ot: is it too controversial to discuss Daytona crash?

[eddief]

car racing definitely sometimes exciting to watch. just once in a while for me. i always wanted Danica to kick ass otherwise never really cared and still don't. all the hand wringing over the latest crash seems sort of misguided. of course i want the injured driver to get well, but what does anyone expect when cars are going 200 miles an hour right next to and on top of each other. i guess the potential for mayhem is all part of sport?

[Ozz]

NASCAR looks boring and easy (going in a oval, only turning left....) but the crashes yesterday show how quickly things go wrong at those speeds. Everything is fine until his rear end is nudged about 6" sideways...

[Mr. Pink]

Who in their right mind decided that alienating over half the country this year was a bright idea? That sport is having its problems over the last decade, and they do that? Stupid marketing.

[Clancy]

Particularly in this case where “pushing” is a legal part of the racing.

I also wish the driver a full and healthy recovery.

But this “sport” seems to be a gloried destruction derby, specifically designed to cause crashes. I’ve never watched a NASCAR race but decided to watch the Daytona 500 yesterday out of curiosity and boredom. It did nothing to alleviate the boredom although I did get a good nap in.

I actually had to Google “pushing” to better understand it. I don’t get it. With that said, I can only imagine the comments NASCAR fans might make after watching a transition stage of the Tour.

Each to their own.

[Blue Jays]

Professional motorcyclists and race car drivers possess athleticism.
Participating and (potentially winning) a race takes remarkable skill.
Wishing speedy and complete healing to the drivers in that crash.

[unterhausen]

IIRC, they have eliminated pushing in some races by making it illegal to put structure in the frames that allows it. I think that might actually be more dangerous at Daytona. I used to watch a lot of NASCAR. I wanted to watch yesterday, but it slipped my mind. It's like any other kind of racing, it's boring if you don't care. The drivers don't like restrictor plate races like Daytona, but I find it fascinating. Actually getting to the front at the end seems impossible. It's like a bunch sprint in cycling only a lot more drivers could win given the right strategy.

I don't think many fans like the crashes, especially "the big one" like always happens at a restrictor plate race. Takes too long to clean up and your favorite driver will probably be affected.

There was one year where the fastest way around the track was to get two well-matched cars to go around together. Now that was boring.

[coreyaugustus]

Originally Posted by Mr. Pink

Who in their right mind decided that alienating over half the country this year was a bright idea? That sport is having its problems over the last decade, and they do that? Stupid marketing.

I watched for the first time this weekend. Rather, I watched until a drizzle happened and they stopped the race, at which point I decided it's a silly, pointless event.

That being said, not sure what you mean that half the country was alienated by anything that happened. Everything seemed par for the course for a NASCAR event: Jesus, the troops, 'Merica, and a giant trailer park riot in the infield. I would imagine anyone who doesn't get down with that was watching much as one watches a train wreck.

I did feel sorry for the guys with beer sponsors. Here you have the drivers who have Coke/Pepsi/Monster embroidered on their fire suits having a nice (mandatory) sip as they're being interviewed. However the Busch/Bud/etc fellas don't have anything to drink.

Can't wait for F1 to return.

[buddybikes]

I went to nascar website - and the crashes were the multiple videos shown, so gladiator sport it sure is.

[rnhood]

Daytona needs to get rid of the banking so the restrictor plates can go, then the racing would be much better. They could also host other formula type car races with the flatter track. But they can not escape their legacy, thus they will not take those backs out. The best Nascar races are now on the shorter venues, such as 1.5 mi tracks (restrictor places not required).

In addition, the complicated point system and protocol make it difficult to understand. And with the current commercialization of Nascar racing, where single owners own 5 to 7 cars, it's just not the race it used to be when drivers with their family and friends built their cars in their garages.

[Bruce K]

Not a fan of the Stage system NASCAR implemented

At this point they may want to try to eliminate bump drafting as that seems to be the trigger for the big wrecks.

I can say from first hand experience at Pocono and Watkins Glen in sports/formula cars that bump/push drafting is a definite speed advantage over just sitting in the air pocket. If you watched carefully, some of the biggest breakaways happened when two cars got together and pushed.

The bottom line is that misjudging the closing speed in the draft is easier to do than you would think and as has been said, it only takes s slight touch in the wrong way at almost 200 mph to cause major disaster

I still prefer sports cars, formula cars, and Indy cars over stock cars but I definitely appreciate the skill set

BK

[bigbill]

I started being a NASCAR fan when I was stationed in South Carolina in the early to mid 90s. I was usually heading home from Greenville/Spartanburg after a Sunday morning crit and I got hooked on listening to the radio broadcasts. I like listening better than watching so as long as Chris Collinsworth and Joe Buck stay out of racing, I'm good. Several of the drivers are cyclists and Jimmy Johnson (not football) is a triathlete. I saw Michael Waltrip on his bike once, he's like 6'5", it was a huge bike.

[tv_vt]

I actually watched about 30 laps yesterday, from end of stage 2 to the wreck with 16 laps to go that took out about 15 cars. It is somewhat akin to watching a sprint stage in a bike race. Lots of riders can win and positioning and using other riders/drivers to your advantage is part of the skill. I don't discount the skill/athleticism of the drivers. Talk about nerves of steel. Yikes.

It's really a wonder more drivers aren't killed in these crashes. Safety features have come a long way.

But the big packs are boring - except for the tension around there being a huge wreck. All it takes is one car getting sideways and that's it.

Like bike racing, hard to get a sense of the speed.

All car racing has gotten somewhat boring. F1 is certainly like that now, with the very limited passing that takes place. Seems like the races are won or lost in the pit stops.

[SoCalSteve]

Originally Posted by mr. Pink

who in their right mind decided that alienating over half the country this year was a bright idea? That sport is having its problems over the last decade, and they do that? Stupid marketing.

potus?

[azrider]

Originally Posted by Mr. Pink

Who in their right mind decided that alienating over half the country this year was a bright idea? That sport is having its problems over the last decade, and they do that? Stupid marketing.

Hahahahahaha..........this is irony at it's best folks.

Guy starts thread talking about how people are "too sensitive" or "triggered" then two days later posts this because sitting President attended a car race.

Hahahhahaah........

[FlashUNC]

Super speedway stock car racing is the most boring form of automotive racing known to man, when administered by NASCAR.

Between NASCAR's absurd technological approach to the France family being the France family, it's no shock the sport hasn't grown at all in the last decade or so.