Published 02/21/2023, 7:25 PM EST
Sunday’s Daytona 500 was the longest Daytona 500 in the history of NASCAR. Due to a crash with just three laps to go, a caution sent the race into overtime. Furthermore, after the first overtime restart, a multiple-car wreck forced the governing body to introduce a second overtime. And this turned the originally scheduled 200-lap race into a 212-lap race.
However, what if it was 1998, and extending the races due to caution was not a thing? Maybe Kyle Busch, instead of Ricky Stenhouse Jr might have taken that Daytona 500 trophy home.
NASCAR introduced the Green White Checkered rule and the concept of overtime in order to provide a better racing experience to the audience. However, is it really the best thing out there?
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What does Dale Earnhardt Jr think about it?
After Sunday’s race, a few fans questioned why it was necessary for the governing body to introduce overtime due to caution. Whereas, others suggested that NASCAR should consider ending races under green flag conditions just like the ARCA Menards Series. However, it seems that drivers like Dale Earnhardt Jr do not agree with the latter.
In his recent tweet, Dale Jr explained why he believes overtime or the compulsion of ending races under a green flag is not a great idea. While replying to a NASCAR fan, Earnhardt wrote,
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Why Kyle Busch will agree with the “no overtime” opinion after Daytona 500?
Unarguably, Kyle Busch was a serious contender for the Daytona 500 trophy this Sunday. However, due to the entire overtime chaos, the trophy alluded the two-time Cup Series champion once again. In a post-race interview, Busch explained that he was hoping to have a restart with his teammates. However, things didn’t go the way he had planned. He shared,
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“Looked like it was kind of working, but we got too much separation off of (Turn) 2 and I tried to back up to get to them. When they hit me, it got me really squirrely, and Austin (Cindric) checked up and then it the accordion happens, and everybody gets running over everybody.”
Furthermore, he said that he might have had a better chance if it was 1998. He said, “I think this is the first time I led Lap 200. I wish it were 1998 rules. It’s just part of the course. Just used to it. I come down here every year just to find out when and where I’m gonna crash and what lap I come out of the care center.”
NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Daytona 500 Feb 19, 2023 Daytona Beach, Florida, USA NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Busch 8, A.J. Allmendinger 16 and Denny Hamlin 11 crash on the last lap of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Daytona Beach Daytona International Speedway Florida USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xMarkxJ.xRebilasx 20230219_mjr_su5_042
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After leading the 200th lap for the first time ever, Busch, unfortunately, was swept up in a last-lap wreck. This destroyed Busch’s #8, forcing him to end his race in the 19th position.