The Speeding Bullets: 2010 Budweiser Shootout

A new year calls for a new logo and a new look to The Speeding Bullets. Hope you enjoy the read...

• Congratulations to Kevin Harvick for winning the event a second straight year. It's not a points victory like he has been searching for since the 2007 Daytona 500, but it's a necessary momentum burst that will hopefully help them end the three year drought. Harvick is going to get the chance to rewrite his own record book from last year and additionally end the recent curse of the shootout winner going winless throughout the rest of the season. The question is whether he will be able to capitalize on it...
  

• I have to say after watching the race that so far I am pleased with the changes NASCAR has made. The drivers felt comfortable to make daring maneuvers that they wouldn't attempt otherwise because of being rained on with fines and penalties. The race-ending crash started by Jeff Gordon served as a perfect example of this. Now, if they could just allow multiple attempts at a Green-White-Checkered finish to ensure the fans get every penny out of their hard-earned money...

• Jimmie Johnson, feeling nervous prior to the race??? Not too sure if I'm buying that one. For all of you Johnson haters out there, I think your wish may be granted of him not winning number five since he will be a new father by season end. Just look at how much Jeff Gordon changed when he became one as well. There's a good chance that the distraction will affect Jimmie when it comes Chase time...

• Mark Martin sure sent Kurt Busch on a wild ride through the infield and up into the outside wall, but it was good to see he manned up about it in the end. I have a feeling that Martin realized over the offseason that his career is starting to tick away by the race, and as a result he has decided to become more aggressive about trying to win as many of them as he can. Sunday will be the best shot other than a few years ago he has ever had at winning the Great American Race. It will be interesting to see if he is able to achieve his lifelong dream...

• It looks as if FOX might have decided to cover up the gopher hole after all of the criticism received from last season. Maybe they thought that was one of the reasons their ratings have drastically started dropping. Now I did see Digger appear on the sponsor banner right after a commercial break, but for the first time since who knows when there was no mention of him at all...
  

Very good first race to start out the 2010 season and the new decade of stock car racing. Hopefully, the Daytona 500 will be even better, and NASCAR will start to climb out of the trench they have buried themselves in over the past few seasons...