Nascar - 2015 Daytona 500, The Nascar Super Bowl

[GA_Boater]

Welcome fellow boaters and Nascar fans

Only a little more than a week to go before the official start of The 2015 Race to the Chase. The season kicks off later today with practice for Saturday nights Sprint Unlimited, an exhibition race. The Unlimited features the 2014 Chasers, 2014 pole winners, prior Sprint Unlimited winners, any previous Daytona pole winners competing full-time in 2014 (hello Danica), with the remainder of the minimum 25 spots filled by the highest points positions from last year not already in the race. That's a mouthful!

Compliments of MRN, here is the schedule from today through the 500;

FRI 2/13​	ARCA Final Practice​	9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.​	​
​	ARCA Qualifying​	3:30 p.m.​	​
​	Sprint Unlimted Practice​	5:00 p.m. - 5:55 p.m.​	MRN/FOX Sucky1​
​	Final Sprint Unlimited Practice​	6:30 p.m. - 7:25 p.m.​	FOX Sucky1​
SAT 2/14​	Sprint Cup Series Practice​	10:30 a.m. - 12:25 p.m.​	MRN/FOX Sucky1​
​	Sprint Cup Series Practice​	1:30 p.m. - 3:25 p.m.​	MRN/FOX Sucky2​
​	Radio Pre-Race​	4:00 p.m.​	MRN​
​	ARCA Series Lucas Oil 200​	4:15 p.m.​	MRN/FOX Sucky1​
​	Radio Pre-Race​	7:00 p.m.​	MRN​
​	TV Pre-Race​	7:30 p.m.​	FOX​
​	Sprint Unlimited​	8:15 p.m.​	MRN/FOX​
SUN 2/15​	Sprint Cup Series Qualifying​	1:30 p.m.​	MRN/FOX​
WED 2/18​	Sprint Cup Series Practice​	2:00 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.​	MRN/FOX Sucky2​
​	Sprint Cup Series Practice​	3:15 p.m. - 3:55 p.m.​	FOX Sucky2​
THURS 2/19​	Sprint Cup Series Practice​	12:00 p.m. - 1:25 p.m.​	MRN/FOX Sucky1​
​	Camping World Truck Series Practice​	1:30 p.m. - 2:25 p.m.​	FOX Sucky1​
​	Camping World Truck Series Final Practice​	3:30 p.m. - 4:55 p.m.​	FOX Sucky1​
​	Radio Pre-Race​	6:00 p.m.​	MRN​
​	TV Pre-Race​	​	FOX Sucky1​
​	Sprint Cup Series Budweiser Duel at Daytona​	7:00 p.m.​	MRN/FOX Sucky1​
FRI 2/20​	Sprint Cup Series Practice​	11:00 a.m. - 12:25 p.m.​	MRN/FOX Sucky1​
​	XFINITY Series Practice​	12:30 p.m. - 1:55 p.m.​	FOX Sucky1​
​	Sprint Cup Series Practice​	2:00 p.m. - 3:25 p.m.​	MRN/FOX Sucky1​
​	XFINITY Series Final Practice​	3:30 p.m. - 4:25 p.m.​	FOX Sucky1​
​	Camping World Truck Series Qualifying​	4:45 p.m.​	FOX Sucky1​
​	Radio Pre-Race​	7:00 p.m.​	MRN​
​	TV Pre-Race​	​	FOX Sucky1​
​	Truck Series Nextera Energy Resources 250​	7:30 p.m.​	MRN/FOX Sucky1​
SAT 2/21​	Sprint Cup Series Final Practice​	10:30 a.m. - 11:55 a.m.​	MRN/FOX Sucky1​
​	XFINITY Series Qualifying​	12:15 p.m.​	FOX Sucky1​
​	Radio Pre-Race​	3:00 p.m.​	MRN​
​	TV Pre-Race​	​	FOX Sucky1​
​	XFINITY Series Alert Today Florida 300​	3:30 p.m.​	MRN/FOX Sucky1​
SUN 2/22​	Radio Pre-Race​	12:00 p.m.​	MRN​
​	TV Pre-Race​	​	FOX​
​	Sprint Cup Series Daytona 500​	1:00 p.m.​	MRN/FOX​

I'm kinda disgusted with FOX, including the Suckys. Not only are the Truck races on Sucky1, same as last year, but now the Nationwide.......er XFINITY races are only on Sucky1. A few will be on FOX and later in the season, after NBC begins coverage most will be on NBCSN. I'll be streaming a lot of MRN audio.:facepalm:

Kevin Harvick, Chase Elliott and Matt Crofton will be defending their respective series Championships.

In The News

50 drivers will going after the 43 spots for the D500

• [*=1]Side skirts cannot be re-formed during any race. It became an issue last year when some cars left the pits after the first stop with side skirts in front of the rear wheels pulled out to change aero. [*=1]Stewart Haas has a plan in place just in case Kurt Busch won't be able to race. His situation is beyond weird! [*=1]Tony Stewart says his leg is not an issue when piloting the #14. [*=1]Brian Vickers will miss Daytona and Atlanta following a December heart procedure to repair a failed patch. His first 2015 race will be Las Vegas. [*=1]Carl Edwards starts with his new seat at JGR following 11+ seasons with Roush-Fenway [*=1]Jeff Gordon is running his final Daytona 500 after announcing his retirement at the end of the 2015 season. He did get a new job with Axalta as a Global Business Adviseor with a multi-year contract. I think he's set.

iboats Fantasty Live Racing League

Our Fantasy Live winner from last year, 64osby, when asked about the last season, offered the following advice to those of us trying to unseat him;



and furthermore,




, and good luck.​

Thanks, 64.

Speaking about Fantasy Live, an iboats league has been set up over at Nascar.com. The league name is iboats and the game is now open to make picks. So head over there, sign in, join the iboats league and start making your picks. Good luck, iboaters!


Humpy_Boater, Your official unofficial Nascar Fantasy Live iboats League corespondent

 

[aspeck]

Thanks for the schedule, GA!

 

[GA_Boater]

Well, the Unlimited is over. Matt Kenseth won after a winless 2014. Plenty of action and banging around. Jeff Gordon managed to luck out and missed three chances to wreck by inches. Harvick and Logano had words and banged cars after the race was over because they are Harvick and Logano - What can I say.

Next - D500 qualifying at 1:30 tomorrow. This is the first time for group qualifying for a Daytona 500. Group Q-img will be two 5 minute sessions, with half the field in each session, The 24 fastest go on to a final 5 minute session and the top 2 will be the front row for the 500. This was a mess at Talladega last year and I don't think it will be any better this year. The remaining positions will be set in qualifying races on Wednesday, the Duel At Daytona.

A reminder - Fantasy Live is open at Nascar. http://fantasygames.nascar.com/

 

[MTboatguy]

Based on what I watched in practice today and the unlimited tonight, next week is going to be fast and the wrecks are going to be big and messy, JR. Looked great and had a great handling very fast car, Jeff's car was fast as well, Truex was a lighting bolt. They might have lowered the HP, but with the other changes, I don't see it slowing them down much. The top guys in practice today were over 200 mph. I did get a certain satisfaction of seeing bad Brad getting bumped, then there was Denny, who describe his ride as getting great "Hang Time!" Look forward to next weekend.

 

[GA_Boater]

Qualifying today showed why the group thing is a bad idea. The two times it's been tried, it has been a mess. Last year at 'Dega. but not as bad as today.

Next up - the Twin 125s or whatever it's called on Friday to set the positions 3-43.

 

[MTboatguy]

Boy our interpret reporter is late tonight. Yes, it was a mess today, group qualifying might work on smaller tracks, but on 200mph + tracks, no way! NASCAR needs to re-think this. Especially when they are qualifying to run in a qualifying race.

 

[Weep'n Willy]

NASCAR failed miserably with this style qualifying. If they wanted something along the lines of Formula 1 then they should have paid more attention on how the Formula guys do it including the time periods to qualify. I fully agree with the drivers that all the time they spend prepping these cars for Daytona only to play bumper cars to qualify and possibly destroy their car should certainly been considered.

 

[WIMUSKY]

Qualifying today showed why the group thing is a bad idea. The two times it's been tried, it has been a mess. Last year at 'Dega. but not as bad as today.

Next up - the Twin 125s or whatever it's called on Friday to set the positions 3-43.

That be on Thursday, Bud. And it's called the Budweiser Dual at Daytona. Look at your own schedule......:facepalm:

 

[GA_Boater]

Hey - I missed one line in the schedule. I can't watch it anyway. :doh: As far as Twin 125's or Budweiser Duel At Daytona - How long before they say Elliott won the XFINITY Championship last year? I can't take change.

 

[WIMUSKY]

That's right, it's on Fox Sucky 1. I'm DVRing so I can go watch some HS b-ball. I'll watch it later..

 

[64osby]

I see they made a few changes to the Fantasy League.

With 6 teams in the league we are now a $$$ league.

They dropped the fastest pit crew bonus.

They added pick the race winner.

The look of the site is also different, hopefully it works good leading up to race day.

I made some picks just to test it out but will look to fine tune prior to the green flag.

Hoping we have a few more join up.

 

[GA_Boater]

I saw the winning driver instead of the pit crew thing, it's worth 30 points.

I like the 6 team league being eligible for prizes. I got tired of seeing the you need 13 more teams to win prizes last year.

May be by race day more will sign up.

 

[GA_Boater]

The Daytona 500 green flag waves at 1:25 PM Eastern tomorrow. If you plan on joining the iboats Fantasy Live league, be sure to enter before the cut-off.

Notes

• Kurt Busch is not driving the #41, Reagan Smith is the replacement
• Kyle Busch is not driving the #18, Matt Crafton is the replacement.
• At least 12 cars are moving to the back to start the race

Start here to sign up for Fantasy Live and join the iboats league. http://fantasygames.nascar.com/

 

[sam60]

The Buschless 500.

 

[64osby]

Rowdy had a tough hit. I'm not a fan but racing is always interesting when he is out there running.

On to the 500, with temp tire barriers on the inside wall.

 

[GA_Boater]

I saw some video of them putting up the tire barriers. Kinda Busch league looking.

 

[sam60]

I saw some video of them putting up the tire barriers. Kinda Busch league looking.

:facepalm:

 

[FlaCowboy]

You fellars were not trying to start the season without me were ya...?

I am off to cook some ribs...something tells me I may need to toss some bones today...

Denny needs to stop "rubbung" Danica`s rear...Ricky might get jealous...:laugh:

 

[GA_Boater]

OH NO - Rib bones are on the cooker!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WB Cowboy.

Running out of time if anyone wants to play.

 

[GA_Boater]

Warm up laps.

Anyone tuning in during the " I remember Jeff Gordon" segment would have thought he died in his sleep last night.