Series champion Dan Eslick suffered possibly the worst start of his career in the original start of the Daytona 200. His bike bogged and the pole-sitter was nearly left on the grid. Luckily for Eslick, the race was red-flagged and the dirt tracker received a second chance at trying to run it into turn one with the actual group of riders he qualified with.

Eyebrows were at full mast after the second "flag drop" when Eslick clearly jumped the start of the Daytona 200.

He rolled out of his starting box just before the lights went green, caught himself, stopped and then re-started with the lights. A penalty flag and a stop and go penalty were fully expected, but never came.

The pendulum has swung the other way at DMG now. The bully referee and heavy-handed routine that they maintained last year has been replaced with a much kinder and gentler administration in 2010. Applause broke out after one meeting between DMG and participants Daytona after DMG actually asked for suggestions and stated that they would endeavor to communicate better this season.

Race starts were watched with a DMG microscope last season, which proved itself to be a major point of contention between participants and administration. Like a variety of aspects to 2009 DMG racing, the hyper-focus on race starts was a poor use of resources and a wedge-driving device between sanctioning body and racers.

Eslick saved his own bacon when he stopped after jumping the start. His good-faith effort to fix the situation, and that he gained no advantage, was all DMG needed to see. No harm, no foul.