his was tire related, not driver related). Those cars looked more like they finished a short track more than Daytona!

 

[angus63]

Thanks for setting this up GA and the invite! Believe it or not we have a small NASCAR track here on Long Island (Riverhead Raceway) that I was heavily involved in back in the late 80's with my boss when I lived on the North Fork in Greenport. Still do some fabrication and welding for a friend on a local team that runs Blunderbust and Late Model. Don't follow much nowadays but what the heck. Thanks again!

 

[64osby]

Humpty, it is great to see that your contract was renewed.

Guess I need to find some official Nascar yellow to paint my track bar adjuster.

 

[WIMUSKY]

Haven't read the thread, taped the race. Sledding all day yesterday. Got home and it was -15...... It felt like it was getting a little chilly out there.....

 

[GA_Boater]

Fox is broadcasting qualifying right now.

Angus- Welcome aboard. You get your hands dirty working on race cars. Most of us are LazyBoy drivers, You are now free to join the trash talk!

aspeck - TMI

fh - If the Unlimited was a precursor of things to come, the yellow will wave often. But as an exhibition race, taking chances is the norm.

64 - Those polka dots had to go! Have you priced the officlal Nascar track bar wrench paint. The official Track Bar Wrench paint sponsor is making a killing on a spray bomb. Lowes has the same color, but it isn't labeled with the Nascar stamp of approval.

 

[GA_Boater]

Rookie Chase Elliott in the 24 car is on the pole and Matt Kenseth has the outside pole. Starting spots 3-40 will be via the twin Duels on Thursday evening.

 

[GA_Boater]

Harvick and Vickers, both with SHR, had their qualifying times tossed. In post-Q-ing inspection their track bars were out of spec. Or did they use the wrong shade of yellow on the wrenches.

They and Truex Jr, no Q-ing run due to a busted roof flap, will start at the rear of their Duel race. They are in anyway as Charter members, so big whoop,

 

[WIMUSKY]

Watched the race until the last yellow last nite and my recording stopped. Didn't see the green/white/checker(s). Anything exciting happen? Did Gordo replace Larry Mac? I forget. And Mikey........ Shut Up!

 

[GA_Boater]

I guess Larry McReynolds didn't get a Charter! :LOL

Speaking of these Charters - Autoweek has an interesting view and raises a good question.

http://autoweek.com/article/nascar-...p&utm_content=body&utm_campaign=awracingdaily

 

[GA_Boater]

On the G-W-C finish - One attempt was made and the leader crossed the "Overtime Line". I have no idea where that is, but if they start painting all these different lines on the track, the asphalt will be white.

Wood Brothers has dropped out of the RTA after getting the shaft from the RTA and Nascar.

With the advent of the RTA, prize money for drivers and teams will no longer be published or announced. RTA members also get guaranteed money. As Jayski's says "NASCAR has set aside guaranteed revenues for chartered teams based on entering each race and on their performance over the past three seasons".

Wonder what happens at the award banquet come December? Driver money winnings was a big part of it in the past.

 

[WIMUSKY]

I guess Larry McReynolds didn't get a Charter! :LOL

Speaking of these Charters - Autoweek has an interesting view and raises a good question.

http://autoweek.com/article/nascar-s...=awracingdaily

He does. And the Duels are almost a waste of time since it only matters to the drivers who are racing for the last 4 spots. I think 43 will be running. I realize it will line up who starts where, but at plate races it really doesn't matter. Might as well cut the 7 loose and the other 34 can draw for a spot.....

 

[angus63]

Duals prove every spectator sport will shove a meaningless pre season in your face. Should be renamed to something like ESPN presents Expensive Practice.