Does anyone else gets annoyed by those Happy Daytona Day ads?

Luckily, I’m not the only one:

Listen, today is a big day because it’s the “Official” start of the NASCAR season (even though we had two Duels on Thursday and a Clash last Sunday).  The Clash was an exhibition race between drivers who were 2017 pole award winners, former Clash race winners, former Daytona 500 pole winners who competed full-time in 2017, and drivers who qualified for the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.  Brad Keselowski won.

The Duels were two races that were used to set the starting order for the Daytona 500 after the front row was set during qualifying last Sunday.  Ryan Blaney won Duel 1 while Chase Elliot won Duel 2.

What does all that mean for today’s race?

The Daytona 500 is unlike any other race in the NASCAR calendar in that it is a race that absolutely EVERYONE wants to win yet it is a total crapshoot. There are, of course, the Big Ones inherent to plate racing.

More than that, though, one car by itself cannot win the race.  Because of the high speeds, the air flow, and the draft, cars “team up” to help each other throughout the race until it is time to not help each other.  That’s when chaos happens.

And that’s why the Daytona 500 is such a big deal and why, even if you’re not a redneck, it’s reflective of American society.  Everyone plays nice, but at the end of the day, we are all, as Depeche Mode put it best, ultimately selfish.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtswlY4WflI

So, I invite you to do what I will.  Wake up early, get your workout in, and then crack open a few beers while watching cars turn left.

Oh, and annoying as those “Crank It Up” segments on Fox are, it is still pretty damn cool to turn the volume way the fuck up and hear those engines roar.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mzw22OFihj8

That’s as ‘Murrican as you can get…

Enjoy the race.