Personally, I think both Talladega and Daytona are both "dinosaurs" of an old era of NASCAR, when the technology wasn't sophisticated enough to allow the drivers to simply "flat-foot it" around the track at 200 MPH. In the early days of those tracks, the drivers were still modulating their speeds with the throttle, as the cars still couldn't maintain full throttle around the track, so the drivers had a little more control over the cars. The cars weren't as aerodynamically dependent, so you couldn't "loosen somebody up" (at 200 mph!), simply by getting just off their back bumper or rear quarter panel, creating the possibility of causing a wreck that corrals 10-15 cars. Therefore, the drivers had a little more control over their cars. Yes, racing is inherently dangerous, and I agree, nobody (except a million dollar sponsor) is forcing the drivers to get in and race. But I think 'Dega and Daytona have lost the "race" aspect, and have become more a survival event.
Just my $0.02 worth.....
