Daytona 500

I love NASCAR. But I've got a problem with it. If the Daytona 500 is really the Super Bowl of stock car racing, how come anyone can win? I'm not saying it's wrong, and I'm not saying I don't like it. It just seems, well, contrived.

The end of Sunday's race was as dramatic as it gets. Veteran Mark Martin was 1/2 a lap from his first Daytona 500 win. His status as a (now) part-time driver for a new team made the end of the race, exciting, exhilarating, and to a certain degree exhausing. And in the end, a deserving driver won. With a timely push from Matt Kenseth, Kevin Harvick blew past Martin in turn-four, and then had enough horsepower and track position to hold off Martin by inches.

Here's my issue. With the right breaks, the type of racing we're seeing allows almost anyone a chance to win. The bumper-to-bumper, side-by-side stuff produces big crashes, high television ratings, and puts almost any car/driver in position to do a dance in victory lane. Luck has always been a part of NASCAR racing. It took two of the sports' best drivers (Earnhardt/Waltrip) nearly two-decades each to win the Daytona 500. But now, luck may be a biggest factor--more important than skill, horsepower, and pit stops.

I know, so what.

The NCAA tournament at times gets a Cinderella (Villanova over Georgetown '85). But not often. And you never see a Final Four populated with four Cinderellas. The NFL, NBA and NHL playoffs are nearly all-inclusive, but the better teams advance-- and we usually get the best playing for the title.

In NASCAR's biggest race, an over-abundance of rules have levelled the playing field so much that with 1/2 lap to go, there is no best car and best driver. It's a crap-shoot. The Mike Wallaces have as much chance as the Mark Martins. It's great if your last name is Wallace. But I'm not sure it's racin'.

NASCAR's had unexpected finishes without rules mandating it. Derrick Cope passing Dale Earnhardt in 1990, Pearson beating Petty in 1976, and Cale Yarborough slugging it out with Donnie Allison in 1979-- while Petty drove by for the win.

This year's race will rank up there with the best finishes ever-- until next year's 2-lap crash-filled dash for the title. Hang around long enough, and anyone can win. That's the way it works now.