Daytona Diary: GM=General Mindlessness

(Originally published on Feb. 18, 2008)

It was a bad day for Chevy at the Daytona 500, but their woes began long before earning only one top-10 finish. Prior to the green flag flying, I was struck by the "Fast Facts" release sent to me from Chevy PR. It noted that the manufacturer had won the previous five Daytona 500s, a point I would have flaunted as well. But see if you notice what's missing from the info I received:

* Kevin Harvick, Richard Childress Racing - 2007

* Jimmie Johnson, Hendrick Motorsports - 2006

* Jeff Gordon, Hendrick Motorsports - 2005

* Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Dale Earnhardt, Inc. - 2004

* Dale Earnhardt, Inc. - 2003

A driver mention from the 2003 affair, by any chance? That would be, oh, Michael Waltrip, who now spearheads a three-team Toyota effort. Folks, people are still allowed to talk about O.J. Simpson being among the greatest running backs of all time even though most believe he hacked two people to death. As I was driving back from Saturday night's George Strait-Little Big Town concert in Philadelphia (which I will be expounding on in the future), radio stations were promoting the 25th anniversary of Thriller and playing "Billie Jean" ad nauseam, even though many believe Michael Jackson is a pedophile. Would it have been such blasphemy to simply mention Waltrip's name just because he isn't under the GM banner anymore? It was a petty and weak move. Somebody owes him an apology.

* The Fox announce team mentioned at the midway point how the $10,000 bonus for leading at halfway doesn't exist anymore. I understand why that bit the dust, but what about other high-profile contingency bonuses that used to help bring some drama to the sport? Just because Winston is gone doesn't mean a $1 million bonus for winning three of four marquee races-the Daytona 500, Coca-Cola 600, Allstate 400 at the Brickyard and the Talladega Chase race come to mind-should be a thing of the past. And what about the old cash kitty that used to build until someone won a race from the pole? That used to turn into some real money and provided an added storyline.

* There's nothing better than a commercial that turns your head at the most unexpected time. Such was the case with the Justin Timberlake Pepsi commercial, where a woman's sipping of a straw magically propelled Timberlake into her clutches. Just as I was ready to dismiss it as Super Bowl commercial rehash, in crashed Jeff Gordon's Impala with the driver inside in a daze. Good stuff!

* I've been all about following whether the COT would create the occasional Cinderella story, considering that the engineering dominance of big teams has been neutralized. But after the 500, I almost feel like saying, "Be careful what you wish for." Yeah, it was great that John Andretti, Joe Nemechek and Kenny Wallace made the field. But if the teams with limited budgets do nothing but make races and then fail to contend, are they doing more harm than good? If they add nothing to the action and anger the bigger sponsors who go home on Friday-at a time when finding and retaining major sponsorship is so difficult-then are they merely seeping resources away from the sport? I'm not saying anything can or should be done about it. It's just amazing how every issue has two points of view.

* I'd like to thank Bob McCormack of Marrzmotorsports for inviting me to the "Go for the Green" Daytona 500 party at Changing Times Pub in Farmingdale. The Nassau-Suffolk Autism Society, Marty Himes Museum of Motor Racing in Bay Shore, and Kevin Morrisey Athletic Fund benefiting St. Martin of Tours School in Amityville were the beneficiaries of the fund-raising efforts. The grassroots racing crowd continually proves itself to be just as charitable as its big-time counterparts.