DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — It was two close finishes and one close call for Michael Waltrip — exactly what NASCAR needed.
Two stirring finishes to a pair of Thursday qualifying races, Waltrip’s nervous waiting game to see if he’d get a spot in the Daytona 500, and the roller-coaster ride of emotions between those who made the show and those who did not combined to give NASCAR the boost it’s been craving.
Jimmie Johnson nipped Kevin Harvick by .005 seconds in the first race, then Kasey Kahne edged Tony Stewart by .014 seconds to set the stage for what should be an exciting season- opening Daytona 500.
“I think we put on one heck of a race,” said Johnson, who had to hold steady in a door-to-door battle with Harvick across the finish line.
“I definitely feel like (the racing) has been pretty exciting and good from my standpoint,” said Kahne, who passed Stewart and then had his own side-by-side race to the finish.
There was more drama off the track, as well.
Waltrip, a two-time Daytona 500 winner, had planned to make his final start at Daytona in Sunday’s race. Only he wrecked out of the first race, and was at the mercy of the finishing order of the second race to claim a spot in the field.
He needed Bobby Labonte or Scott Speed to grab one of the “transfer” spots into the race, and Waltrip settled into a television studio to watch the second race on a slew of monitors.
Waltrip was riveted as he cheered on as Speed used a late- race pass that helped him make the 500.
“I know I had an interest in what was happening for myself . . . but I’ve never seen anything more exciting in my whole life than that (race),” Waltrip said. “The race for the win, those guys mixing it up, that’s hard. If you don’t like that, then you need to become a fan of a different sport because that right there is as good as it gets.”
There were several side stories too.
Max Papis, a close friend of Johnson’s, stayed out on old tires to gain track position, then had to hold on tight to claim his first berth in the Daytona 500. The former sports-car star cried on pit road during his celebration.
“I don’t want to be called anymore the ‘road course racer,’ ” Papis said. “I want to be called ‘Mad Max, the NASCAR racer.’ “
Michael McDowell, who got one shot at the Sprint Cup Series two seasons ago with Waltrip’s race team, made his first attempt at the Daytona 500 in an underfunded car that relies on Michael Waltrip Racing for support. He joined Papis as the other driver to race his way in through the first qualifier.
“For me, it’s the biggest race of the year for us knowing that we’re going to run,” McDowell said.
White takes trucks pole.
Jason White took the pole position for tonight’s Camping World Truck series race at Daytona.
It’s the first career pole for White, who turned in a speed of 177.525 mph. Sprint Cup series regular Elliott Sadler qualified second, and Austin Dillon, grandson of NASCAR team owner Richard Childress, was third.
Hight, Edwards top qualifying
POMONA, Calif. — Defending champions Robert Hight and Mike Edwards topped their divisions on the first day of qualifying at the season-opening Kragen O’Reilly NHRA Winternationals.
Hight (funny car), Edwards (pro stock) and Cory McClenathan (top fuel) rounded out the provisional qualifying leaders through the first of four rounds of qualifying.
