I really had an excellent post for the Daytona 500, but with the way my week has been, I am lucky to be sitting at my computer on this race Sunday.

Seven days ago we were all poised to sit and watch the first race of the season.    For me it seemed to take forever for the race to begin.  I guess the off-season had me all pumped up and I was waiting for everything to get going.  I will not bore everyone with a recap of the race.  It has been analyzed to death by just about everyone out there.  I do have to say I am still in awe at the fact that 20-year old Trevor Bayne won the 2011 Daytona 500.  Other than Dale Earnhardt Jr winning the race last week, this was a storybook ending.  I mean you have a rookie running his first Daytona 500 driving for the Wood Brothers in the #21 which at one time was driven by David Pearson.  In fact David Pearson was the last driver for the Wood Brothers to win a Daytona 500.  Trevor Bayne wasn’t even alive when this happened back in 1976.  And makes it even more special David Pearson is a 2011 NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductee.  I just love it when NASCAR history comes together like it did last Sunday.

I am not afraid to say it, I really wanted Tony Stewart to win last week.  I mean he has won everything there is to win at Daytona except the big one.  He was poised to make his move last week in the waning moments of the race, but as we all know restrictor plate racing is just a crap shoot.  I was not happy with one particular driver because he always seems to mess it up for everyone.  And Sunday was no different, but that’s the way racing is.  Tony finished 13th on his 13th attempt to win the Daytona 500.  He will try to win his 14th next year.  But on the upside of his Daytona 500, he won his 4th Nationwide Daytona race in a row.  He has won six in the last seven races.  This gives him 6 wins in a Nationwide car.  There has not been a driver this dominant at this particular race since Dale Sr.  Dale won 5 races in a row from 1990-1994.  He also won in 1982 and 1986.  This gave him 7 wins.  In 2012, Tony can tie Dale Sr. win another victory in the Nationwide race with number of races won in a row and for total wins as well.   All I have to say is Tony is just scary good at the Nationwide race. 

Nerdiness alert….Once again my numbers nerdiness is showing.  I don’t know why I have this condition, but I do.  I just like numbers.

Now on to Phoenix…Carl Edwards is the hottest driver on the circuit right now.  This goes back to the 2010 season for his back to back wins in the final two races of the 2010 season.  He also finished 2nd in Daytona 500 and he also is atop the points standings (albeit, it’s very, very early).  Oh by the way, he is starting on the front row of the race today.  Yesterday in the Nationwide race he came in 2nd.  One more thing, the last driver to win at Phoenix, yep Carl.  Guess what else?  He had the pole for that race too.  I am going to say Carl has a pretty good chance to take the checkered flag today.  Of course he is driving the Subway car in the Subway Fresh Fit 500…coincidence???  Looks like a Carl kind of day…of course I hope Tony can take spoil things for Mr. Edwards and come away with a victory today.

Happy Race Day!