It’s Sunday morning, February 16, 2014 and NASCAR fans across America are about to be bludgeoned by the worst show in auto racing.

Single-car qualifying for the Daytona 500, broadcast live and in living color on big screens across the USA.

Three hours of excruciating boredom with little meaning.

Oh wait. Of course. Someone will make a lap around the high-banked, 2.5-mile tri-oval faster than the other the other 49 entries and have the privilege of leading the field of 43 cars to the green flag next Sunday. Outside of bragging rights, it doesn’t really matter all that much.

It seems that every NASCAR fan remembers the winner(s) of the Daytona 500. Pole winners? Not so much.

We only remember last year’s pole winner because it was Danica Patrick, the first woman to accomplish the feat. She did so by not only going quicker than everyone else, but she edged out Jeff Gordon, who won the pole in both 1996 and 1999, the same year he won the 500.

Gordon’s feat (winning the pole and the race the same year) is a rare one indeed, as only eight drivers have won the Daytona 500 from the somewhat coveted pole position, the last time in 2000 (Dale Jarrett).

The current rules package of the Gen 6 restrictor plate stock car makes racing at places like Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway something between a chess match, a poker game, a game of craps and *Who Do You Trust?

*That last reference is to a television game show that ran in the 50s and 60s that once had Johnny Carson as its host. You say you don’t even know who Johnny Carson was? Google him.

Restrictor plate racing in 2014 is all about knowing when to hold ’em and when to fold ’em, who’s your BFF for at least a few laps and how much get up and go does your race car have when you pull out from the pack to try and make a pass.

Last night’s Sprint Unlimited was quite the entertaining show, especially the last two segments. It did show how the new rules package will make for an equally (if not more) entertaining show next Sunday during the Daytona 500.

But single car qualifying. I’m not so sure its worth taking a break from binge-watching “House of Cards” but you might want to just check in sometime during the “show.” Thankfully, this is the only race that will still have the dreadful procedure. Group qualifying begins at the next race.

I’m hoping Danica Patrick wins the pole again. At least there’ll be something to write about and it’ll have the rest of America talking about “that girl who drives a stock car” for the week leading up to the big event.

Thanks for stopping by.