Thursday, February 23rd 'What If' Question

This question was a fan submission from @AdamHeasley
Sunday's 54th annual Daytona 500 ends a long week filled with racing.

It started last Saturday night with the Budweiser Shootout, an exhibition race that's run only for fun and normally filled with plenty of excitement. After nearly wrecking in his No. 18 M&M's Toyota twice, and seeing Jeff Gordon barrel roll, Kyle Busch captured his first Shootout win. The following day Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle put Roush Fenway Racing on the front row for the Daytona 500 with Edwards capturing his first 500 pole.

And then came Thursday what might the most exciting but nerve-racking day of Speedweeks. Thursday two Gatorade Duel races not only decide the starting lineup of Sunday's Daytona 500 but who makes the Great American Race and who has to head home and try again next year.

After finishing second to Kyle Busch in a photo finish in the Budweiser Shootout it was Tony Stewart who captured the first Duel's checkered flag. He'll start third in the Daytona 500 as he attempts to win the big race for the first time in his career. But as Stewart headed for the checkered flag and a third place starting position in the 500, it was one of the cars that he owns who took a big hit behind him.

Rookie Danica Patrick found the inside wall on the backstretch after contact from Aric Almirola sent her No. 10 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet for a wild ride. The caution immediately flew and the field was frozen and NASCAR ruled where each driver had been when the caution had come out.

Patrick was forced to a backup car and will start the Daytona 500 from the 29th position. Finishing behind Stewart was Dale Earnhardt Jr., who will lineup fifth on the starting grid.

But ...

"What if Duel #1 was the Daytona 500 and #NASCAR threw a caution while Junior had a run on Stewart on the final lap? What reactions would there be?"

@ARosser14 I'd be partying my butt off and wouldn't care what the Official Cult of NASCAR (Junior Nation) had to say about it one bit.

@NancyatStudioN Obvious answer - JR Nation would have gone berserk

@cruetten we would start throwing things, develop anger issues, schedules would clear up, would grow scraggly beards & take in stray animals

@murp0443 Better? Will Nascar start using better dscrtn when throwing caut on last lap. If wreck is behind leader no caution needed... On last lap ALL there is 2 think about is, "Wave yellow or let finish?" NOT tough to make the safe call & have great finish! I get safety. I get not racing back to the yellow mid-race... But just change that rule on final lap. Race till Checkers!!!

@AdamHeasley It would go to show how inconsistent NASCAR can be. It would cause a big controversy. Oh and I'll take credit for this one :)