Daytona 500 Recap

Welcome race fans, and what an incredible start we had to the 2003 racing season for all us gay Nascar fans!

To get to the race, of course, you had to live through Miss Mariah Carey first swanning her way through what was announced as "a tribute to the Columbia astronauts" but was in fact just one of her tired old songs and don't you know she never even said "astronaut" or "Columbia"! Then after the opening prayer from the Rev. Marchman (our favorite racing preacher), Mariah was back up to sing the national anthem. She wallowed her way through that, ending up with one of those characteristic squeaches that only dogs are supposed to be able to hear! John Travolta gave the start command -- he lives in Florida now at one of those developments where you fly right to your own subdivision and you park your massive jet right by your house -- life must be agreeing with him, because he looked less tubby than in recent years. Immediately after Travolta's command, and while the drivers were revving up, FOX cut in a few seconds of Bart Simpson in a racecar yelling, "Gentlemen, eat my shorts!"

Rain had caused some events to be canceled or shortened during Speed Weeks, and as the dark clouds swirled past the speedway, everyone wondered what part the weather would play in the Great American Race. If rain shut the race down at any point past 100 laps (halfway), it would be "official" whoever was leading when the race was stopped would be the winner. This called for a vastly different strategy than usual at Daytona, where in the past many drivers have simply tried to stay out of trouble, hang around toward the back of the lead lap, then hope the leaders make mistakes so you can zoom to the front. But a strategy like that would be pointless if the race was called at halfway or just after.

Jr., having won the Bud 125 Shootout and the previous day's Busch race, started on the outside front and was heavily favored. Mikey started his #15 in the 4th spot and immediately showed out, leading the 1st lap and holding the lead through lap 34. Kenseth led next, followed by Stewart. It was during Jr.'s time on top (laps 43-64) that the race's scariest crash occurred. Our boy Ryan Newman in the #12 Dodge got popped into the wall on lap 57, then bounced through traffic and into the infield, where the car immediately went airborne, flipping nose over tail and rolling around on the grass. The racecar was utterly destroyed, and we were way scared. What a great shout of thanksgiving went up when Ryan walked away unhurt!.

This caution coincided with the day's first rain delay. During the break of 1:08, FOX interviewed Kevin Harvick, who called Rubbermaid driver Kurt Busch "Rubberhead" for sliding over the line into Kevin's pit box. After the race resumed, Jr. led again but then had an electrical problem (later described as the failure of "a $2 part") that brought him in and put him two laps down.

Mikey quickly regained the lead, but without Jr. behind him found himself battling with Jimmie Johnson. JJ was leading when going into the restart at 105, but the lapped car of Little E moved him up the track,giving Mikey the bump he needed to get back in front. (Jimmie said later he knew he was in trouble when he saw Dale and Mikey making strange hand signals at each other.)

Since the lights at Daytona mean it could have technically gone all night. But when a downpour hit after 109 laps, we all suspected that might be it. Leader Mikey had this to say while the rain fell during the red flag break and NASCAR decided whether to call it a night: "When I pray to God, I ask him to forgive me for my sins and make me a better person. And then I ask him for what I want. I've already said my prayers, and I want it to rain real bad!" Then Mikey's prayers were answered, and his name was added to the huge Daytona 500 trophy for a second time.

In other news of the DeVine 91/2, Jamie McMurray's Sunday start was the first of his official rookie year after his history-making stint subbing for Sterling Marlin in the #40 last year. On Saturday, Jamie ran the #1 car in the Busch race, fought his way from the middle up to 3rd place, then made a move on the outside but got hung out of the draft. Later, when he was back in the middle of the pack, Jamie got pushed below the yellow line so far that his left tires were touching the grass, but he saved it completely. In the FOX broadcast booth, Darryl Waltrip lavished praise on the rookie's skills. Go Jamie!

Another highlight this weekend was seeing Dale Jr. on QVC's "For Race Fans Only" live from a theater in Daytona Beach. Dale was so warm and kind to his fans that you just wanted to hug him and drink a beer with him, man!

Well, gay NASCAR fans, Speed Weeks was a total party! But there's no time off for us, because now it's off to Rockingham!

Have a good week and meet me back at the track!