If you're the type who tunes into NASCAR races to see the wrecks, you got your money's worth Friday night at the truck race, with not just one, but two! Two! TWO Big Ones! Let's go to the videotape, first with Travis Kvapil setting off a 15-car debacle:

Then, with only a few laps remaining in the race, the gang was running three wide when ...

By the end of the race, only a half-dozen hadn't sustained damage, and two of those belonged to Elliott Sadler and eventual winner Michael Waltrip. If this holds up, expect to see some serious carnage come Sunday afternoon.

10 years to the day after Michael Waltrip won the Daytona 500 -- and 10 years to the day after Dale Earnhardt was killed in that last lap crash -- Waltrip visited victory lane at Daytona again, winning the NextEra Energy 250 Camping World Truck Series race Friday night after a last lap pass of Elliott Sadler.

Sadler and Waltrip broke away from the pack over the last two laps in one of those now-familiar two vehicle drafts, with Waltrip pushing Sadler until the two entered the trioval approaching the checkered flag. Waltrip faked Sadler to the inside and pulled to the outside as Sadler defended the inside, completing the pass as the two drag raced to the finish line.

However, it wasn't without some controversy. On the penultimate lap, somewhere between the start finish line and turns three and four, part of Waltrip's spoiler broke, leaving the passenger-side half leaning backwards over the bumper of the truck. (Here's where Tony Kornheiser jumps in)

And as we all know, the resistance

Say this for ESPN: at least some of its employees are interested in knowing what the hell it's talking about.

Days after Tony Kornheiser shot his mouth off about NASCAR being "fixed," two other ESPN employees, fellas by the name of Rusty Wallace and Dale Jarrett, took a few spins around Daytona International Speedway to, you know, understand what the track is actually like when they're commenting on it. Imagine that.

Yes, yes, it's a promotional gimmick more than anything else, but it underscores the fact that it's a good idea to know whereof you speak before getting too mouthy. Wallace and Jarrett drove for about 25 minutes together

"We've been talking to the drivers about how the new pavement feels, but there's nothing like experiencing it for yourself," said Jarrett, a three-time Daytona 500 winner. "They really did an incredible job. It's like you were used to driving on a bumpy dirt road and then they pave it and it's like a different road."

As the laps wound down, Wallace

You talk in enough press conferences, you're going to say something unfortunate. Such is the case with Danica Patrick, who recently admitted she didn't know what state Bristol Motor Speedway is in. (Hopefully she'd narrowed it down to Tennessee, the correct answer, and Virginia, which is only about six miles away.)

In an effort to remind her of the track's home state, Bristol general manager Jerry Caldwell showed up at Daytona with a gift basket of Tennessee treats, including a Vols pillow, a Titans wristband, Moon Pies, Elvis Presley CDs and Jack Daniels whiskey, among a bunch of other items. (See a full list here.)

Anyway, Patrick will get roasted for this, for sure, but hey, at least she got some candy and whiskey out of the deal. Matter of fact, I think I need a refresher myself ...

Rounding up a few of the week's best stories that didn't quite get the full-post treatment...

• Most teams decided not to practice at Daytona on Friday, having seen what could happen to cars which get a little funky with the two-car draft. [SB Nation]

• The story of the three EMTs who were the first to arrive on the scene of Dale Earnhart's fatal crash is chilling, yet somehow fascinating, another reminder of how one moment can bind together an entire nation of fans. Don't miss the stories of the firesuit and the media credential. [Boston Herald]

• Congratulations to USMC Staff Sergeant Matthew Hansen, who will be recognized as the named honoree of the Crown Royal "Your Name Here" 400 race in Richmond. Also honored: Matthew's identical twin brother Daniel, also a Marine, who was killed in action in February 2009. [NASCAR.com/Yahoo! Sports]

• So it looks like the Pentagon will still sponsor NASCAR teams. A 281-148 vote kept the ban at bay. The vote broke down mostly along party lines,

Thanks to little competition and the aid of the new rules in place that limit drivers' points in multiple series, barring any unforeseen circumstances, Andy Lally will be the 2011 Raybestos Rookie of the Year in the Sprint Cup Series.

Yes, Brian Keselowski is also eligible for the award and he's certainly the feel-good story of Speedweeks after qualifying for the Daytona 500 in Thursday's second duel. But Keselowski fully admits that his opportunity at Daytona was a Hail Mary. The paycheck for starting the Great American Race is nice, but it takes more than purse money from the 500 to run a full Sprint Cup season these days.

Lally, 36, isn't really a true rookie either. He's run eight Sprint Cup races, but still retains his rookie eligibility because he ran seven races in 2009. Had he run eight, he would have been ineligible.

Lally and the No. 71 TRG Motorsports team are planning to run a full season, but their sponsorship is tenuous at best. However, even if TRG has to resort to

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As the Daytona 500 gets ready to roll this weekend, there'll be plenty of time for tributes to Dale Earnhardt, the legend who died 10 years ago Friday. In the spirit of remembering the man's life rather than his death, we present 10 of the finest moments of his career. Check these out, not just for Earnhardt himself but for the way racing used to be. Enjoy.

10. 2000 Cracker Barrel 500: Earnhardt outdueled Bobby Labonte in Atlanta for one of the final wins of his career. The video below shows Earnhardt a wee bit ticked with teammate Mike Skinner for some in-race performance; note, also, the insane racing back to the starting line while under yellow:

More follows...

9. 1984 Talladega 500: This Talladega race marked Earnhardt's first win in the car that would become his signature: the No. 3:

8. 2000 DirecTV 500: In just his 12th Cup-level start, Dale Earnhardt Jr. took the

Race season is almost upon us! And as a special bonus, we get a gift that usually only comes around after rainstorms: weekday racing! Join us here this afternoon for the Gatorade Duels at 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Eastern. We'll be chatting over on the main page, but feel free to have your say right here as the race unfolds. Those two cats there at right are already slotted in the Daytona 500, one at the front, one at the back. (Don't ask.) Where will everyone else end up? Who will get in, and who will be heading home a few days early? We'll see, starting this afternoon!