I commend them for what they're trying to do. We had to do something for the fans, but I think we went too far. The new aerodynamic package included adding a 1-inch gurney flap to the spoiler and an air deflector that runs the width of the roof. There were 40 lead changes among 22 drivers in the 170 laps of Winston Cup nonpoints competition at Daytona leading up to Sunday's race. The Daytona 500 produced 48 lead changes, the most in the race since 1983, among 14 drivers.
Wrecking is just part of it.
That's what they expect. You put rules like this together, and you're going to have that. The race was free of any major incidents until Ward Burton was tapped from behind by Robby Gordon, setting off a chain reaction. Stewart, who was running third, got the worst of it. He went airborne, flying over the top of Gordon and landing on the top of Bobby Labonte.