What's happened to nascar?

[Jackrabbit379]

I think, they gotten too pretty. Used to, you would watch the fights, and every once in a while, a race would break out.

I miss the days when the guys ran each other into the wall, and both climbing out of their cars.

[mommee]

I think, they gotten too pretty. Used to, you would watch the fights, and every once in a while, a race would break out.

I miss the days when the guys ran each other into the wall, and both climbing out of their cars.

that's why i watch hockey. especially when the goalies go at it.

[partssman]

Actually the downslide of Nascar started around 2003 when Brian France was handed the reigns.

I agree whole heartedly.

Not a nascar fan at, but felt Mr Ford's opinion deserved a positive comment.

[Mr. Ford95]

I agree Belpre, the true fans will stay to an extent but they have to get away from the 1.5 mile quad and D shaped ovals if they want to keep the true fans. This new car has not helped the racing, only made the racing safer for the driver. The racing itself is probably more dangerous with this new car since the driver's go into the corner not knowing what the car is going to do, make a change and they are even more mystified by what the car is going to do.

I sure would not mind if Nascar went to the same type of schedule F1 uses. Every track hosts 1 points race 1 points race only. Run 36 races plus the 2 All-Star races. We would have some real neat tracks to run on, maybe get a special road course on a street circuit.

[Part Time Dweller]

We would have some real neat tracks to run on, maybe get a special road course on a street circuit.

3500 Lb. taxi cabs have no business being on road or street courses. Most of the drivers hate them, and it is boring to watch them try to maneuver the course. Stock cars belong on ovals, open wheel belong on road courses.

I do agree that NASCAR needs to lose some of the 1.5 mile tracks and add more short tracks to the mix, especially with this new car. Either that or drastic changes need to be made to the car so it is competitive on the 1.5 tracks. Wider tires, more down force, anything that will make them stick. Today's race was a joke, the drivers were hanging on for dear life, just trying to finish.

[Mr. Ford95]

Actually I thought the race was good at Atlanta, reminded me of Rockingham, just on a slightly bigger track with all the slipping and sliding. It's too bad all these drivers are spoiled by great handling cars from the former body style, now they all freak out with a car that doesn't handle well while still trying to go dive bombing into the corner.

Actually, most of the drivers like at least 1 of the 2 road courses currently on the Cup schedule. Half the drivers hate Sear's Point because it's so twisty and technical while those same one's love The Glen because it's so wide open where you can let the rough side drag. The old Riverside was the same way, let it all hang out. I think it's fun watching them sling the cars around there like they are running on a back road with the cops chasin them like the old moonshinin days.

To go further into the schedule change I said above, take the current Cup tracks, race all of them once, that's 22 races a year exluding the 2 All-Stars. If Nascar wants 30+ races then add the tracks the Busch and Truck guys run: Memphis, Nashville, Kentucky, St. Louis, Milwaukee, Iowa, Mansfield, Canada and maybe ORP/IRP to bring the total to 31 races. If that ain't enough, add-in former tracks, Pikes Peak and Rockingham to give you 33 races Now teams have 3 extra weekends free while also allowing a possible new track in the Pacific NW, NY or the new one attempting to be built in SoCal to have a date. Wait, that all makes too much sense, Brian France will never allow it.

[Logger]

And it gives Marcos a chance to show he can actually steer a car eh Mr Ford?? Shame he`s driving a japper next year tho??

[Mr. Ford95]

Well, he nearly swept both the Nationwide/Busch and Cup race this year at Watkins Glen. Won the Nationwide race and had to come from the back of the pack in the Cup race to finish 2nd. If he had another 5-10 laps he would have won the Cup race with a part-time team. His prowess on the oval tracks is coming along nicely for coming here after only running stock cars on road courses down there.

[boneebone]

It got too commercialized.

[Mr. Ford95]

Which is why the current economy could help Nascar in the long run by weeding out all the commercialization and letting these guys race like they used to. Also shows who the true fans are, the die hards will stay just like they have done in the past when the economy got tough.

[mike3fan]

Which is why the current economy could help Nascar in the long run by weeding out all the commercialization and letting these guys race like they used to. Also shows who the true fans are, the die hards will stay just like they have done in the past when the economy got tough.

Did you see that Texas took out a bunch of grandstands so that they can get a sellout now and control supply and demand?

[Mr. Ford95]

Was it the backstretch seats that hardly sell?

The problem with the non-sellouts is that people aren't hungry for racing, it's too watered down and too many races a year along with the races being too long. People need to work M-F, they can't be taking Monday off because the race on Sunday finished at 6-7pm and they then have to sit in traffic for 2-3 more hours. If Nascar isn't going to shorten the races, then drop the green flag at 1pm on the dot like it used to be just 10 years ago. Also, shorten the season schedule. They think that banning testing will stop these teams and give them more time at home? Wrong, they only banned testing at any Truck, Busch and Cup track that hosts a race. They can still go to the local short tracks that only host the Weekly Racing Series and any track that is defunct like Wilkesboro, Rockingham or Texas World Speedway and test. Cut the schedule to 1 points paying race per track except for Daytona, it must keep 2 points paying races. That will help the product from being so watered down with so many races a year going on.

[BIG JEEP on 44's]

Nothings happened to NASCAR it's always been boring watching cars make an eternal left on an oval track , So without something besides the "race" to entertain you it's obviously boring .

[vavega]

if we bailout the big 3, should nascar be euthanized?

[turnleft]

It's getting worse lately, I usually change channels after the 48 takes the lead, which is about every race now. I'd like to see em get rid of qualifying and draw pills for starting spot one race and then invert them by points the next race and alternate. They need a rev limiter with a sensor that can detect when the top 3 are catching clean air, way to much 2nd place 1.7 secs behind leader and 3rd place 2 secs behind 2nd. Take the last 3-5 races and give double or triple points for WINNING, that way JJ has to actually race instead of taking a Sunday drive in 10 place to win a Championship.

[Mr. Ford95]

Well turnleft, JJ raced 2 years ago, he won 4 of the last 5 races to win the title over his teammate. He also didn't seem to be simply cruising this year, did you miss the Atlanta race? Another half lap and he wins that race over Edwards. He would have won 3 of the final 5 races this year had he pulled that one off. Texas and Homestead, they brought a junk car, he wasn't riding around milking it, he was trying not to wreck the thing. He finished 15th in both only because they became fuel milage races. Had they not been fuel mileage finishes, he would have finished much worse in both and probably lost the title by a few points.

People want the old days of racing back well they are back, this was how the racing was, spread out. Suddenly the fans don't like this yet they still clammer for the old days.............finishes were rarely close, usually they were measured in laps vs seconds.

What you saying about making the car cut power to the engine on the lead car to close the field up is not going to happen. Talk about causing a big wreck at places like Daytona or 'Dega when someone pulls out for a slingshot, gets all the clean air and the engine cuts power on him.