Starting with a bang: 2015 Speedweeks off to a wild start in Daytona
Well, we certainly started the 2015 season off with a bang, both literally and figuratively. Saturday night we saw Matt Kenseth win the Sprint Unlimited, but there were only 12 out of 25 cars left running at the end of the race. We also saw Kevin Harvick confront Joey Logano after the race because he was upset with Joey getting into the back of his car with only two laps to go.
If that wasn't enough, Sunday afternoon at Daytona International Speedway they held qualifying for the Daytona 500 and we had all types of issues. First there was Clint Bowyer and Reed Sorenson getting all tangled up in the first round of qualifying. That triggered a wreck that destroyed both cars, as well as damaging the cars of Bobby Labonte, Denny Hamlin and J.J. Yeley.
Then, when it was all said and done, Jeff Gordon, who is kicking off his final full-time season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series, won the pole, and his teammate Jimmie Johnson won the outside pole. However, their Hendrick Motorsports teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin both had their qualifying times disallowed. Earnhardt's car was deemed too low following qualifying and Denny's car had a track bar split that was too wide.
I know all the clamor is to change qualifying. It's so hard for me to say because I have been on both sides of the fence. If I was wearing my crew chief hat and I just lost my primary racecar for the Daytona 500, like what happened to Clint Bowyer because someone came up and threw a block on him, I'd have steam coming out my ears and be red-hot. Now going into my 15th year, I've been a broadcaster and lets be honest, we're in the entertainment business. We have to entertain the fans because that's what keeps our jobs afloat.
Do Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson, who are locked into the first and second starting spots on Sunday for our biggest race of the year, the Daytona 500, think qualifying needs to be changed? I would bet if you ask them they would say no it doesn't.
