Super Bowl Time...and it's not about football

If you go to NASCAR.com you will quickly become aware of the fact it's only a few weeks before the Super Bowl of Racing at Daytona. I've always wondered why in NASCAR the biggest event of the year for many is the first one, instead of the last one as is the case with other sports. I guess its popularity relates to the roots of NASCAR which began growing in 1947 when the Daytona race was held on the beach road course. Today, the track is a modern 2.5 mile oval, with seating for around 170,000 screaming fans. Add TV and Internet live coverage and you have something special. Another one of NASCAR's oldest tracks is Martinsville, but in this case it's a half-mile paper-clip shaped arena, and although it seats less than half of what Daytona does, the fans are equally rabid. I have my tickets in hand for the April 1st Goody's 500, and also the Subway 500 in October. Short track racing like in Martinsville, Richmond and Bristol seem so much better to watch in person since you can span the entire track and pit areas at a glance, and most times you miss nothing. At larger tracks like Daytona, your view is much more panoramic, but since I've never been there in person, I'm really no expert in that regard. Still, my eyes will be glued to the TV on February 18th for the Daytona 500. The REAL Super Bowl!