Catchfence

NASCAR’s Delaware 400 was the 25th race run at the 400 mile distance in Dover’s history, and it was yet another Jimmie Johnson runaway. The racing had perked up dramatically the last few seasons with some memorable combat up front in 2006 and also 2008 and the spectacle of several three-wide laps for the lead between the Roush Fords. We also had the spectacle of Joey Logano’s tumble in Turn Three – it is amazing the cars don’t flip over more often given that the speeds are absurdly high for the track’s size and configuration.

The race, though, was ultimately forgettable, and one reason why has gone unnoticed. Dover used to run 500 mile races, then in 1997 NASCAR raised the sanction fee for a 500 mile race, basically strong-arming Dennis McGlynn into shortening his track’s races.

The results, after 13 seasons and 25 races, cannot be said to have vindicated shorter distances. Nowhere in the thirteen seasons Dover has run 400 milers have we seen any improvement in competitive depth or any noticable shifts in momentum during the race. Indeed, what has stood out with Dover at 400 miles is how predictable the races have become.

Certainly the excessive technologization of the sport has a lot to do with it and the points-racing mentality of the sport has a lot to do with it, but in the end what we have is that 400 miles simply is not better racing than 500. Making it more insulting to McGlynn and his group is the number of new tracks that have come into the sport starting in 1997 that run 500-mile races. Texas and Fontana debuted in 1997 with 500 milers and the length of these races is not a problem.

Nor was it a problem with Dover. People would complain about five-hour races, but what was always missing from such missives is that Dover’s marathons were usually more compelling than shorter races. The last two 500s at Dover illustrated this – the 1996 Delaware 500 was a surprisingly hard-fought affair with a lot of attrition. The 1997 Mason-Dixon 500 saw three leaders crash out in the extra 100 miles, handing the win over to a surprise contender (Ricky Rudd).

The 500 issue is pertinent to several tracks, notably Pocono, where 500 has been criticized in the media over the years yet has proven to be a superior test of machinery and driving than 400 miles. Indeed, Pocono has in its favor the Brickyard 400, run between its two dates and which has never displayed a memorable competition borne of its shorter distance. The Brickyard year after year has been a huge competitive letdown, whereas Pocono with its longer races has seen spots of good racing, especially the five-abreast combat that happened at Pocono following this past season’s sub-mediocre Brickyard 400.

The reality is that Dover was a better race at 500 miles than 400. Complaints about the distance need to be muzzled and competitors need to man up and take on the better challenge of a 500-mile race compared to a 400-miler. With this past Dover, there might have been a different winner with an extra 100 miles.