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February
14, 2010
Nationwide Making the Grade: Danica’s Debut
By Dennis Michelsen
Each week join RaceTalkRadio as we grade NASCAR’s
“Second Series.” What were your grades for this
race? Join Lori Munro and I every Monday night for “Doin’
Donuts” on RaceTalkRadio.com at 8pm ET and add your grades
to the discussion.
Pace
Laps
First
NASCAR anthem of the weekend and we get a breathless cabaret
singer version of the anthem instead of something classy?
Please tell me this isn’t a sign of things to come all
season.
Tony Eury
Sr looks thrilled to do the new Nationwide IN-surance commercial.
Is it
just me or do you think Patty Loveless picked a motley crew
to hang out with for this COPD promotion?
I wonder
which of the five car owners that withdrew their entries made
the best deal with John Menard. Speed TV should have taped
it for a new NASCAR game show…Let’s Make a Nationwide
Deal.
Is it
just me or did Dave Burns look like he was wearing Shannon’s
maternity fire suit?
Mike Bliss
and Paul Menard should consider a career in the demolition
derby!
Two “Big
Ones” and no waiting today.
Kevin
Harvick Incorporated looked like the top dog of the Nationwide
Series…can Harvick win the championship if he runs all
of the races?
Race
Grade: A
While
I was hoping for a better finish for the Nationwide Series
kids at Daytona, this was another entertaining race on a Saturday
afternoon. We saw lots of passes for position and except for
the screamer in the booth handling the play-by-play we saw
great coverage by ESPN too. They also did a good job of balancing
the coverage of the leaders with the coverage of Danica’s
Debut that will help make this the most watched Nationwide
Series race ever.
F for
Mike Bliss
Is
it just me or does Mike Bliss cause a wreck in more than half
the races he has raced in NASCAR’s top three series?
Bliss ended the day for youngster Trevor Bayne who was just
biding his time unlike the more experienced Bliss. While Bliss
can drive a car (or truck) fast his judgment is sometimes
lacking especially early in a race.
D for
Paul Menard’s Wild Early Ride
It
took the purchase of five potential “Start and Parks”
to earn him a spot in the lineup and there were a few drivers
that wish someone wouldn’t have been willing to make
a deal. Menard was the proverbial bull in the china shop in
the early going and it cost Chrissy Wallace a chance to run
more than one lap. Hopefully this won’t be the only lap
we see her race all season.
C for
John Wes Townley
JWT
showed that he coaching he is receiving at Richard Childress
Racing is working! Early in the race on Saturday this looked
like a brand new JWT. He was very composed and racing with
the cream of the crop in the field. But two silly penalties
cost him two laps and a better finish.
B for
Justin Allgaier
The
“Little Gator” had a smart race waiting until the
second half to move up to the front. His only mistake was
a lack of aggressiveness at the end of the race when he tried
to protect his position while making a move to take the lead.
While the spotlight is on many of the other young guns of
the Nationwide Series, Justin got the 2010 season off to a
great start.
A for
Tony Stewart
Smoke
might have stunk up the show if he had started out front!
There was no doubt that the best driver on Saturday was Tony
Stewart as he raced his way to the front of the pack. Nobody
drives a wider car in the closing laps of a restrictor plate
race either! There is no doubt Tony Stewart can pick up the
Daytona Double this year.
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