2008 NASCAR Season

[Kitdy]

This weekend marks the start of the NASCAR season with the 50th running of the Daytona 500. I know very, very little about NASCAR but I figure having one thread for the whole season of NASCAR may be worthwhile.

I do not know how qualification works for the Daytona 500, suffice to say there are two sprint races and the winners of those races are Dale Earnhardt Junior and Denny Hamlin.

Hamlin managed to get Toyota's first victory in the second sprint race.

I watched the highlights of the race on TSN who covered the two Canadians in the race - Patrick Carpentier and Jacques Villeneuve both failed to qualify after accidents. Jacques crashed or in the parlance of NASCAR "wrecked" and took out 3 others including last year's Indy 500 winner and IRL champion Dario Franchitti.

I would post the lineup but I am too lazy to format it.

Anyways, Jimme Johnson last year's champion starts on pole in a Chev, Michael Waltrip in a Toyota in second, and Dale Earnhardt Junior in a Chevrolet in third, and on a new team, no longer rocking in his red number 8 Bud car.

Other people that I know are Tony Stewart in his new Toyota in 6th, Jeff Gordon in his Chevrolet in 8th, Juan Pablo Montoya in his Dodge 15th, and Dario Franchitti in a Dodge in 40th.

I am hoping for a Toyota win!

[Dino Scuderia]

Toyota are plagued with engine problems at present.

[Lotec_Sirius]

As a Dale Jr fan, I think he'll win the 500 this year

[Rockefella]

Here's to Gordon taking another Daytona.

[ScionDriver]

I don't know much about NASCAR but I do have to say that from what I gather, Toyota has made progress on the pace front but apparently not in reliability. Whatever, anyway, on ESPN everyone seems to be handing the race to Dale Jr. but nobody who has ever won the Sprint races has went on to win the 500. But there's a first time for everything and I am sure that NASCAR people will find excitement and good racing on Sunday; as for me, I'll wait another month for F1 and IRL.

[magracer]

... as for me, I'll wait another month for F1 and IRL.

If you have tha time just watch the last 20 laps, and the first 10... you'll never miss what happened in between, or you'll get to see it in the news.

[ringle]

Look for a surprise Dodge to win...perhaps even Montoya!

[RacingManiac]

Toyota are plagued with engine problems at present.

apparently so is Hendrick....7 Hendrick engine cars had to do an engine change before the qualifying race...

[SolidStradale]

apparently so is Hendrick....7 Hendrick engine cars had to do an engine change before the qualifying race...

Yeah, bad coating on the lifters. Gibb's cars look strong. If anyone can take the Hendrick cars, its them.

[RacingManiac]

Gibb's switched to Toyota this year right? Interesting to see if Smoke can make some headway with the "Japanese"(design, developed and built in USA....) car this year....

[SolidStradale]

Yup, Gibbs is the new flagship for Toyota and doin a pretty good job, so far.

[forza_autodelta]

whose the favourite this year?
I'll try to follow it

[TS020]

Go Awesome Bill from Dawsonville! Oh shit, he didn't make it.

Go Smoke!

Spoiler:

He won the Nationwide/Busch race earlier today.

[gtsgtsgt]

hopefully Toyota wins at list 1 race this year

[TS020]

hopefully Toyota wins at list 1 race this year

They won the 2nd Gatorade Duel Thursday with Denny Hamlin, they have 9 cars in the race, and they've all been fast throughout practice, testing and qualifying. I think that the winner in todays' 500 will be either a Hendrick Chevy or a Toyota.