2000Daytona500

"I think we have a lot of positives to build on for the 2000 season and we're very optimistic about it all." - Rusty Wallace

YAWWWWNNN!!!....C'mon Rusty.   Save that for the grade school speeches. Point fingers...Rant.....Pick a lap number & tell me who ya gonna put in the wall.

Kids. It's Daytona 2000. Time to dust off the die-cast & fly the flags. They roll out Friday afternoon to practice and then Saturday, they qualify for the front row. Sunday, all of last year's pole cats will follow Rusty around in the Bud Shootout.   Monday is the second round of qualifying...The last chance for DW to start this race from somewhere besides 43rd. Thursday is the Twin 125s. And next Sunday, they release the Kraken.

Thus, a quick preview of each of your favorite drivers is in order. Not some expert-opinion trash you can read in any rag. No. Just the purely speculative crap from a slightly biased one-man man. So let's reach into the hat & draw the first name....What do you know - Rusty.

Tony & Lori, Rusty will still rule the short tracks. And he'll have a much better big track showing too. This could be the year he gets TWO wins.   He'll win the Shootout (this time, without a headstart) and finish somewhere in the top five next weekend.

Doc, Stewart or Geoffie? C'mon...Flash in the pan, that Stewart kid. He'll never win more than 50...60 races in his career.   Bodine, on the other hand, has thrilled us all for years with name changes and lane changes. Always good for a yellow flag. Stewart will finish 4th in the Shootout, 9th in the show. Bodine will watch the Shootout after wreckin' in the open, and finish 28th come next Sunday.

Paul & Kim, Martin has changed his paint up a little and will pilot a shark. Ain't gonna help. Roush is gonna be too busy this year trying to keep Kenseth ahead of Jr. Third in the Shootout. 16th in the 500.

Jeff & Stace - Gordon was whining over the new shocks but it's those strangers with the wrenches he needs to worry 'bout. You're not in Evernhamsas anymore, Jeffy.   7th in the Shootout. 5th next week.

Mollie - Daily Double: AJ Foyt and a guy named Bliss......What is 'ignorance' Alex?   I can't wait till they get to Texas. Who will AJ bitch-slap this year? Shootout - SectionD Row9 Seat23.   Not even sure Bliss will qualify for the big race.

Dave - Better check Sterling's intake. His crew chief made some "improvements" at last summer's Daytona race that weren't too kosher with NASCAR. Aw, he's probably new to cheating. Let Rusty show him how it's done. Shootout - 8th. Daytona 500 - 17th......8th with Rusty's advice.

These are locks, ya'll. Sure things. Mortgage whatever you've got & thank me later.   And if you've got an IRA handy, put it all on Michael Waltrip to win the Daytona 500.......You're welcome.

Oiuja-ly yours,
Jim