Daytona 500

[BillyBobSenna]

I assume everyone took today off to watch the Daytona 500 and the Xfinity race immediately after!

 

[BillyBobSenna]

What is the over/under on crashes at the end of the race. 2 or 3 restarts?

 

[BillyBobSenna]

Crash 1

 

[jgf]

Well, I have long joked that NASCARE has never had a 500 mile race, they have never had a 200 mile race, they have never even had a 100 mile race. Every NASCARE event is a series of 20-25 lap sprints between yellow flags. Especially since everybody pits during every yellow. And since everyone knows there will be all these yellows, they will not pit even if their tires are worn and the engine is running on fumes; if a stint runs more than 25 laps they just slow down and turn the "race" into an economy run awaiting the next yellow.

So NASCARE eventually institutionalized this when some management moron came up with the idiotic concept of stages. Races are now about as interesting as a jr high rendition of Macbeth.

My opinion (and we know what those are like)
- dump the "Lucky Dog" rule; go a lap down and it's up to the driver, the car, and the pit crew to win that lap back, not just noodle around til the next yellow and have it handed back on a silver platter
- dump the ridiculous "Chase" system (instigated after Penske threw a hissy fit when his driver didn't win the championship one year) and return to a strict points system
- dump this stupid "Stage" nonsense

And invoke one new rule that will improve racing 100%-
- cars cannot be touched during yellow flag conditions; this will eliminate these yellow-to-yellow runs, if you need to pit, go ahead and pit; and it will eliminate the monotony of everyone pitting at the same time, coming out and doing several parade laps, then restarting the race

As it stands, NASCARE is choreographed racing.

 

[Antony Snook]

Yes the Daytona 500 is famous for big wrecks. The way the chassis is setup the car always turns left. So left side and right side tires have different settings. If you watch the cars go on straights they bow round so the car is constantly rotating in a diamond shape. A bit like the Combo racers i watched at Thruxton. (That is a motor cycle with a sidecar and passenger, used to balance weight by leaning into turns. Also the pit stops are usually Left side or right side and all for the final stretch as a fast car is loose as a goose for the finish.

 

[Antony Snook]

Well, I have long joked that NASCARE has never had a 500 mile race, they have never had a 200 mile race, they have never even had a 100 mile race. Every NASCARE event is a series of 20-25 lap sprints between yellow flags. Especially since everybody pits during every yellow. And since everyone knows there will be all these yellows, they will not pit even if their tires are worn and the engine is running on fumes; if a stint runs more than 25 laps they just slow down and turn the "race" into an economy run awaiting the next yellow.

So NASCARE eventually institutionalized this when some management moron came up with the idiotic concept of stages. Races are now about as interesting as a jr high rendition of Macbeth.

My opinion (and we know what those are like)
- dump the "Lucky Dog" rule; go a lap down and it's up to the driver, the car, and the pit crew to win that lap back, not just noodle around til the next yellow and have it handed back on a silver platter
- dump the ridiculous "Chase" system (instigated after Penske threw a hissy fit when his driver didn't win the championship one year) and return to a strict points system
- dump this stupid "Stage" nonsense

And invoke one new rule that will improve racing 100%-
- cars cannot be touched during yellow flag conditions; this will eliminate these yellow-to-yellow runs, if you need to pit, go ahead and pit; and it will eliminate the monotony of everyone pitting at the same time, coming out and doing several parade laps, then restarting the race

As it stands, NASCARE is choreographed racing.

 

[Antony Snook]

Yes as a NASCAR fan i don't care who wins the segments. The only reason they do it is because in the 90's you went to practice with a fast setup and made it heavy for the race and qualifying, sandbagging to the back and loosening the car to go up front when the track had more grip. So segments make you run a power setup for the 1st and 2nd segment, personally i don't care who wins segments. Its all about who finishes in the top 10 and stays out of trouble. The lucky dog is because drivers put car in the infield behind pits and loose laps while they are worked on. So 30 mins of work at 1 min a lap puts you 30 laps down. Might as well pack up and go Home but NASCAR has points for everyone who makes it to the end. So you just hang in there for the sponsors. NASCAR is the only sport where you can put a car in the Garage work on it and go back out. I think it was done in F1 once. But like F1 today the sport is governed and run by influence of teams. And clowns like Mr Penskie. He practically runs INDYCAR that i wont even watch.

 

[Antony Snook]

To all those back home in England it is basically "Banger Racing" with glorified cars and teams.

 

[jgf]

Might as well pack up and go Home but NASCAR has points for everyone who makes it to the end

Not necessarily, especaily at the "Superspeedways". Attrition is a factor, I've yet to see a Daytona or Talladega race without 'the big one", that massive pileup about 20 laps from the end that usually takes out several cars. So even if you go a couple of laps down (and your first couple of minutes in the pit will probably be under yellow) you may still pick up several places just by still running at the end.

And NASCARE points go to all who start, so even if you blow the engine on the first lap you still get points and money (though usually not enough of the latter to cover expenses).

 

[Antony Snook]

Just for the record yesterday was a NASCAR CUP race at COTA (Circuit of the Americas) OK these are oval racers with a different driving mentality and on a larger track with a shorter distance about 250 miles but the only cautions where to finish segments. Even Kaumi Kobayashi who in F1 was Kaumu Kobi Crashi was out there.