No, Fernando Alonso isn't in this one
yet
Bonjour y'all; the Sun just went passed the 15th degree of Aquarius a week ago. Birch trees radiate with hidden flame and ardor. Wild crocuses bloom from beneath uninterested snow. This all means we reached and passed the magickal point of Mid-Winter in the Northern Hemisphere and in Motorsport lingo that means just one thing - the annual Daytona 500 dawns yet again. Winter break is over; at least for those real Racing connaisseurs that watch things other than just Euro1.
Nature blooms back to life at the sound of distant 'Boogity'.
After the utter cosmic brilliance that was this year's 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Bathurst, I think we are now ready for our first collective disappointment and bewilderment. Que NASCAR's shambolic start to the season.
But before we move on to the bizarro bullsh** emanating at the moment, let's take a gander at some of the changes that happened in the field during the offseason.
Furniture Row Racing, beloved champions and underdogs pulled out of the sport after citing financial reason. As a big fan of the team, I am extremely grateful for what Barney Visser gave us and am really sorry to see go the only team not operating from the East Coast. Godspeed Champs.
good times.
This means 2017 and 2018 Series Champion Martin Truex Jr is moving on to one of the biggest organizations on the grid - Joe Gibbs Racing - to partner Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Erik Jones in the #19 Toyota Camry. Martin brings with him his underdog genius crewchief Cole Pearn ( and I hope some other dudes / dudettes from FR ) and will again be a serious threat to the crown at the end.
*Victory Lane* walks in your path.
This move displaced Mexican star Daniel Suarez who went on to occupy the vacant #41 Ford Mustang from Stewart-Haas Racing. Stewart-Haas will again be one of the big 4 teams to watch out for. If F1 has Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull; Indycar have Penske, Ganassi, Andretti and WEC - Toyota ( ahahahahaahah ) then Nascar has these 4 badboys - Stewart-Haas, Penske, Joe Gibbs and Hendrick.
Happy for Suarez, he deserves another chance at the big league after some completely meh seasons over at JG.
Not Romain.
Dan-Mex is replacing Kurt 'my ex is an international assassin' Busch who went on to the #1 Chevy Camaro at Ganassi Racing to partner outsidewall lover and imaginary Homestead king Kyle Larson. His move was this winter's most shared article piece over on Motorsport.com, guess Outlaw still has a very sizeable fanbase. Expect him to be a big threat, even on this race, winning it back in 2017.
Monster is for 19year olds.
This means McMurray is going the commentator way and brings some one-offs in the #40 blabla. I am looking forward to hearing more jokes from the loveable Gemini. AJ Allmendinger also turns from wheel to mic. The only car his turning this year will be a GT3 Acura back in IMSA, so here's a subliminal call to WATCH IMSA.
Plenitude of drivers swaps this season, another one worthy of announcing here is backmarker glory knight Matt DiBenedetto moves to Leavine Family Racing that just so happened to be in a new technical partnership with Richard Childress.
Speaking of RC, another move on the grid includes Ryan Newman's switch from Richard Childress to Roush Fenway in that much obscure #6 Chevy, while his place is taken by upcoming star Hemric changing the number of his car from #31 to #8 in another one of these increasingly cringey Motorsport faux nostalgia humbugs.
Oh and Kasey Kahne retired by the way. Who cares?
Also Matt Kenseth, please for the love of god.
Speaking of drivers, here's the complete entry list for the 500. And good news! We'll have a full grid of 42 cars. Or 40 because 2 of 'em were bumped out of qualy. I don't know.
On pole for this race we have one of Hendrick's top young guns, William Byron. Hope he won't get inspired by Jimmie's loss win in the Clash and stay a cool kid.
Past race winners of this decedent decade:
2010: Jamie McMurray - Gemini
2011: Trevor Bayne - Aquarius
2012: Matt Kenseth - Pisces
2013: Jimmie Johnson - Virgo
2014: Dale Earnhardt Jr - Libra
2015: Joey Logano - Gemini
2016: Denny Hamlin - Scorpio
2017: Kurt Busch - Leo
2018: Austin Dillon - Taurus
Track Guide:
oh I'd wish
Event Schedule:
https://eu.tennessea...ice/2688635002/
Race Start:
1:30 PM EAST COAST US TIME
19:30 PM GMT TIME
21:30 PM TRANSYLVANIAN TIME - just posting this here so I won't forget
Late Edit:
I forgot to mention the really important fact that Ford are giving the all new Mustang it's Cup baptism of fire this race:
they look way better in the Euro Nascar series btw
Just goes to show how much I really care about Ford. ( oh what, no WRC or WEC, ok then... )
Ok, let's get to the Sunoco fueled elephant in the room.
NASCAR, in a move that would put the FIA to shame introduced a new technical rules package for the 2019 season. They took a look at controversial races like last year's Daytona 500 and decided that YES, that's exactly what our audience wants. Meaning, violent random plate racing on ALL tracks. The new rules require restrictions on the engine not only on the 2 major superspeedways 'Dega and 'Tona but on all tracks with a minimum 1.5 miles length. That's 90% of the damn calendar now. The thing is, the rules also massively increased the downforce levels on the care and their aero dependency. That, coupled with restricted engines means only one thing: Single File racing. If a car following the lead wants to come out of any line it means it will be hit with massive amounts of green air slapping a sh**ton of drag on it immediately. So we went from 3 ( even 4 ) wide restrictor plate racing we are used to in the past two decades to a demonic bastardization of the Trulli Train. Seriously, it's un-fu*kwithable just how moronic and bland it makes the racing. Get ready for a 4+ hours train of cars cruising on the outside lane.
we went from that
to this
Yes, that picture is from the same track, but the latter pic is from after the introduction of these new regs post-allstar race at Charlotte. So that leaves us in some damn dire straits. If you've seen the Clash last Sunday night, you've seen just how impossible it was to create more lanes than the outside one. Cars went from P3 to PLast in 2 laps. And that leaves us in real danger of the worst case scenario - random hollow winners and huge insane wrecks week on, week out. The only way to pass is if you go 110% Sage Karam and try bullsh*t passes that border on online hilarity. Look at what Jimmie J did last Sunday, went for the pass, reached the quarter-panel of Menard's car and carmageddon ensued. The cars are so incredibly aero dependent that a mere below average side-draft and BOOM - 85% of the field wiped away in one turn.
the GLORY of 2019 Nascar
Take for example the case of me and my friend/apartment mate. I'm the 'hardcore' fan that watches as much racing as possible and I don't mind 1-2-3 drivers always at the top. Domination is part of any sport and one of the Big3 of last year deserved the title. Last year at the end I felt I wasted an average of 3 to 4 hours per race 36 times a year just so I can see a freak yellow deciding the Championship on the last 10 laps of the season to a dude that didn't even deserve to be in the hunt for it. What a complete waste of my limited time here on Earth as OV.
And before you say anything about it, yes I dislike Logano entirely but that's not it. This past decade I was flying the banner of Nascar high and wide, even hypeing up the Chase, but I am seeing the writing on the wall. Somehow Nascar was lucky and every year they got a deserving champion. That ran out in 2018.
This is a series that is bleeding internally being led by fossils that know next to nothing of the present real world and still live in a fantasy Dale world that never existed. They are hemorrhaging fans up the wazoo. This package was born of complete desperation and it's showing like festering gangrene. Nascar is falsely targeting dudes like my friend who only watches this series ( yes, a European whose only racing passion is Nascar; I guess he was secretly born in central Tennessee instead of central Transylvania ). He wants to see random winners and chaos; not wrecks or caution, mind you. He's a fan of young guns like Elliot, Larson and Blaney while I still root for the 'veterans' Truex, Harvick, the two Busches etc. He hated 'dega last year and he hated the Clash because it's an honest mockery. So in their panic, Nascar enforced rules that neutered itself and lost the audience they tried to go after. Maybe this is the wake up call it deserves and I hope I, Kyle Busch and most others are wrong.
And the argument that it's just Daytona / Talladega won't cut the mustard anymore. These rules are here for the majortity of the races. Pffffff
the grandstands aren't wrong though
Ok, so with that out of the way, let's talk some other nonsense. Random facts and esoteric shenanigans.
The river that runs through Daytona Beach is called Halifax.
The Halifax River is part of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, located in northeast Volusia County, Florida. The waterway was originally known as the North Mosquito River, but was renamed after George Montagu-Dunk, 2nd Earl of Halifax (for whom Halifax, Canada is also named), during the British occupation of Florida (1763–1784).
The Halifax River originates at Tomoka Bay, at the confluence of the Tomoka River, Bulow Creek, and Halifax Creek, adjoining Tomoka State Park. The Halifax River's drainage basin (or catchment) includes most of eastern Volusia County, which includes the flow from the Tomoka River and Halifax Creek. The total area covered is 1008.3 km². Water flows south for a distance of 25 miles (40 km). The Halifax River merges with Spruce Creek and the Mosquito Lagoon just before it connects to the Atlantic Ocean via the Ponce de Leon Inlet.
The Halifax River runs through the cities of Ormond Beach, and Daytona Beach. It also runs next to the Jackie Robinson Ballpark on City Island and the Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse. The Halifax Harbor Marina is located on the waterway as well.
The area of the Halifax River was first settled about 7,000 years ago, by Native American tribes who were the ancestors of tribes such as the Timucua Indians. The natives lived on fish and oysters, leaving shell mounds on both sides of the Halifax River. Most of the shell mounds were used by later settlers to build roads, but a few remain in the area, preserved as historical sites, such as Green Mound, Nocoroco, Ormond Mound, and Spruce Creek Mound Complex. The natives were likely part of the St. Johns culture.
The Timucua were a Native American people who lived in Northeast and North Central Florida and southeast Georgia. They were the largest indigenous group in that area and consisted of about 35 chiefdoms, many leading thousands of people. The various groups of Timucua spoke several dialects of the Timucua language. At the time of European contact, Timucuan speakers occupied about 19,200 square miles (50,000 km2) in the present-day states of Florida and Georgia, with an estimated population of 200,000. Milanich notes that the population density calculated from those figures, 10.4 per square mile (4.0/km2) is close to the population densities calculated by other authors for the Bahamas and for Hispaniola at the time of first European contact. The territory occupied by Timucua speakers stretched from the Altamaha River and Cumberland Island in present-day Georgia as far south as Lake George in central Florida, and from the Atlantic Ocean west to the Aucilla River in the Florida Panhandle, though it reached the Gulf of Mexico at no more than a couple of points.
The name "Timucua" (recorded by the French as Thimogona) came from the exonym used by the Saturiwa (of what is now Jacksonville) to refer to the Utina, another group to the west of the St. Johns River. The Spanish came to use the term more broadly for other peoples in the area. Eventually it became the common term for all peoples who spoke what is known as Timucuan.
While alliances and confederacies arose between the chiefdoms from time to time, the Timucua were never organized into a single political unit. The various groups of Timucua speakers practiced several different cultural traditions. The people suffered severely from the introduction of Eurasian infectious diseases, to which they had no immunity. By 1595, their population was estimated to have been reduced from 200,000 to 50,000 and thirteen chiefdoms remained. By 1700, the population of the tribe had been reduced to 1,000. Warfare against them by the English colonists and native allies completed their extinction as a tribe soon after the turn of the 19th century.
The word "Timucuan" may derive from "Thimogona" or "Tymangoua", an exonym used by the Saturiwa chiefdom of present-day Jacksonville for their enemies, the Utina, who lived inland along the St. Johns River. Both groups spoke dialects of the Timucua language. The French followed the Saturiwa in this usage, but the Spanish applied the term "Timucua" much more widely to groups within a wide section of interior North Florida.[ In the 16th century they designated the area north of the Santa Fe River between the St. Johns and Suwannee Rivers (roughly the area of the group known as the Northern Utina) as the Timucua Province, which they incorporated into the mission system. The dialect spoken in that province became known as "Timucua" (now usually known as "Timucua proper"). During the 17th century, the Province of Timucua was extended to include the area between the Suwannee River and the Aucilla River, thus extending its scope. Eventually, "Timucua" was applied to all speakers of the various dialects of the Timucua language.
This event represents the 61st running of the race. In numerology number 61 is a number of introspection and family. It is studious, mentally sharp, and resonates with balance and harmony.
The energy the number 61 represents tends to be nurturing of family and close friends. It also tends to be somewhat protective. And tends to have an idealistic vision.
61 analyzes what it does and observes the effects it creates and notices effects that weren't created as they were expected to. It determines reasons why and changes its approach accordingly.
61 constantly acquires knowledge of and about itself and its experiences.
The energy represented by the number 61 is perpetually accumulating wisdom about itself and it's family and friends.
Social gatherings are seen as opportunities to interact with others and observe the social dynamics — people's actions and reactions in groups and the ambiance of the gathering.
61 can discuss anything. It generally prefers subjects about learning, family, health, harmony, and spiritual or scientific philosophies.
The energy the number 61 represents tends to be introspective, yet with an inquisitiveness that brings it out to experience the world.
It prefers free conversation rather than confrontation, and openness rather than self-centeredness.
As an overall 7 sum number, it represents higher spiritual expression, vision and will and it's closely associated with the cardinal Water zodiac sign of Cancer. *cough* Truex *cough*
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Astrology Chart of the Race:
Going by this chart my 3 main suspects for the race win are:
Chase Elliott
Brad Keselowski
Kyle Busch
But who the f* knows 'cause the Clash was such a sh**show. So, I'm going for the big guns and putting two Tarot cards here as well. One for the race, one for the winner.
Race:
Ace of Wands - A firey new beginning
Like all Aces, the Ace of Wands symbolizes the roots and the entity of its element, here it is the root of Fire, the first spark to create the flaming powers of Atziluth, the world of the all-encompassing spiritual substance.
Being the essence of Fire, the Ace itself goes nowhere, but stands for the strong feeling that soon might turn into a strong will or plan. There is a spiritual power that has the ability to grow, it is completely up to us wether we use it or not.
The Ace of Wands might turn out to be bad when we cannot control or use its power that starts burning all out of a sudden, and all its riches get burned down before we can use them for good.
Drive: The wish to create
Light: sudden illumination, enthusiasm, inspiration, creativity, spiritual hunger, vigor, energy
Shadow: Destruction through exaggeration, false start, vexation, cancellation
Hope it's not Juan of those new beginnings:
what? you thought this pic wouldn't be here? think again
Winner:
7 of Pentacles
is that hope I spot in the hole?
The Seven of Disks are falling into Netzach, the fields of anarchy and destiny, and losing the harmonious peace of Tiphareth, this is a radical fall from paradise into the abysses of fate.
Failure is the name of the card and program for its downfall, and so the Seven of Disks talk of hopes deceived and crushed, of unfilled promises, loss of fortune, dealings that first sounded good but later revealed as short-living or cheating, false successes with no lasting benefit, that in the end had cost much more than they had gained.
The hope within the card is the hand of Saturn, the father of time, who reminds us to wait for a chance instead of quickly jumping after any vague promise, to silently watch and reflect and get deeper insights into the coherences, until the time will come when a real chance shows up.
Drive: Resignation, impatience
Light: The ability to wait
Shadow: Failure, disappointment, uneasiness, overhasty, stupid actions, unwise investments
This time from Orlando, here's our obligatory someone from somewhere for purple feminine abundance:
As discussed beforehand, this season we'll be doing standalone OPs just for the bigger races like 'Dega, Charlotte, Watkins Glen, etc and evidently the stages in the Chase at the end. Hope we'll have a better year than I think we will and not just an experimental nightmare. So after this OP, feel free to join the booze and banter over at Bradmad Bran's official 2019 season thread.
And that being said, let's have a great and safe race y'all.
*triple sacred boogity* let's go racin'
Edited by OvDrone, 12 February 2019 - 19:13.
