Race Season '09

[slowngreen]

i can't imagine how fun it would be to drive one of those, unattended, on open streets for a while!!!!

 

[Lessen]

jeff, are you going to Watkins Glen this year? We havn't decided which race we're gonna go to. I REALLY want to go to Martinsville cuz I really think a win there is just a matter of time, but Kim wants a vacation earlier in year before the bash and she wants to get away for our 5th anni. That's right around the Richmond spring race. Also, it just now entered my mind that considering the economy this might just be the year to snag a couple tickets to Bristol.

 

[Candyman]

No, not going to the Glen. It's only a 2 hour drive for me, but it's really not a great track to watch at. There are a few good spots to watch from, but you only see about 1/4 of the track at best. So it's watch......wait.....watch......wait.... You get the picture. Far better on TV.

 

[Lessen]

That's pretty much the way road racing is. However there are some places that you can see much more. From what I hear... you can see A LOT of the track at Interlagos (Brazilian GP) because the whole thing is set in a bowl of sorts. Chalk that one up on my "bucket list".

 

[RC Addict]

I'm no where near the NASCAR fan I once was. The Chase imo began the decline of the sport, and now with that choad C.O.T. I have all but lost interest in NASCAR. I'll be going back to my first love in racing NHRA. Nothing like 7000+ hp going 0-325 in 4.5 seconds, now that's power!

+1 on "The Chase" and the COT ruining NeckCAR and a BIG +1 to NHRA!

 

[Lessen]

I think you guys that dislike the chase format are on crack. The format is brilliant from a marketing standpoint and was one of the single greatest business moves I've ever seen from a sports standard. However, I think they totally F'ed it up when the made the change to 12 drivers. They essentially watered it down to appease the fans that didn't see their big name driver have at least a shot at it. IMO, the chase should be 6 and not more than 8 drivers AND it should only entail the last 5 races of the season. Set the bar high and let the true best duke it out. Every year we've seen the last half dozen drivers do nothing amazing through the chase so why even bother? The idea is great for competition but the presentation of it is waaaay out of whack.

Mind you I make my opinion knowing that JMac finished 11th in the '06 season... a season in which he would've finished a couple spots better (due to 7 top 10's through the chase races) had he been included as in the '08 rules state.

I honestly don't feel all of the top 10 deserve to be put on such a high pedestal through 36 races. Now top 6 through 40... those are serious competitors for a championship.

 

[Candyman]

Sorry, Josh, but I hate the chase. In the last 2 seasons, the Chase has burned Kyle Bush and Jeff Gordon immensely. Both had huge leads after the 26th race. And both lost that lead immediately. It has rendered performance in the first 26 races essentially moot. With the exception of winning. So at this point, a team's goal for the first 26 is finish in the top 12 and win a few. That's it. Jimmy Johnson is indeed the poster boy for the Chase. Because he sucked ass last season, but did just enough to get into the chase. Then, he storms the chase and wins his 3rd Cup in a row. For as much as they want to compare him to Cale Yarborough, Cale won his 3 in a row without a chase. And if the Chase didn't exist, Johnson would never have won 2, let alone 3. I give him credit for making the best of it, but the Chase gets really sucky when someone who slept through the first 2/3 of the season is suddenly King poop during the Chase.

/rant

 

[NCNitro]

Anyone who thinks the chase was good for the sport has their head so far up their butt they can taste toothpaste. The last 1/3rd of the season is a waste. Might as well send all the teams out of the chase home. Now you got 12 guys running for points and not wins, not very exciting if you ask me, with the rest of the field only going for wins since point don't matter to them anymore, it's clearly two different races. I have seen guys have an outstanding last 1/3 of the season, but still had no chance to get in the top ten , and guys in the chase that ran like crap that get to stay in the top ten, oh, excuse me 12 now, because of this rediculous format. Now add to that they change the series sponsor every couple years, Nextel Cup, Sprint Cup, lets sell out to the highest bidder, I don't even remember what they are calling the Busch series now, and thats what nascar has become, a sellout series. Nascars true fan base has fallen off since the chase, I know a lot of guys no longer interested in the sport that used to never miss a race, myself included. And now with the stupid ass c.o.t., I really don't care if I see any races this season.

 

[godale03]

Hey Lessen, Candyman.... don't you mean you should have posted these pics!

Now as far as the chase is concerned... I have mixed feelings about it. I think they should reward still more points for a win. I think they should go back to just 10.. or less cars making it in. I think during the "Regular" season everybody in 20th place or worse get the same amount of points... again with much more going for a win. Now don't get me wrong.. . loved the old format... but even as the chase can get boring... how boring was it to watch someone win the cup 4 races before the season was over? Unless it was Earnhardt... then I didn't mind so much! The other gripe I have with the chase is that the last 10 races need to include at least one of every track they race on... including the road courses.

I will leave it at that.

 

[Candyman]

I do agree with one thing you said, Tom. The Chase should be more diverse. Right now it's mostly 1.5 milers. So anyone that can excel there (ie Roush) will have a distinct advantage. I think there are enough different types of tracks to make it interesting. Heck, pull in a new road course just for it. Sebring. Mid-Ohio. Road America. Better yet, Laguna Seca! Dover. Talladega. Darlington. I say start the season at Daytona, and end it at Daytona. Homestead? Yawn. If you're going to really claim the winner during the Chase, do everything you can to make sure you make it the most demanding 10 tracks you've got.

 

[NCNitro]

Good point on the tracks, I am soooooo tired of the cookie cutter 1.5 mile tracks. The only two tracks I make an effort to watch anymore are Bristol, and Martinsville, but the cot has even taken the enjoyment out of those tracks to some degree.

 

[godale03]

Good point on the tracks, I am soooooo tired of the cookie cutter 1.5 mile tracks. The only two tracks I make an effort to watch anymore are Bristol, and Martinsville, but the cot has even taken the enjoyment out of those tracks to some degree.

I agree NC and Candyman.... I do think the chase needs to include more short tracks and a road course. I also think Darlington, Bristol and Richmond should be in the chase as well. Richmond is a great short track as is Bristol. The 1.5 to 2 mile tracks stink in my opinion.

Also... get rid of that damn wing and put a spoiler back on the car! LOL

 

[MGT8.0owner]

I'm no where near the NASCAR fan I once was. The Chase imo began the decline of the sport, and now with that choad C.O.T. I have all but lost interest in NASCAR. I'll be going back to my first love in racing NHRA. Nothing like 7000+ hp going 0-325 in 4.5 seconds, now that's power!

ever since they put in the cot nascar has been ruined...HUGE +1 on the nhra dragracing...i really hope to be driving for a big race team in the nhra some day and i almost have a deal for when I'm 20 with morgan lucas's team...start out mechanic then start driving(there putting me through the coures)...and now that the top fuel dragsters and top fuel funny cas are only running 1000 feet it's about 3.90's at 315mph..and there about 9000-9500 hp

 

[Captain Chaos]

Just say road trip and I will see you all at MOTORAMA 09 in about 25 days or so.Ah can hear the engines singing @ 45,000 RPM , that sweet smell of nitro burning,The Traxxas /Losi MT smack talk hey and don't forget the scantley clad Motorama girls! Who's in? We have plenty of room in the trailer!

www.motoramaevents.com

 

[MGT8.0owner]

Just say road trip and I will see you all at MOTORAMA 09 in about 25 days or so.Ah can hear the engines singing @ 45,000 RPM , that sweet smell of nitro burning,The Traxxas /Losi MT smack talk hey and don't forget the scantley clad Motorama girls! Who's in? We have plenty of room in the trailer!

www.motoramaevents.com

that looks awsome really wish i could go

 

[Racer 1966]

I pretty much stopped watching NASCAR 12yrs ago when my dad died.That was his thing and Dale SR. was his man. I have to agree with Joe, the Chase sucks and COT cars look rediculous IMO. And sorry SNG, but a coffee can on a 4cly just doesn't compare and I will never like it, even at 8-9k rpm.

I have always been a drag racing fan but the sad thing is though, NHRA has a similar format now and it sucks too! They also cut the race down to 1000ft for the nitro cars. If I remember right, the IHRA is doing the same this year.

So my favorite series now is Monster Jam, except the biased judges award too many wins to GraveDigger.

 

[Lessen]

Well, it is what it is. Although, it could be much better, I still insist it's better than crowing a champion with 4 races left or something rediculous like that.

I like the idea of not awarding points or awarding the same points for places beyond 20th. But that won't happen. Nascar won't make anymore big changes for quite a while. Even though they stand tall and talk about how much the sport is growing and how many new fans they get every year they know damn well that they've aliented a very good amount of the older fans and if they are going to retain those fans they need to chill with the changes. Besides, the economic climate is the only thing on their minds right now. The wife and I still need to pick a race for this year. We're fortunate enough to still be working and earning the same living we were two years ago so I feel it's our responsibility as fans (ok, ok... fan) to support the sport and our economy. I do wish they would come to Mid-Ohio though.

 

[godale03]

Well, it is what it is. Although, it could be much better, I still insist it's better than crowing a champion with 4 races left or something rediculous like that.

I like the idea of not awarding points or awarding the same points for places beyond 20th. But that won't happen. Nascar won't make anymore big changes for quite a while. Even though they stand tall and talk about how much the sport is growing and how many new fans they get every year they know damn well that they've aliented a very good amount of the older fans and if they are going to retain those fans they need to chill with the changes. Besides, the economic climate is the only thing on their minds right now. The wife and I still need to pick a race for this year. We're fortunate enough to still be working and earning the same living we were two years ago so I feel it's our responsibility as fans (ok, ok... fan) to support the sport and our economy. I do wish they would come to Mid-Ohio though.

Right there with you my friend. I still go to Richmond twice a year. It is expensive, but as a fan I really enjoy it. The wife goes with me when she can and really seems to enjoy the races in person. As long as I am not taking food off the table and the bills are getting paid... I will go and watch them turn left for 4 hours. I can't wait till the Shootout!

Hey Lessen.... hard to believe this time last year we were getting ready for Daytona! My how time flies!

 

[NCNitro]

So my favorite series now is Monster Jam, except the biased judges award too many wins to GraveDigger.

I LOVE Monster Jam! so do my boys, and the prices of tickets is still affordable enough to take the entire family. But you're right, the judges do award too many wins to digger although he does earn many of them. No one tears it up like Dennis!

 

[godale03]

I LOVE Monster Jam! so do my boys, and the prices of tickets is still affordable enough to take the entire family. But you're right, the judges do award too many wins to digger although he does earn many of them. No one tears it up like Dennis!

Monster Jam Rocks! In fact I am taking the fam up to Baltimore the 3rd weekend in Feb. for a Monster Jam event. It is really neat to see those big trucks fly. Like NC said... prices are still reasonable and it is really a family friendly event too.