I HATE NASCAR.

[uzael]

The thing that dirves me crazy about NASCAR is the blatant favoritism that the series gives to certain teams and driver's. Despite constant insistance from the higher ups, it's well known that not all restrictor plates are the same and that many of the large teams are only very loosely scrutinized. More often than not it has been reported that Roush or Childress cars are often on the wrong side of the gray area in many areas, but a simple wink wink nudge nudge is all that happens. COmbine that with the fact that it's more expensive than either cart or irl to run a decent NASCAR team and it really gets to me. So much for an 'even playing field'

[DaveKillens]

Yup, NASCAR is not for the purist. As I stated previously, I see little difference between NASCAR and pro wrestling. And it is true, NASCAR scrutineers have been observed and documented as displying bias towards certain cars. So what, it's just entertainment for the masses, it just happens to involve racers and racing teams. The truth is, almost every racing series has bias towards certain teams. Hey, they are commercial enterprises, and they have to provide a means of attracting fans.... . Even in F1, it can be argued that at certain times, certain rules favored a certain team, or tire, or whatever. Whenever big money is involved, it is difficult to have a sporting event that is 100% clean. Even the Olympics have dirt.
That being said, it is unfair to take away the hard work and accomplishments that teams have done. Ferrari and Shu got to it's position of present dominance based on doing a fantastic job. It's that simple, Ferrari worked harder, spent more money, and made less mistakes than their competitors in the last five years. And the guys at DEI built restrictor plate engines and cars that have dominated that specific discipline for the last three years.
Yea, sometimes the rules stink, and the outcome is suspect. But the bottom line, most of the time, we as fans see fantastic drivers, crews, and teams doing their magic on the track.

[riff_raff]

If you hate NASCAR, then you understand nothing about professional auto racing. It's all about the show. No spectators, no sponsors.....no money for racing! Bill France understood it, but Bernie sure didn't seem to.

Don't get me wrong, I love all types of racing. I'm an engineer and I find the technical side of F1 fascinating. But modern F1 races are simply processions.

As for driver skills, I don't think there are too many F1 guys that have the stones to slide a 3000 pound Cup car, with 9 inch tires and no ground effects, through a banked turn next to concrete walls at close to 200 mph.

And remember, Dan Gurney and Mario Andretti both did well in F1, but were unsuccessful in NASCAR.

Also, I'd be willing to bet that the average driver salary in NASCAR is higher than the average driver salary in F1.

Comments?
Terry

[dumrick]

Comments?

How is it possible to compare Nascar to F1? How can you compare a regional class B championship with one of the top 3 more knows sport series in the world? Average people outside your country never heard about it, man!

And if you want to talk about interesting sport series based in sillouettes, let's talk about DTM or Austrian's V8's...

[tempest]

And if you want to talk about interesting sport series based in sillouettes, let's talk about DTM or Austrian's V8's...

er...dont you mean AUSTRALIAN????? And this is becoming a bit boring lately too, but at least they turn BOTH ways

[dumrick]

No, I was referring to the V8Star championship in Austria.
Although I used to watch and enjoy the Aussies V8 Supercars, too!

[dumrick]

...or maybe the V8Star championship is German, too... I'm a bit confused now...

[tempest]

Sorry, when you said Austrian and V8, it didnt really make sense since our series is locally known as "the V8's". Now it does, I assume this is a DTM spin off...

[DaveKillens]

I have total respect for the drivers and crews of NASCAR. They are just a bunch of racers trying to race. It can be argued that NASCAR drivers do not posess as much skill as f1 pilots. I respectfully disagree. To almost every NASCAR driver, they really never considered, or thought that open wheel road racing was viable. Almost each one of them came up through local short track ovals racing. They are oval specialists. Some even admit they just plain suck at road racing. One NASCAR driver, Jimmy Spencer, doesnt even pretend, he has another driver in his car for road races. But Jimmy Spencer is one heck of an oval specialist. I think he can hold his own against anyone in a short track. Especially Bristol.
Courage? They all have it, I'm not going to even pretend that any driver, in any series, lacks that.
But NASCAR definitely lacks integrity. heck, just last week, the winner of the race was found to have a car that did not meet specifications. He was given a fine and some other crap. But he was allowed to retain the win. Unbelievably freaking insane favoritism.

But in the big picture, NASCAR is just a local racing series. But to the insular average citizen who basically doesn't even comprehend that there's a world outside of the US borders, there's just NASCAR. It's the US culture to be looking inward and to be self celebratory.
[/url]http://www.nascar.com/2005/news/headlin ... index.html

As far as comparing the technology, just about every component in a NASCAR car was invented well over 50 years ago. Carburetors, OHV 6 liter engines, live rear axles. Yea, it's agricultural, but it's workable. But if you keep a close eye on what the engineers and mechanics in NASCAR are doing, they are pushing the boundaries of performance on agricural equipment. Sadly, most is on a very restricted budget, but some of the stuff is cool. Getting the valve springs on those beasts to survive for over 600 miles, at peak RPM of almost nine grand, it's an engineering accomplishment.

[DaveKillens]

After all that being said, the race this last week at Atlanta had one of the most exciting, intense, two driver shootouts I have ever seen. A newer driver, Carl Edwards drove the last two laps on the high side, his car sideways at times, to edge Jimmy Johnson by about one foot at the finish line. I have seen many races, but this finish was one of the most memorable I have ever seen. Period.
I may have little respect for the NASCAR rulemakers and the politics, but I have to say one thing, they put on one heck of a show.

[fwa2500]

if there is one thing that i hate about NACAR (aside from it being a bunch of hicks turning left) as that they call it "Stock car racing". well sorry, but i do not think that fibreglass bodies on tube frames with the exact same engine size as everyone else is a "stock car". stock car racing has been dead for around 20 years now......the only thing about a nascar car that resimbles it's street going relitive is its painted headlights and the badge slaped on the front.....

the only oval i respect is nolonger around, that was the old high-banked portion of Monza......man....i wish they didnt take that out....that had ALOT of history in it......

[M's]

There is so little correct information and so much ignorance in this thread I find it insulting as a motorsports enthusiast.

the fact of the matter is I know of no motorsports engineers that would turn down a nascar job right now. It's where all the hotshots have gone and it's where the money is in the US. The majority of you calling it hillbilly this or that are not smart enough to work in nascar. That's a fact.

The technology is limited by the rules for many reasons. The series is marketing driven. There is a lot of amazing engineers currently in nascar and there is a lot of innovation within the cars, because you must work around the rules.

To me solely from a spectator standpoint it is exciting much like a horse race. You cannot control the outcome but you can scream at the cars and enjoy yourself in a similar fashion.

Nascar fans are just like formula one fans in that they are amazingly brand loyal and camp out for tickets and bring their children to the event. People need to embrace all forms of racing. I don't like world of outlaws but i still respect them for making high HP and turning the rpm that they do.

[Mclaren11]

I've go to agree with M's on this one.

NASCAR is very comprable to F1. They both have dedicated fans, NASCAR's may be located mainly in America but there are a LOT of them.

The Differences between the two series are simple. NASCAR places the greatest importance on putting on a good show, rather than having cars with technology greater than Jet Fighters. The there is F1 with the greatest technology in the world but the races aren't as Spectacular. It is a simple difference in philosophy.

fwa2500, why is it that Monza's hitory is fine to embrace but nascar's isnt. NASCAR is called stock car racing because that is its heratage, not because that is what it is. None of the fans actually belive that the NASCAR's are the same thing that they can go out and buy.

[DaveKillens]

For the ill informed, the NASCAR stock cars are sheet metal steel on a tube frame. It's not nice to form an opinion, or to make comments when the facts are in error.
Many teams have enquired, and wished they could use carbon fiber for the roof and certain body panels. The technology is there, the rules won't allow it.

[West]

I usually tune in to nascar whenever i flip the channels and it's not that bad. I don't like it as much as F1 obviously but usually there's always something going on.