Why You Should Take Off Work to Watch the NASCAR Gatorade Duels
The qualifying races for the NASCAR Daytona 500 race are this Thursday on Speed beginning at 2 PM eastern time. It is an odd time of the week for an important race but the Daytona 500 is not just any race. It is the biggest race of the NASCAR season. It pays the most money and is the most prestigious race to win. But before all the pomp and circumstance you must qualify for the Big race. Although qualifying on speed was last Sunday, the next and final step to making it to America’s race is the Gatorade Duels on Thursday. That alone should make it a must see for any NASCAR fan. If that isn’t enough then here is some more justification.
These races set the starting order of the field for the Daytona 500. They also determine which of the 49 cars qualify for the 43 spaces. With the top 35 rule that means that 6 cars will not qualify for the race.
Our hero, Trevor Bayne, the rookie winner of last year’s Daytona 500, qualified for the Daytona 500 on speed last Sunday. Last year he had to race into America’s race. In the qualifying race on Thursday last year he not only raced in and showed he had a fast car, but more importantly earned the respect of veteran Jeff Gordon as a drafting partner. If he did not have this success in his dual race he would not have had the chance to or won the Daytona 500. This is exactly what Danica Patrick needs to do this year.
Travor Bayne, Tony Raines, and David Stremme are the three drivers that qualified their cars into the Daytona 500 on speed. If they have a wreck or some mechanical failure in the Gatorade Dual races they can repair their cars and still be in the Daytona 500. If they are able to race into the Daytona 500 in their respective dual race then they can improve their starting position and corresponding pit selection for the big race.
The last of the guaranteed starting spots is saved for the most recent past champion who has not qualified for the race any other way. This year Bill Elliott and Terry Labonte did not qualify for the race on speed and are vying for this spot. If neither of them race in then Terry Labonte gets the spot as he is the most recent past champion. Do not for a moment think that either of these past champion drivers will settle for getting into America’s race based on this rule. Both of them for pride and pride alone will be racing hard to get into the race without this rule. Kenny Wallace, the fourth fastest of the non top 35 drivers will be cheering them on because if they race into the big race then he would get the spot reserved for the past champion based on his qualifying speed.
To add more to the excitement why should Kenny Wallace rely on what Bill or Terry do in the race. He could race hard and race himself into the race. Then it wouldn’t matter what those old champions do.
The only real problem with all of that is Michael Waltrip, Dave Blaney, Michael McDowell, Robby Gordon, Mike Wallace, Joe Nemechek, Robert Richardson Jr. and JJ Yeley have nothing to fall back on and nothing to lose. They must race into the Daytona 500. There are four drivers in each of the Gatorade Duel races who have to race in as they have nothing to fall back on. Race in or go home. That above all else is why you should stay home from work to watch these races live.
Watch the Gatorade Duels on the Speed Channel starting at 2 PM ET.
During the race follow me on twitter @brian_jr1 because I am taking the day off work. I wouldn’t miss it for the world, it will be a great race.
