2017 Nascar Thread

I haven't been but I REALLY want to go next weekend. It's one of the biggest late model races of the year. I hear it's a great track without a bad seat in the house. I think racing begins at 9:30am on Sunday. Motels are cheap if the weather gets sour.

 

I'm thinking of camping... Do u know if I can park my truck on the campsite and if campfires are allowed?

 

That is BS.... I do feel like maybe award some points in qualifying...

 

Not sure, as I haven't been, but if you go I'll be jealous. Kyle Busch usually runs the race but he's out this year. Erik Jones and Sterling Marlin will be there.

 

If I can do a campfire I'll go... I'll be bringing my Kyle Busch cutout

 

Well, as wet as it's been down there since mid-December, things should be fine. I was in Cordele at the end of November and it was dry as bone. Late December it was wet as a fish. They're getting it tonight too.

 

Yeah I'm probably going

 

Not sure how this is bad. I do agree that top qualifier should get a point or two, and to have sections of the race where folks race harder I would think is a good thing for the fans.

 

You are a top level racer... 500miles is 500miles... Cut these bs debris cautions at the end that create the winner from nowhere... The 20 minute clock is stupid, and so are race segments. If you want segments go watch racing with heat races...

 

I can't really disagree with anything you said here, but I still don't see what wrong awarding points at multiple times throughout out a race. It could go something like first 1/4 of the race gets 1 point per car they are ahead of at that time, 1/2 way 2 points, 3/4 3 points, and end 5 points. And you only get points if you are running at those points. Might have less start and parks. Prise money could be awarded based on the win and points earned during the race. Might make more racing in the pack.

 

One of my favorite parts of speed weeks is qualifying to set the front row then the duals to set the field. I think that's one of the reasons the trucks at Eldora is so cool, qualifying, heat races then the feature. But I was raised on Midwest dirt and bullrings. I hated the 20min clock racing to the caution last season.

 

What they need to do is award bonus points based off percentage of the race led... Then they'd want to stay up front rather than just lead one and win

 

yep that would help, but the other way creates more racing in the pack, gets those buble guys to work harder, thus maybe making it more difficult for the guys who typically race up through to work a little harder.

Honestly, I have been a huge fan for a long time, but the last few years have probably watch a handful of races, compared to never missing one for years.

 

It's still a level playing field and all driver's play by the same rules, regardless of points structure, late race b.s., or whatever. It will only change strategies and create more stress, if that's possible. Hell, if I had my way, make it like it was in about '02-'03 and reward drivers who show domincance through the year, and the race winners aren't always the same drivers as the champion.

 

Re: "Gimmicks presented as Competition Rule Changes:"
So, the core of this sport is 1) Who has the fastest car, and 2) Who has the biggest balls/ovaries* to bomb that thing around a bullring W.O.T. Not what garners the biggest advertising income, boosts tv ratings, stacks up the pack for a better show, etc. I understand the sport has evolved and money is the name of the game from Monaco down to the local dirt-karting course. I believe in a small governing body that provides competition safety, transparent management, and polices technical advancements within reason (clear foundation of rules for what IS cheating**, while everything else is simply technical innovation).

Re: "Perception of Competition Level:"
Do y'all attend races at a variety of tracks? Have you recently attended motorsports events besides NASCAR? have you seen what a standard oval Indycar race looks like? Have you attended short-track late models? Dirt racing? Formula 1? Karting?

Preface: I'm not trying to toot my own horn here, but here's my view.

I attended three Cup races last year: Atlanta, Martinsville, and Darlington. The best race hands down was Atlanta. I'm not talking about the finish, which was a cluster-F, but the competition around the track was incredibly fun to watch. Cars were passing all around the track 2-3 wide. The race was a ratings snore because of the limited cautions and long green flag runs, but the drivers LOVED it. Talladega is a beautiful sight to behold, but it is a parade from start to finish. Darlington is too LONG and tight for drivers to find a comfort zone, at least this past year with the new aero package. I've also attended Cup races at Daytona, Talladega and Charlotte dating back to 1991, so I've seen some changes. Perhaps this is my personal idiosyncrasy, but something I've done since I was 9 years old was focus on one segment of the race track and watch entry and exit lines, and how different driver's lines change over the course of a tire run. Seating at the track is KEY. Frontstretch tickets are always more expensive and percieved to be better seats, but they're usually the worst. Sit in the turns; usually entry to turn one and turn three offer the most excitement, and are often cheaper seats. Atlanta tore down the best seats in the house (Petty & Elliott grandstand in Turn 3), and now they're going to repave it. UGH.

I've seen a lot of complaints about passing and the content of actual on-track racing, but I think those critiques are misguided and are actually about about the TV coverage. Turn on MRN or PRN and you hear a completely different experience. Without the aid of visuals, each commentator has to paint a vivid description of the on-track action. Rarely are they talking about the leader, rather what's happening back in the pack. Honestly, racing on the radio is a better product. I'm going to use a football analogy.... Think of the TV coverage of a football play: The camera is on the ball. The QB launches the ball to a receiver who completely misses the catch. Play over. The camera focused on the potential excitement of a catch and missed the awesome block where the tight-end just RAILED a defensive end back at the line. That was the excitement and the TV coverage completely missed it. The NASCAR TV covereage is similar in that they focus on the first & second place cars and miss 38 other cars who are actually racing in the same dirty air for position. THAT is where the excitement is happening, not up front. We all know that in modern NASCAR, the leader is most likely going to run away because they have clean air.

Modern TV coverage, known in the industry as "Hypertight" coverage is terrible, and ratings have declined since it's implementation. The reason for hypertight? So Sponsor's logos will fill more of your TV screen, not to show the best on-track product.

I could go on and on but I won't.


*Equal opportunist here. Plus props to Louis Smith, Ethel Mobley, Sara Christian, Janet Guthrie

** NASCAR rule book does not define what IS cheating, rather it says NASCAR has the right to decide what IS cheating ON a case by case basis. 50 shades of gray over here.

 

Recent news:

 

I love hooters!

 

Big changes to the points

 

Anyone else going to speedfest this weekend? @MadDaddy I printed my tickets if you wanna meet up and camp

 

Man. I. Wish. My neighbor is throwing a big birthday bash Saturday I already committed to and I've been asked to do some guitar session work on Sunday. I think I have a paper due on Tuesday morning too. There's a great little asphalt track a hour north of here if you're ever this way. They race on Fridays March-September. A bunch of the same late model teams will be running there.