Petty: “The pressure that comes with the Duel
when you have to race your way in is the most pressure I’d ever experienced in any race …
“When you don’t make the race, it’s devastating because you’ve started your year off behind the eight ball. I’ve seen teams never recover from it and I’ve seen drivers be devastated by it.”
It could be the most pressure-packed 60 laps a NASCAR driver ever will face …
Over the years, many drivers not locked into the Daytona 500 have raced their guts out in their 150-mile qualifying race just to miss the big show by mere inches or saw the checkered flag from a tow truck.
With tightened sponsorship dollars placing more emphasis on qualifying for all NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, the anxiety teams face in performing well Thursday can be overwhelming.
“In 1997, I had to race my way into the Daytona 500 with own team,” recalled Kyle Petty, former driver and SPEED analyst on NASCAR RaceDay. “The pressure that comes with the Duel when you have to race your way in is the most pressure I’d ever experienced in any race – no joke. In any race you feel you have a shot at winning, there’s pressure enough, but to have to make the race and make it in such an archaic, antiquated way of qualifying – can be absolutely overwhelming for the drivers.”
With a limited number of Daytona 500 starting positions up for grabs Thursday, there’s a premium on top finishes in the Duel, adding to the burden drivers and crew chiefs face.
“The cards can be stacked against you,” Petty said. “We’ve seen that in recent years with Robby Gordon and a couple of other guys who had incredible runs in the Duel and then still went home. Now with the top 35 and limited number of positions available, there really are only about four or five guys who are going to be able to race their way in. Just think about working all winter long to get ready for the Daytona 500 and there’s only four spots available to you. It’s probably the biggest pressure all year for some people.”
NASCAR Nationwide Series regular Kenny Wallace knows firsthand what Petty is referring to and was one of the success stories in the 50th running of the Daytona 500 in 2008.
“Making the Daytona 500 creates a lot of pressure when you’re not locked into the top 35,” stated Wallace, who serves as an analyst on NASCAR RaceDay. “The pressure I felt to make the 50th running of the 500 almost blew my head off. I wanted to make that race so badly. That anxiety and stress I felt certainly ranks in the top-five pressure moments of my career. But making the race by running seventh in the Duel was the highlight of my NASCAR career.”
But then there are those who aren’t so fortunate …
“In 1989 when I was driving for Felix Sabates, I didn’t make the 500 because we didn’t race our way in through the Duel, and it was absolutely devastating,” Petty related. “When you don’t make the race, it’s devastating because you’ve started your year off behind the eight ball – one step behind.
“I’ve seen teams never recover from it and I’ve seen drivers be devastated by it,” Petty continued. “I’ve seen sponsors never recover. In the big picture, it’s just another race. From a points standpoint, the Daytona 500 is the same, but from a promotional standpoint, it’s the biggest race of the year and that’s why so many people put so much pressure on the Duel. It’s incredibly devastating to work all off-season and prepare everything you have for February and then be sitting at home watching it on TV.”
SPEED™, anchored by its popular and wide-ranging coverage of NASCAR, is the nation’s first and only cable television network dedicated to automotive and motorcycle racing, performance and lifestyle. Now available in more than 79 million homes in North America, SPEED is among the industry leaders in interactive TV, video on demand, mobile initiatives and broadband services. For more information, please visit SPEEDtv.com, the online motor sports authority.
- SPEEDTV.com, Press Release