Daytona 500, 1999

By M.L. Morgan

(Feb. 15, 1999) - Winston Cup's "Super Bowl" has already been run. But I'll bet we run another 33 races, for some reason. I've never understood the logic of having the biggest game at the beginning of the season.

It was a very entertaining race - don't misunderstand me. The final 10 laps were a classic duel between the new gunslinger and the old warhorse - everyone got their money's worth. Jeff Gordon acknowledged he had learned a lot about 'mirror-racing' from Dale Earnhardt. And he learned his lessons well. His rear bumper was as wide as Earnhardt's ever was. It was a fitting salute when Earnhardt gave Gordon's car a token doughnut after the checkered flag had dropped. Both drivers had given all they had and Earnhardt merely tipped his hat to Gordon. I thought it was very classy.

Let's not lose sight of the fact Nascar's premier race is a restrictor plate race. I know that seems to be an oxymoron - but that's the way it is. King William II/Nascar owns the football. They will continue to make the rules. No matter how absurd.

Our Super Bowl was preceded by a really ugly wreckfest in the BGN race the day before. Terrible exhibition. The driver's meeting on Sunday morning addressed that mess and apparently all the Cup drivers paid attention. We had the mess on lap 134 when Dale Jarrett lost his car but that was just a direct result of 43 cars with restrictor plates trying to race. Even on a track 2.5 miles around there just isn't enough room for 43 cars which are almost identical in speed. The Daytona 500 isn't IROC - this is major bull crunchies.

We've all read so much commentary by the self-proclaimed experts that Rusty should have won, if, if, if and Earnhardt should have won, if if, if if, that I'm ready to puke. Restrictor plate racing will always be terrible and terribly dangerous. Let's be happy that no one was killed this year. I don't care ever who wins the race but I want all the drivers to come back safely.

I'd like to see our Super Bowl as the last event of each season and I like to see it run on anything but a restrictor plate track. Let's re-open North Wilkesboro and we could settle this dispute on one of our most prestigious tracks.

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