The Official NASCAR Talk Thread

[Hoosier_Vol]

I don’t have a problem with Denny at all.

What I do have a problem with is Joe spouting that they didn’t know. BS Joe everyone knew, you were to concern with your own self interest.

Agreed....Joe has been around racing long enough to know it was a bad one.

 

[Hoosier_Vol]

 

[C-south]

From a PR perspective they have handled this very poorly.

 

[Dustin4Vols]

From a PR perspective they have handled this very poorly.

How so?

 

[Dustin4Vols]

From a PR perspective they have handled this very poorly.

If talking about post race celebration I think we have been spoiled for 19 years without a death and forget the danger of the sport. As bad as that wreck was I thought he was ok because it’s been so long . When I saw the pit crews get pushed back from trying to get to Ryan’s car I got the gut feeling. Then seeing replay ofhim get hit in driver side roof

 

[C-south]

If talking about post race celebration I think we have been spoiled for 19 years without a death. As bad as that wreck was I thought he was ok because it’s been so long . When I saw the pit crews get pushed back from trying to get to Ryan’s car I got the gut feeling. Then seeing replay ofhim get hit in driver side roof

I had a bad feeling from the beginning especially when he got hit on the driver side while upside down. I don’t think it should’ve taken 2 hours to get any kind of update even if his condition wasn’t fully known. They could’ve said he was at least alive while the severity of his condition is still being evaluated or something. Then today there’s still nothing about what any of his actual injuries are.

 

[CagleMtnVol]

It’s an annual gripe for me, but never understood why this race is so important. Any time you have a term like “the big one” should be cause for change.

NASCAR has always celebrated the kickoff to their season. The Daytona 500 (yesterday was the 62nd running) is considered the Super Bowl of NASCAR. It's the only NASCAR race where the winner is called a Champion not a winner.

While it kicks off a season that goes until the week before Thanksgiving and while winning the Cup Championship is the goal if they won the Championship and finished 2nd in the 500 that would be the first thing they bring up.

Take Michael Waltrip he only won 4 career races but he will be known as 2 Time Daytona 500 Champion.

 

[CagleMtnVol]

It’s an annual gripe for me, but never understood why this race is so important. Any time you have a term like “the big one” should be cause for change.

"The Big One" has been used at other tracks as well. It's usually just the wreck that takes out the most cars. I wouldn't consider the wreck that Newman was in last night to be the "The Big One" of the race.

 

[bleedorange0037]

I had a bad feeling from the beginning especially when he got hit on the driver side while upside down. I don’t think it should’ve taken 2 hours to get any kind of update even if his condition wasn’t fully known. They could’ve said he was at least alive while the severity of his condition is still being evaluated or something. Then today there’s still nothing about what any of his actual injuries are.

I get people wanting to be in the know, but with something as serious as last night’s wreck, it seems best to just wait until there is a little clarity on the situation. What if it had played out in way where he was technically still alive when they pulled him from the car, informed the public of that fact, only to have him die on the way to the hospital? IMO that’s much worse because everyone gets their hopes up only to get crushing news later on.

 

[95 Vol Alum]

NASCAR has always celebrated the kickoff to their season. The Daytona 500 (yesterday was the 62nd running) is considered the Super Bowl of NASCAR. It's the only NASCAR race where the winner is called a Champion not a winner.

While it kicks off a season that goes until the week before Thanksgiving and while winning the Cup Championship is the goal if they won the Championship and finished 2nd in the 500 that would be the first thing they bring up.

Take Michael Waltrip he only won 4 career races but he will be known as 2 Time Daytona 500 Champion.

I understand the history and how NASCAR works. Just disagree that it should be the Super Bowl race. Maybe should’ve used different phrasing given the history lessons I got in response.

Your point about Waltrip quite frankly supports my feeling. Give me a more driver skill and strategy track that doesn’t hinge on not getting caught up in wrecks that wipe out half the field. The speedway races are dangerous.

 

[95 Vol Alum]

"The Big One" has been used at other tracks as well. It's usually just the wreck that takes out the most cars. I wouldn't consider the wreck that Newman was in last night to be the "The Big One" of the race.

Me either because it only involved a few cars. Was making a broader point about the top race being a crap shoot of survival.

 

[05_never_again]

Lulz, I'm not attacking America or NASCAR drivers or people who appreciate them.

The super speedway races do very little to differentiate drivers. The NASCAR "Super Bowl" is basically a crap shoot to avoid "the big one(s)" and get pushed to victory (or disaster). Just makes no sense to me and the quality of the racing is not very interesting to warrant the hype. I do realize that I'm likely in the minority on that, though.

You're not wrong, but the racing is more entertaining that way IMO. I'm not a NASCAR guy but I will tune in to catch a bit of the races at Daytona and Talledega, and usually will watch the last 20-30 laps of the Daytona 500 all the way through. The other races I couldn't care less about, and I couldn't care less who wins the Daytona and Talladega races either, but I will watch a little bit just for pure entertainment value.

"Quality of the racing" is ultimately a subjective term, I think. If you're into racing on more technical tracks where the drivers are basically racing against the track more than other drivers (like F1), then I understand how you wouldn't like it. NASCAR is racing where the competition is much more among the drivers themselves rather than the track. A ton of luck goes into winning at a place like that, but you also have to be doing something right to keep your car on the track and be in a position to win after 500 miles. The give and take, skill at drafting, overall mental focus, etc. that it takes to win the race is pretty impressive.

The Super Bowl of Racing moniker I've always thought was dumb, because you're right, it doesn't mean any more in the standings than any other race. It's better thought of like a regular season rivalry game in football.

 

[gordonr24]

I know there’s talk by some that NASCAR should do away with the superspeedways (Daytona and Talladega) but those are the two biggest money making tracks. They’re both the only ones to still have sellouts and bring in the highest TV ratings. NASCAR will never leave those tracks. NASCAR recently bought those two tracks too. But I do expect to see changes coming to this current tapered spacer package. They’ll probably do something with the drag to help with the high closing rate in the draft. I could see the speeds being lowered back to 180-185 like it was in the late 90s.

 

[CagleMtnVol]

 

[05_never_again]

I know there’s talk by some that NASCAR should do away with the superspeedways (Daytona and Talladega) but those are the two biggest money making tracks. They’re both the only ones to still have sellouts and bring in the highest TV ratings. NASCAR will never leave those tracks. NASCAR recently bought those two tracks too. But I do expect to see changes coming to this current tapered spacer package. They’ll probably do something with the drag to help with the high closing rate in the draft. I could see the speeds being lowered back to 180-185 like it was in the late 90s.

Why in the hell would somebody suggest that? That'd be the sport effectively offing itself after years of poor health. If anything, they need to double down on the superspeedways and leave most of the cookie cutter tracks located outside their traditional area of popularity in the southeast. I'm looking at the playoff schedule this year...why in the world is there a playoff race in Kansas and the very last race of the year is in Arizona? Have the races at those tracks done well lately?

There are really only a few tracks that scream "NASCAR" to me anymore, and I say this as somebody who doesn't follow the sport:
- Daytona
- Talladega
- Bristol
- Charlotte
(big gap)
- Darlington
- Richmond
- Atlanta

And even within those big 3 at the top, they have trouble selling out Talladega and Bristol. At Bristol the last several years a ton of seats have been covered.

 

[mr.checkerboards]

Why in the hell would somebody suggest that? That'd be the sport effectively offing itself after years of poor health. If anything, they need to double down on the superspeedways and leave most of the cookie cutter tracks located outside their traditional area of popularity in the southeast. I'm looking at the playoff schedule this year...why in the world is there a playoff race in Kansas and the very last race of the year is in Arizona? Have the races at those tracks done well lately?

There are really only a few tracks that scream "NASCAR" to me anymore, and I say this as somebody who doesn't follow the sport:
- Daytona
- Talladega
- Bristol
- Charlotte
(big gap)
- Darlington
- Richmond
- Atlanta

And even within those big 3 at the top, they have trouble selling out Talladega and Bristol. At Bristol the last several years a ton of seats have been covered.

Bristol has had a ton of trouble selling out lately. I live in the tri cities and for years they have been giving a ton of tickets to schools for them to give away

 

[05_never_again]

Bristol has had a ton of trouble selling out lately. I live in the tri cities and for years they have been giving a ton of tickets to schools for them to give away

Yep. The only worse indication that the sport could have, other than not selling out Bristol, is if they had trouble selling out the Daytona 500 itself. Them having trouble drawing fans to Bristol is indicative of big structural problems that I don't think they'll ever get over; they just have to be adjusted to.

I know that they've left some of the non-traditional tracks that they expanded to in the 2000s, but it seems like more downsizing/restructuring is needed. They've just got to cut back on the number of races at some point, don't they?

 

[OleRockyTop]

Yep. The only worse indication that the sport could have, other than not selling out Bristol, is if they had trouble selling out the Daytona 500 itself. Them having trouble drawing fans to Bristol is indicative of big structural problems that I don't think they'll ever get over; they just have to be adjusted to.

I know that they've left some of the non-traditional tracks that they expanded to in the 2000s, but it seems like more downsizing/restructuring is needed. They've just got to cut back on the number of races at some point, don't they?

Nascar has said that they're going to have massive overhauls to the 2021 schedule, whether that means dropping races or not remains to be seen

 

[mr.checkerboards]

Yep. The only worse indication that the sport could have, other than not selling out Bristol, is if they had trouble selling out the Daytona 500 itself. Them having trouble drawing fans to Bristol is indicative of big structural problems that I don't think they'll ever get over; they just have to be adjusted to.

I know that they've left some of the non-traditional tracks that they expanded to in the 2000s, but it seems like more downsizing/restructuring is needed. They've just got to cut back on the number of races at some point, don't they?

I dont know if there is a correct answer for NASCAR, I think along with everything else in the late 80's and 90' they experienced the same boom and now they are experiencing the bust of that as well. I dont think just changing tracks and and shortening the season will do much good. I do think the idea of them running from just after the superbowl and ending in late August is a better idea then the season they run now. However, somehow and someway they need to find ways to attract younger generations. Somehow some way they need to create "new" stars that will connect with people and that people will tune in to see.

 

[mr.checkerboards]

Nascar has said that they're going to have massive overhauls to the 2021 schedule, whether that means dropping races or not remains to be seen

Personally ive always thought Bristol should be a playoff race.

 

[05_never_again]

I dont know if there is a correct answer for NASCAR, I think along with everything else in the late 80's and 90' they experienced the same boom and now they are experiencing the bust of that as well. I dont think just changing tracks and and shortening the season will do much good. I do think the idea of them running from just after the superbowl and ending in late August is a better idea then the season they run now. However, somehow and someway they need to find ways to attract younger generations. Somehow some way they need to create "new" stars that will connect with people and that people will tune in to see.

NASCAR has both structural problems and self-inflicted wounds working against it. They can address the self-inflicted wounds by doubling down on their core audience and focusing on the popular traditional tracks...the problem is that even some of the popular, traditional tracks (Bristol in particular) aren't selling.

You're 100% right about needing to attract younger fans, but that's a huge uphill battle, IMO. Millennials and younger don't have any particular affinity towards cars. A car is just a means to an end. They don't work on them as a hobby or have an interest in them beyond a hunk of metal that gets them from Point A to Point B. A ton of NASCAR fans are tinkerers, gearheads, or for lack of a better term "car guys," and there just aren't many younger folks who are into that. NASCAR was a sport for southerners who might not have been fanatical about football. It's just a different era now with different interests. The races are also really long and many of them aren't particularly close, meaning there's lots of dead airtime.

 

[Orange Maniac]

Bristol's issues are related to the price gouging that takes place in that area. They killed the goose that laid golden eggs. Nascar's problem is it has become boring. Packs of cars and nothing happening except a horrible crash/crashes now and then. It's too much about the car now. They need to put it back in the hands of the drivers. I bet most of these guys couldn't do squat with a car from the seventies. Nascar needs to go back to stock body dimensions. If one brand is not competitive, so be it. Take off the rear spoilers or make them small. Cut tire widths to 8 inches or something. No grip in the turns means you have to be a wheel man to keep up. Do something, anything to make it take some real skill, experience and guts to be the best.

 

[KB5252]

My take on tracks like Daytona and Talledega are more from a personal perspective, they are Cathedrals to the sport. They should always have races there, NASCAR made a huge mistake years ago when they attempted to appeal to a broader audience, they alienated and in some cases abandoned large portions of their base. I understand the reason for it but they opted for a large bump in short term success when they should have settled for steady growth IMO.

I quit following NASCAR 15 years ago. I don't like the COT format, brand loyalty suffered for it. I grew up at Daytona watching the July 4th races, and at Talledega (saw my first boobies there) and Bristol, each of those races every single year. I watched in person Richard Petty win his 200th, was there when Allison went airborne and into the fence along the final straightaway showering the front rows with shrapnel. I cheered on Petty and Harry Gant.
So many good memories of Dega and Daytona especially. They are Cathedrals of the sport, the history there is palpable. NASCAR would be nothing without tracks like those.

I've begun to watch a little more recently, thinking about giving it another try. May even consider taking my daughter to a race.

 

[95 Vol Alum]

I know there’s talk by some that NASCAR should do away with the superspeedways (Daytona and Talladega) but those are the two biggest money making tracks. They’re both the only ones to still have sellouts and bring in the highest TV ratings. NASCAR will never leave those tracks. NASCAR recently bought those two tracks too. But I do expect to see changes coming to this current tapered spacer package. They’ll probably do something with the drag to help with the high closing rate in the draft. I could see the speeds being lowered back to 180-185 like it was in the late 90s.

I wouldn't get rid of them, but I'm not a fan of the pack racing and the implications on safety.

 

[Fun coupon VOL]

NASCAR needs to get back to its roots. Short track racing.