Your thoughts on the 2003 Daytona 500

Joe Fan · 17 Feb 2003, 06:16 (Ref:509181)

It was good to see Mikey win another one to silence his critics. Of course, we all preferred to see whoever win the race going the full distance. Rain shortened events are anti-climatic. I still think Mikey would have been the one to beat provided he didn't have any mechanical problems.

double00 · 17 Feb 2003, 07:13 (Ref:509234)

It was good to see him win, but the race itself was so boring (little excitement plus rain). I was never so close to falling asleep until 2 o'clock this afternoon. I feel sorry for the fans there who only saw 272.5 miles when they paid for 500. Couldn't it be ran @ night???????

muggle not · 17 Feb 2003, 12:38 (Ref:509435)

This is the year for Mikey to show his stuff. He has a VERY good car this year, the best in his career. Now it is up to him.

24thunder · 17 Feb 2003, 14:21 (Ref:509546)

Quote:

Originally posted by double00
It was good to see him win, but the race itself was so boring (little excitement plus rain). I was never so close to falling asleep until 2 o'clock this afternoon. I feel sorry for the fans there who only saw 272.5 miles when they paid for 500. Couldn't it be ran @ night???????

Congratulations to Dale Jr. eh eh I mean Michael Waltrip,I knew it was one of those DEI cars to,LOL,I'm with U as I almosr fell asleep also!Thr Rock is next up & now We'll see some driver skill involved,finally!!!!IMO Daytona 500 shouldn't even be the 1st point race of the season anymore,with these dang restrictor plates on them,JMO!

KC · 17 Feb 2003, 17:28 (Ref:509702)

I find it funny that so many are *****ing about the race being shortened and its a hollow victory and all that. Every driver and crew cheif knew the weather pattern was getting worse and yet Waltrip was the only guy to take it up front and keep it there. The record books won't show anything other than Waltrip won another Daytona 500.

**Craig** · 17 Feb 2003, 19:13 (Ref:509809)

All I can say is I'm glad I went last year and not this! I'd be feeling pretty cheated if I was about to jet home having seen that...

marcus · 17 Feb 2003, 22:36 (Ref:510023)

I enjoyed what there was of it, but of course would rather see 500 miles , but thats mother nature isnt it , but what racing there was I enjoyed and think its going to be an interesting year.

bcobbus · 18 Feb 2003, 08:47 (Ref:510308)

At least Mikey got to celebrate on a much more happy note then his previous 500 win. Had the race gone full distance I think it would have been one of the more exiting races there in a while. It would have been interesting to see if Jr. could have gotten back on the lead lap....

429CJ · 18 Feb 2003, 18:05 (Ref:510726)

Happy Kurt-boy being second, happy too, that Ryan Newman is O.K.

**Snapper Baz** · 18 Feb 2003, 20:02 (Ref:510858)

Craig, I nearly went as well-will have to sort something out for maybe Homestead?...at least my mate brought me back a programme and a few small NASCAR cars that I collect!! If that rain had come just a bit earlier that boy Johnson would have been the man! Do you think the spectators would have understood the desision to call it a day when they did or would they have waited a good number of hours to possibly see it continue-not sure how I would have reacted if I had payed to get in.

Roselady3 · 20 Feb 2003, 03:24 (Ref:512145)

It drizzeled for 5 straight hours- Then it cleared slighly- only to rain the next day. The entire East coast was getting hit with a huge ice & snowstorm. It would have been a diaster if they held off for monday. The teams litereally would not have been able to get home & be ready to leave for the next race. In the end- it was a wise descision.

Russfeld · 20 Feb 2003, 08:13 (Ref:512198)

Quote:

Originally posted by Joe Fan
It was good to see Mikey win another one to silence his critics.

But does it? The criticism is he's flatterd by his car on restrictor plates, and this doesnt do much to disprove that. His average finish last year, plate races included, was like 18th.

muggle not · 21 Feb 2003, 02:43 (Ref:513040)

Quote:

Originally posted by Russfeld
But does it? The criticism is he's flatterd by his car on restrictor plates, and this doesnt do much to disprove that. His average finish last year, plate races included, was like 18th.

If I am not mistaken he finished 14th in the points last year which puts him in the top third of the drivers.

Russfeld · 21 Feb 2003, 05:01 (Ref:513092)

14th hardly excites

gttouring · 22 Feb 2003, 05:56 (Ref:513934)

the race was total fun-that rain call was ****- Run the daytona at night if you have to, but the big race should not fall to the whims of water and clouds-what were they thinking? good for waltrip, always liked him but c'mon

Joe Fan · 23 Feb 2003, 22:28 (Ref:515433)

Quote:

Originally posted by Russfeld
14th hardly excites

But Waltrip's car was the third one added to the DEI stable. How many teams had their third car finish in the top 15 in points? Only Jack Roush last year. Richard Childress didn't have any. Michael is not the talent that his brother was but he is a decent driver.

muggle not · 23 Feb 2003, 23:37 (Ref:515504)

DW was one of the best drivers. It would not be fair to compare Michael to him. Finishing better than two thirds of the drivers is not toooooo terrible.

Russfeld · 24 Feb 2003, 01:53 (Ref:515573)

Yeah but it does nothing to silence the criticism that he;s nothing more than a DEI pilot on a restrictor plate race.

muggle not · 24 Feb 2003, 04:16 (Ref:515664)

There are only 2 restrictor plate races. Winning or finishing in the top 5 in only those 2 races do not elevate a driver to 14th in the final points standing. Enough of this, as I mentioned earlier somewhere Michael has a very good car this year, better than he has ever had....lets see how he fares.

Russfeld · 24 Feb 2003, 04:21 (Ref:515667)

His average finish was 18th with one of the best budgets in the series. Im sorry but anyway you paint it he's a bit of an underachiever. Though to be fair DEI dont put enough effort into their 'regular' cars so it tends to skew his (and Dale's) season

Buffalo · 25 Feb 2003, 20:00 (Ref:517532)

Bbbbboooooorrrrriiiiinnnnnggggg!

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