8 - THE DERRICK. / The News-Herald Wednesday, February 14, 2018 The Daytona Beach News-Journal’s Godwin Kelly & Ken Willis have covered NASCAR for nearly 60 years combined. NASCAR THIS WEEK
[email protected] [email protected] SPEED FREAKS QUESTIONS & ATTITUDE A few questions we had to ask ourselves Compelling questions ... and maybe a few actual answers Alex Bowman starts up front for DAYTONA the 500: can he be there at the 16-second pit stops? end? THREE THINGS WE LEARNED GODSPEAK: The slipping and Sure, back in your dad’s day, sliding 500? Sorry, I don’t think they couldn’t get in and out in it will happen. Maybe next year. 16 seconds unless they only KEN’S CALL: Gotta say no. It’s took two tires. But in modern a lot of laps in a lot of traffic NASCAR, 16 seconds would with a lot that can go wrong for feel like a wait at the DMV. But a guy not accustomed to being cutting pit crews from six to there. five members has lengthened the stops and given the teams Does the Clash win make Kesel- plenty to study and test as owski a Daytona 500 favorite? they look to shave time in the GODSPEAK: Yes, just based on pits. the fact his Daytona confidence level is through the roof right Is this a good thing? now. KEN’S CALL: He’s always among Yes! Frankly, four guys would the favorites at Daytona. Now be even better. Do I hear that he’s broken his Speed- three? Anything that adds weeks winless skid, even more to the human element and so.