Gotta love those back-of-the-pack drivers

A couple of years ago in this space I wrote about David Gilliland, one of the back-of-the-pack NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers for whom I’ve always had admiration and affinity.

Without the back-of-the-pack guys, there would be only 12 cars or so that actually could win one of these races, and they’d all be running on the lead lap, and then who would get the Lucky Dog wave-around when somebody crashed into a wall not protected by a SAFER barrier?

I remember Gilliland saying he spent about 10 laps during Daytona 500 practice running close to Danica Patrick. On purpose. He said it was the only way he could get on TV without crashing.

To me, the best thing about going to a NASCAR race (unless Jeff Foxworthy gives the command to start the engines) is getting to watch the guys in the back of the pack race, too. Some of the best battles are underfunded guys and do-it-yourselfers dueling for 18th place in a 19th-place car, or for 28th place in a 29th-place car.

So when the green flag at the 18th Kobalt 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway drops today at 12:30 p.m., here are three drivers with interesting stories who might be worth following, provided you bring binoculars or a spyglass.

■ Brian Scott, wheelman of the No. 33 Whitetail Chevrolet, almost will be able to see the fast cars when Ol’ Darrell Waltrip says boogity, boogity, boogity. Scott starts in Row 12, 23rd position, just north of the Mason-Dixon Line in the 43-car field.

Scott is 27 years old, from Boise, Idaho. Husband. Father. Dog owner. Saved by Jesus. That’s what it says on his Twitter bio.

Last week the Huffington Post put up a video of Brian and Whitney Scott’s wedding. During one point, Brian drops to a knee to tell Whitney’s daughter Brielle how much he loves her.

“I promise to always hold your hand and skip with you down the street and bring comfort to your life. I vow to make you say prayers before you eat. I promise to read you stories at night and to always tuck you in real tight. I vow to show you how a man should treat a woman in my relationship with your mother. And above all else, I vow to protect you, care for you and love you forever.”

By the next day, 1.4 million people had seen that video.

It’ll bring a tear to your eye. I blamed mine on emotions crashing into a wall not protected by a SAFER barrier.

■ Brett Moffitt will line up in Row 18, 36th position. He drives the No. 34 Shaw’s Southern Belle Seafood Ford. At least this week, and for the next two races after that. Moffitt is pinch hitting for David Ragan, who is pinch hitting for Kyle Busch in the No. 18 M&M’s Toyota.

Busch is back in North Carolina, encased in plaster of Paris after breaking a leg and a foot in a nasty crash at Daytona upon crashing into one of those unSAFER walls.

Last week, Moffitt pinch hit for the philosophical and physically troubled-by-a-heart-ailment Brian Vickers in the No. 55 Aaron’s Toyota. Moffitt finished a respectable eighth. He even led a lap.

Moffitt is 22 years old, from the little town of Grimes, Iowa. Grimes is 35 miles from Des Moines as the Hawkeye flies. They might or might not have covered bridges there. They definitely have a Burger King. It’s listed third under Area Restaurants on the official Grimes, Iowa, Chamber of Commerce website.

Brett Moffitt is fast becoming Manny Mota among NASCAR pinch hitters. Would somebody please get this kid a full-time ride and some owner points, or at least a pine-tar rag for the on-deck circle?

■ When the trading of paint and passing on the high side begins, Josh Wise and the No. 98 Phil Parsons Racing Ford just will be pulling out of Mesquite. Actually, the box score says he’ll start in Row 20, 39th position among 43.

Can Wise win from back there? Not a chance. Not in a car with limited sponsorship. But on his way up while racing open-wheel cars, Wise once came through the field to beat Sleepy Tripp to the checkered flag at Stockton (Calif.) 99 Speedway.

Ron “Sleepy” Tripp had one of the coolest nicknames in auto racing (along with Jimmy “Smut” Means). Tripp also was a legend in the midget cars.

But 31-year-old Josh Wise of Riverside, Calif., probably is more famous for being voted into last year’s Sprint All-Star Race. He was voted in by racing fans ahead of Danica Patrick, which is like getting voted in ahead of a Bush or a Clinton.

Wise said it started with some 16-year-old kid posting on the Internet about some good runs he had had in Parsons’ underfunded taxicab. He finished 15th in the All-Star Race, the last car running.

On Saturday, Josh Wise ran practice laps and managed to stay out of the way of the fast cars and drivers. Same for Brian Scott and Brett Moffitt.

Ms. Danica, on the other hand …

“Just when u think everything is starting to go your way, 10 (Patrick) spins in front of u & ruins ur day,” posted soon-to-be-retired Jeff Gordon, who was to have started the Kobalt 400 from the pole position, but now will start from 42nd or so, on his Twitter account.

“Going to backup (car).”

Las Vegas Review-Journal sports columnist Ron Kantowski can be reached at rkantowski@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0352. Follow him on Twitter: @ronkantowski.