2012 Daytona 500 Practice & Race Discussion

Join in here and discuss all the happy hour practice & raceday action for the 2012 Daytona 500.

MONDAY , FEBRUARY 27th

RACEDAY 12:00pm/et - ( TV - FOX )

TOP F.A.Q

1. Full race ? YES
2. Sponsors ? SPEED Energy/MENARDS/MAPEI
3. Crew Chief ? Miles Stanley
4. Must Qualify On Time ? NOW QUALIFIED
5. Souvenir Hauler ? NO

LIVE GARAGE CAM

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by T. Pope on February 24, 2012 at 3:14pm

Great...and I hate to ask.....100% we are using same engine as duels? No possible change? No "talks", "Deals"...ect..

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Permalink Reply by Greg Jones on February 24, 2012 at 3:15pm

Any insight as to why RG chose the duel motor instead of the backup?

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Permalink Reply by alan4s on February 24, 2012 at 3:23pm

Here's my speculation on that. He knew that motor was running hot. They pulled it, and found "something". To verify that the "something" they found was the "something" that caused the problem, they fixed it on that motor, and put it back in for Saturdays first practice. If it was the fix, they will apply that same fix to the back-up motor, and swap that in for happy hour and the race. Even if it wasn't the "something" that caused the problem, I'd wager the backup will be installed before happy hour, if only for the fact that there's that much less wear on it.

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Permalink Reply by Kevin Meyer on February 24, 2012 at 3:55pm

Is there two practices on Saturday.. I thought it was the happy hour one and that's it?

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Permalink Reply by alan4s on February 24, 2012 at 4:00pm

Oh, I think you're right. So much for my speculation... Maybe they'll swap after practice, and take the hit to start in the back.

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Permalink Reply by Kevin Meyer on February 24, 2012 at 3:19pm

RG is a perfectionist, maybe a motor that is "bad" to him wouldn't be to the other 99%. I think we'll see the #7 ride around in the back, make a run to the front about halfway, drop back and stay out of everybody else's mess and go at the end when it counts. Besides it'll be 20 degrees cooler on Sunday and all the caution laps will help to preserve the motor. We all might be very pleasantly surprised by where the #7 finishes on Sunday.

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Permalink Reply by Rob Hoban on February 24, 2012 at 3:20pm

Until I hear a comment from Robby about the engine I am going to reserve comments. If Penske doesn't have the resources, they don't have the resources. If Robby is willing to lease an engine I find if VERY hard to belive that they declined Robby's request for any other reason, EVEN IF THAT IS THE CASE. We don't know. Besides, it has been suggested that a Penske engine lease costs around $100K. Last year Robby finished 16th and earned $299,466. Yeley finished last after running 10 laps and earned $268,550.

Brad's engine ran hot in the 150 and neither the 2 or 22 have quite set the world on fire at Daytona. Maybe Penske is struggling with the EFI as well. Is $100K worth it for an engine that is not really proven this year? If the rules didn't change and it was the same engine from 'Dega, then yes, otherwise....not so sure.

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Permalink Reply by Matt Gruber on February 24, 2012 at 3:44pm

We are still two days from the green flag. Everyone has been running hot. Penske can't lease a motor to RGM today and then lose one (or two) between now and then. Now, if Penske has a spare sitting on Sunday morning, that might be a different story. Plenty of time time for wheeling and dealing before Sunday.

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Permalink Reply by Wally Meier on February 24, 2012 at 3:45pm

Okay, so what do we know? we know Penske has proven RP motors, what we don't know is does he have enough on hand to share (read sell or lease) he has to cover his own ass before he worries about anyone else. We know that on it's own RGM's motor is not the highest caliber bullet on the track but with help it can be competative. We know it ran hot during the 150 just like most of the field when in traffic (let's hope NASCAR is working on something I'm sure RGM and every other team is) We know RGM has a fresh new motor in the backup car! but we don't know what can happen in the morning session of practice. If he wads the primary up do you take the chance of having to setup the back up and load the old motor? or pull the fresh one from the wreck and hope it's not hurt?or do you run what you already have work on the car and if the old motor isn't up to snuff then make the switch and possibly miss the 2nd round of practice and go into the 500 slightly blind as to what you have uder the hood? the only people on earth who can answer these questions are Robby, Miles and maybe some of the crew. That's really all we know.