Tuesday, May 31st 'What If' Question

The racing Gods giveth and the racing Gods taketh away.

That's what happened on Sunday in the world of motorsports. The 100th anniversary of the Indianapolis 500 was setting itself up for a dramatic finish. Leaders pitting, others staying out, some good to go on fuel but buried in the field. As the race wound down many different leaders stepped up, including Danica Patrick who held the lead with less than 20 laps to go before having to make her final stop.

Round and round they went as the world waited to see who was going to cycle out in front. Then, with less than three laps to go an improbable contender was driving toward an unthinkable victory. Driving for Panther Racing in the No. 4 National Guard machine, rookie JR Hildebrand found himself with a four second lead over Dan Wheldon.

At the white flag and down the backstretch Hildebrand was about to make history and take the National Guard team to victory lane on Memorial Day weekend. Through turn three and into turn four. Then off turn ... into the wall Hildebrand went while trying to get around a lapped car. While it appeared he tried to keep his foot in the gas and straighten the car out, it was too damaged and Wheldon went roaring by.

The dream was over but a day of racing wasn't. It was time to see if one of NASCAR's biggest races could top what Indy had done earlier that day. Just as the finish a few hours earlier did, the Coca-Cola 600 was going to be decided by who had enough fuel at the end. Greg Biffle was leading Kasey Kahne and Dale Earnhardt Jr. when the caution flag flew with five laps to go.

It set up a green-white-checkered flag finish that saw many heading down pit road for fuel. That included Biffle who had to pit just before the green was shown. It put Kahne and Earnhardt Jr. on the front row for the restart. When the flag flew, Kahne ran out of fuel and stacked the field up, allowing Earnhardt Jr. in his National Guard Chevrolet to drive away.

As Jeff Burton spun off the track in turn one, the caution was not shown and Earnhardt Jr. raced around to the white flag and toward a victory 105 races in the making. As he was driving away down the backstretch and into turn three and four it appeared that he was going to be able to snap his winless streak and take the National Guard team to victory lane on Memorial Day weekend.

But just like it had happened a few hours and few hundred miles away, it wasn't mean to be. Earnhardt Jr. ran out of fuel in turn four and was passed by Kevin Harvick. Two, what could have been, incredible victories were given and right in sight before being snatched away in the final turn on the final lap.

But ...

What if both National Guard cars (#Indy & #NASCAR) made it off turn four on Sunday, who is the bigger story JR Hildebrand or Dale Jr.?
@MattEmbury: Hildebrand, no one gave him a hope in Halloween, the majority of NASCAR fans thought Junior would win.

@RoushGirl17: Hildebrand, that would have been a winner not many would have called. CMS would have been rockin though! #Indy #NASCAR

@DEBMORETZ: No question.....Dale Jr.

@ARosser14: Hildebrand. Centennial Anniversary of the 500, American rookie wins in a military car on Memorial Day Weekend.

@NancyatStudioN: That depends on whether U prefer Indy or Nascar. Some Nascar fans won't believe it, but there R ppl who never heard of DE Jr

@cruetten: as a biased Dale Jr fan, even i would have to say Hildebrand. Indy 500 is a bigger race. more prestige, more history, etc...

Stephanie Davis (via Facebook) I really dont know how to answer this one. JR Hilderbrand was a big story and took a hard hit, then you have Dale Jr just 1/4 mile away from his first win in like 105 races and Charlotte would've gone CRAZY if he won. Both are big stories.

Jason Remillard (via Facebook) Looking at it from the scenarios involved, the bigger story would be Hildebrand ... and it would have helped being that Indy was earlier in the day, no bumping against deadline. But Junior would have dominated Monday's early morning coverage because NASCAR is bigger mainstream than IndyCar.

Stroker Ace (via Facebook) First i'd like to say its is too bad both of them didn't win on the Memorial Day weekend with their respective sponsor's that they were both sporting on their cars - That must've really sucked for the Military NASCAR fans who were watchin the races - To answer your What If question - That's easy, Dale Jr woulda been the bigger story simply because he is Jr. He's got his own Nation of flag wavin good ol boys (and girls) following him - Nothing against JR Hildebrand, but the last i knew he didn't have all that.