Daytona curse?

Wasn't that a wonderful celebration with Jamie Mac on Sunday at Daytona? That young man was thrilled to win. Heck, he was thrilled just to have a Sunday ride!

Six months ago he was chopped from the Roush-Fenway team, a casualty of downsizing. Not by Jack's idea, but of NASCAR's. Anyone surprised by that? Didn't think so. Seems people took exception to the Cat in the Hat fielding five Cup teams, and all five getting into the Chase in 2005. That would have been Mark Martin, Jamie Mac, Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch and Greg Biffle. Shoot, if he's got the money, I say let Jack have all the teams he can afford!

Flash forward. Jamie is pickup by his old buddy Chip Ganassi (Earnhardt Ganassi) and voila! Got a ride for 2010.

HOWEVER, Daytona winners haven't always fared well the season they hoisted that trophy. The last two winners - Kenseth and Ryan Newman - failed to make the Chase the year they took Daytona.

Then there's poor Kevin Harvick. He's a personal fave of my Lion's Club pal Homer Jimison. Happy Harvick hasn't made a trip to Victory Lane in the Cup Series SINCE winning the 2007 Daytona 500.

Furthermore...

It's been rain-shortened twice (2003 and 2009).

And in 2001, it ended with, well, you know, THAT crash.

This was the year of the pothole, making for one of the longest races we've watched - then listened to the end, because it was how many hours long? Nap-mats anyone? Honestly, you could lose a pace car in that hole.

Don't get me wrong, it was a good race, an exciting race at times, especially the end, if you lasted that long. And no, I don't believe anyone was telling their drivers to hold off and let JR pass. Puhleeze.

Seriously, there's just something about that place that bodes dark.

Yet, in an odd twist of fate, Dale Jr., who's been kind of struggling for a while, finished second. A lot of my friends, and members of the JR Nation, praised the fella for the best drive they'd seen from him in a while.

Well alrighty, then. On to Cali-forn-i-a! Yee-Haw!