NASCAR: The Front Row Should Not Compete In Duels

The devastating last-lap wreck in the second Can-Am Duel is just another reason why NASCAR’s front row for the Daytona 500 should not be in the event.

NASCAR has a unique way of deciding the majority of the field for the Daytona 500. Their annual “duels” showcase drivers and give them an opportunity to battle for their starting position in the most anticipated race of the entire season.

As for the two front row drivers who have already scored their starting positions, the duel is simply an event to avoid wrecking a car and to get the feel of racing again. Most of the time, those drivers are some of the best on the track and it’s entertaining to see them in full force just a few days before the 500.

That ended up being the case for only one of this year’s front row drivers.

Chase Elliott, who is rapidly approaching his first race in the legendary No. 24 car, won the pole for the Daytona 500. He competed in the first duel, won by Dale Earnhardt Jr., and led two laps. Though he fell back in the pack at times, he fought back to finish 6th.

Matt Kenseth, the other member of the front row, competed in the second duel, but he did not have the same kind of luck. His car was very fast early on and he led 23 laps, but disaster struck on Lap 60.

Jamie McMurray went to the top of the track in an attempt to block a surging Jimmie Johnson. When he did so, Johnson got loose and spun, creating contact with Kurt Busch and Martin Truex Jr., who Kenseth would eventually crash into. Kenseth’s car basically went up under the rear end of Truex’s car, leading to heavy damage for both.

The result of his wreck in the dual, means Kenseth will be using a backup car in the 500, and he will have to drop to the rear of the field on Sunday. Kenseth offered this quote after the event was over:

"“I don’t know that starting in the back is as big a deal as losing your car. This is the second one we lost this week, and we’re probably down to our third-string car.”"

With a wreck that came as late as the final lap, Kenseth now loses a car that proved it was capable of leading some of the best at Daytona, plus he loses his great starting position that he rightfully earned last weekend.

That brings up this question: Should the front row actually be racing in the duels?

One reason to answer with “yes” is because, in Chase Elliott’s case, a driver might not get to compete in the Sprint Unlimited. The duel would provide him with an opportunity to get some actual racing in before the main event.

However, the case for “no” has many different points that back it up, with the main one being the risk that comes with racing in an event like a duel. Sure, the driver would have the chance to start the season off nice and win a big trophy but there is no way to advance any higher. The driver’s starting position has already been determined and they are locked into their spot.

It might make more sense if we were talking about a 1.5-mile track where cars tend to split up and, besides passes and restarts, there isn’t a lot of close racing going on. But that’s not the case. The duels takes place on a restrictor plate track, and one of the most unpredictable tracks on the Sprint Cup Series schedule. The close-quarters action paired with driving in the draft means any driver could wreck at any time.

It’s bad enough that drivers like Jimmie Johnson and Martin Truex Jr. have to fall to the rear, but it should never be a possibility for a driver who has locked up their position.

One possible way to avoid controversy on this topic would be to make the duels optional for the front row drivers. Let them decide if they want to risk their car so that way if something happens, it will be because of their own decision, and not because they were forced to take part in an event that was created for drivers who need to cement their position.

More racing: The Five Greatest Drivers To Never Win The Daytona 500

Overall, the duels are entertaining events that set the tone for the Daytona 500, but they definitely should not include the drivers from the front row who risk losing a car and their starting spot.