[The Champ]

Originally Posted by John V.

With virtually unlimited budgets, we now know that you can more or less take the mystery out of racing. I think I liked it better when there was some doubt whether an engine or trans might fail. In the interest of safety (never a bad thing) we've kinda reached a point where the machinery is about bullet-proof.

Far from bullet proof...

All these driver's suffered mechanical difficulties and failed to finish the race - many of them were engine problems.

Daytona 500 - Jeff Gordon and David Stremme.

Phoenix - Marcos Ambrose, Jeff Burton, David Reutiman, Jamie McMurray, Josh Wise, Joe Nemechek, Robby Gordon, Scott Riggs and Michael McDowell.

Las Vegas - Landon Cassill, Michael McDowell, Travis Kvapil, Josh Wise, Joe Nemechek and JJ Yeley.

While some of the teams represented above are low budget teams (higher chance of failure), Jeff Gordon, Marcos Ambrose, Jeff Burton, David Reutiman and Jamie McMurray are all driving for pretty decent teams.