The over-40 guys are showing all those young whipper snappers a thing or two. Dale Earnhardt is closing in on 49. But three wins in 1999 and a brilliant performance at Atlanta several weeks ago proved there could be more trophies in his future. Forty is old for the guys in the stick and ball sports. They might be in great shape, but it's hard to compete when you lose a step or two, or can't jump as high.
Experience can make up for only so much in stick and ball sports.
Stock car racing is different, Wallace said. He said knowing how to get around tracks like Daytona, Bristol, Dover, Darlington or Martinsville comes with seat time. Experience, he added, also helps an older driver adapt to rule changes quicker. Whatever it is, it's working. That, however, can't be said for Darrell Waltrip, 53.