Nascar nowadays....

[307 Regal]

At least during these early days of me watching and getting into it, driver skill took precedence in the sport, where now again IMO any monkey that can decently handle a car in that style of driving can do it.

What's gone is the excitement, why? Many reasons, but basically it's too polished nowadays.

Same reasons go for NHRA. It's so boring on TV.

The last NASCAR race I watched was their road course race a while back at Road America (my favorite track). It wasn't pretty (lots of crashes) and the final lap ended up going on for about 3 laps because of a few dumb passes gone worse (causing the lead car to run out of gas before the finish) but I still liked it better than circle track. If they scheduled more road courses I might pay more attention but they don't. A driver (I forget who) I saw on a talk show (I think it was SPEED's "The Car Show") claimed that they only scheduled 2 road courses that year because they couldn't pack in as many fans at a road course as they could at a circle track. It's all about the money and that's why publicly televised racing is boring.

 

[Randy_W]

Other changes;

"Winston Cup". Reynolds convinced France to drop all dirt tracks and races under 100 miles from the NASCAR schedule in 1972, reducing the number of races per season from 50 or more to an average of 30.
[pic 5]

Now back up to about 35 per year. As for the number of cars starting a race, 43 isn't anywhere near the higher number.

In the past field size was based on the size of the tracks. At one time there was over 50 drivers running at tracks like Daytona and as little as 28 running at tracks like Hickory. However, when the modern era came about and the Money got better with Winston as the series sponsor NASCAR and the drivers settled on 42 drivers for the field, as most tracks would accomodiate that many pit stalls. Again, keep in mind NASCAR used to have up to 60 cars trying to make the field and if you could get in then you could make money.
In 1989, the King Richard Petty, failed to qualify for a Race, So 3 time Champion Darrell Waltrip, who has been know to shoot his mouth off, told a national audience that it was a shame someone with the Kings status should miss a race. So Darrell proposed a "Past Champions" provisional that would allow any previous champion to be placed in the 43rd starting spot. Well in 1998, I believe, NASCAR decided to make the 43rd spot perminate. So if a past champions provisional was not used then the 43rd spot would be fielded by the next highest qualifier.

 

[bill]

I just dont see the need for all the rules in Nascar other than those for safety. To me, it should be simple...Engine horsepower measured on a dyno, limited to 8-900bph. Fuel type and amount should be limited to x gallons per race per car and of a preapproved brand and octane rating. Tire sizes and maker should be up to the teams. Car make, chassis design, engine make, transmission type, spoiler and overall weight, should be left up to the team. IMO, as long as the car is safe and properly built, and under a certain maximum horsepower with the issued fuel, it should be allowed to run. Smarter teams would have more advantage than rich ones. Obviously, those who can make good power and design strong, lightweight chassis' would have definate advantages. And, there are secrets to winning races on different tracks and at different times of the yr...and those that know these secrets have learned from experience on those tracks.

 

[Phoenyx]

I just dont see the need for all the rules in Nascar other than those for safety. To me, it should be simple...Engine horsepower measured on a dyno, limited to 8-900bph. Fuel type and amount should be limited to x gallons per race per car and of a preapproved brand and octane rating. Tire sizes and maker should be up to the teams. Car make, chassis design, engine make, transmission type, spoiler and overall weight, should be left up to the team. IMO, as long as the car is safe and properly built, and under a certain maximum horsepower with the issued fuel, it should be allowed to run. Smarter teams would have more advantage than rich ones. Obviously, those who can make good power and design strong, lightweight chassis' would have definate advantages. And, there are secrets to winning races on different tracks and at different times of the yr...and those that know these secrets have learned from experience on those tracks.

x2

 

[ATLMonte88]

Nascar now a days is NOT real racing imo. I understand and respect safety regulations but at this point we mine as well let a computer drive these cars. Yank the restrictor plates, drop all the extra spoilers and let em go! i'll stick to drag & dirt track racing where the politics are kept at bay.

 

[bill]

Nascar now a days is NOT real racing imo. I understand and respect safety regulations but at this point we mine as well let a computer drive these cars. Yank the restrictor plates, drop all the extra spoilers and let em go! i'll stick to drag & dirt track racing where the politics are kept at bay.

....and the racing is REAL!

 

[ATLMonte88]

Nascar now a days is NOT real racing imo. I understand and respect safety regulations but at this point we mine as well let a computer drive these cars. Yank the restrictor plates, drop all the extra spoilers and let em go! i'll stick to drag & dirt track racing where the politics are kept at bay.

....and the racing is REAL!

technically yes it is REAL, not saying it is totally staged like pro wrestling, but it isn't the same as it used to be. politics should not be involved in racing, favoritism shown to big sponsors and such. how many times have we seen a yellow flag thrown for "trash on the track" just so someone in the top 5 points standings can catch up to the leader or front pack. just my humble oppenion. i still go to a few races at Bristol and Atlanta so im not "hating" but i'd rather see dirt track racing any day.

 

[pencero]

Nascar today sucks. I think we should start over w/ true 'stock cars' and have vehicles out there which aren't modified for the competition and see who is really genuinely good drivers. Or if anything I heard about these 3 British guys who got stiffed out of a really good TV show that are looking for a job now? Anybody know those guys lol

by the way Tony Stewart all day. And I'm even more pissed off now that I know there arent gas gauges in the car b/c last year I lost 5 bucks when he ran out of gas on the last lap and at the time I blamed him but now I see it's not his fault :evil:

 

[bill]

Nascar today sucks. I think we should start over w/ true 'stock cars' and have vehicles out there which aren't modified for the competition and see who is really genuinely good drivers. Or if anything I heard about these 3 British guys who got stiffed out of a really good TV show that are looking for a job now? Anybody know those guys lol

by the way Tony Stewart all day. And I'm even more pissed off now that I know there arent gas gauges in the car b/c last year I lost 5 bucks when he ran out of gas on the last lap and at the time I blamed him but now I see it's not his fault :evil:

I know right....all those darn gauges on the dash and not one of them tells ya how much gas is in the tank! At least have a wireless sender to the pit box so they can holler over the radio to the driver....pit for gas, dumb-*ss!

 

[-83MONTESS-]

I know right....all those darn gauges on the dash and not one of them tells ya how much gas is in the tank! At least have a wireless sender to the pit box so they can holler over the radio to the driver....pit for gas, dumb-*ss!

If they put a fuel gauge then that would take away the whole "whose gonna make it to the finish" drama that goes on every race and it would be alittle more boring than it already is.