Sunday's Daytona 500 wasn't only one of the strangest races in history, it may have also laid the groundwork for the final elimination of restrictor plates at Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedways.

Since restrictor plates were introduced to NASCAR in 1987, there have been too many multi-car wrecks like Sunday's 18-car free-for-all, or the smaller six-car pileup in the race's waning laps.

	Kenny Wallace, standing, was one of 18 drivers involved in a massive wreck on lap 149 of the Daytona 500.

More than half the field was damaged in just two accidents, which could have been lessened if cars weren't forced to remain so close to one other due to the limits restrictor plates put on the amount of power generated from oxygen-robbed carburetors.

It's amazing anyone was left at the end to take the checkered flag, as Ward Burton admirably did, staying out of harms way to win stock-car racing's biggest event.

And while many countless numbers of drivers, team owners, team members and fans are once again ruing what havoc the use of restrictor plates caused, there's another angle that arose from the mayhem.

Of the 24 drivers involved in the two major mishaps, not a single one suffered serious injuries. Not one. NASCAR's new safety mandates -- such as head-and-neck restraining devices and improved protective seats -- worked to perfection. NASCAR not only hit a home run with the new safety rules, it was a game-winning grand slam.

NASCAR finally did something right -- and in a big way. Twenty-four drivers are walking around today with nothing more than some sore bones. No broken bones, no hospitalizations … and most importantly, no repeat of the tragedy at the same race a year ago.

These new safety devices have not solved all of NASCAR's injury issues. Maybe everyone was just lucky Sunday. However, it was probably more state-of-the-art engineering and development than simple luck that kept emergency rooms empty of racers.

NASCAR originally adopted the plates because of safety concerns that cars were going too fast at Daytona and Talladega. When Bill Elliott clicked off that record run of 212.809 mph at Talladega nearly 15 years ago, NASCAR's quick response was to find something, anything, to rob engines of their power.

NASCAR's use of restrictor plates was originally supposed to be only a stopgap measure until some other method was found. Well, 15 years later we're still waiting.

At the same time, we also continue to see major wrecks at those venues.

With the sudden leap forward in safety, which is more prudent on NASCAR's part: to keep using restrictor plates, thereby continuing to risk more big wrecks, or remove the plates and let the cars and drivers establish the spacing on the track.

Restrictor plates force three-wide racing when it shouldn't happen. They make it harder for individual cars to pull out of an aerodynamic draft to pass others. They prompt drivers to drive more recklessly just to gain a sliver of real estate. And they have made blocking one of the most dangerous practices in the sport today.

In both of Sunday's major wrecks, drivers were defending their position by blocking cars behind or alongside them. When you have two or more drivers unwilling to give up even an inch of asphalt, big crashes are inevitable with restrictor plates.

NASCAR should make one of the three remaining superspeedway races this season a non-restrictor plate event. Call it an experiment. Call it time for a change. Call it something that should have been done long ago. And if such an event passes with flying colors, plates should then be permanently banned.

Today's Winston Cup cars are more technologically advanced, mechanically superior and far safer than cars in use in 1987. The new safety measures will not automatically preclude serious injury, but most drivers admit they'd rather have the extra power to avoid an incident.

One of the most over-used phrases in NASCAR is a driver and car were "caught up" in a wreck. With restrictor plate racing and limited options to avoid impact, you're not just "caught up," you're sucked into a black hole. You're helpless.

Getting rid of restrictor plates would give that choice back to the driver.

With today's enhanced safety measures, is it more dangerous to let cars pick up an additional 10-15 mph or to keep the perennial crash-causing, speed-robbing -- and most importantly, safety insidious -- plates in place?

The answer is a no-brainer.

Jerry Bonkowski covers NASCAR for ESPN.com.