Barffly

This is just a minor rant.  I don't particularly like auto racing, but I don't hold anything against those who do.  This entry is more about the media coverage of the sport.   It's more of a pet peeve than anything  else.

It's time to stop calling the Daytona 500 the "Super Bowl  of NASCAR."  Here's why:

1) First and foremost, the winner of the Daytona 500 does not automatically win the NASCAR championship.  It may be weighted more than other races (I honestly do not know if this is true and don't care enough to look it up).  However, it doesn't mean you get the Winston Cup, Nextel Cup, or whatever cup there is out there.

2) It's at the start of the season, and not at the end.  If this were a true championship, like the Super Bowl, it would be at the end of the year.

Now, there is a compelling argument that it is the "Super Bowl of NASCAR" from a media coverage standpoint.  It is certainly the most hyped race of the year and draws the most media attention.  However, I think a better analogy would be to call it the "Kentucky Derby of NASCAR."  The Kentucky Derby is the first and most hyped event in the Triple Crown.  Since the Daytona 500 is also the first and most hyped event of a series of races, I think my analogy is better.

Of course, I don't work for a major newspaper, CBSSPortsline, or ESPN.  So the odds are that I'll just have to cringe and bear it whenever I hear this misnomer.