Arena Raise Hell, Praise Dale - NASCAR/North American Racing Series Discussion

Welcome racing fans. Though this season is almost done, it won't be long before a new one starts and there is plenty to talk about. You can discuss anything Nascar related here, from the Race to the Chase, the drivers, the TV coverage, to your favorite track to tailgate at.

Some possible topics to start off:

The 2006 Nextel cup: Who will win it this weekend? Does Kevin Harvick have any chance?
What effect will Montoya have, and does it make any sense to start him on the last race of the season?
Who do you follow and why?
Toyota.

 

Harvick's chances are slim to none. It's Johnson's title to lose, and he'll have to have engine trouble or get caught up in someone else's stupidity to lose it.

As poorly as Kenseth is running lately, I'd be surprised if he holds on to second place in the standings. I'd bet on Johnson as champion, Harvick second, Kenseth/Hamlin can switch around for third and fourth and Junior will probably end up fifth.

The best thing about NASCAR is that after only 2 months off (for fans) it all starts up again.

 

I don't know. I still have hope for Jr getting up there above Kenseth. I am hoping Matt just tanks, and then I'll be able to handle Johnson as the winner if Kevin and Jr are two and three.

 

I love NASCAR. I didn't like it all that much until a few years ago when my son started liking it. I have a question, though. In NASCAR, they primarily turn left. So I was a bit confused by the thread title.

 

I think that's the humor of it, Sape.

 

I'll admit I am tired and the kids have worn me down. It could've gone right over my head.

I have to say, I'm not thrilled about the points system at the end for the chase that resets the top 10. Case in point, Tony Stewart. He'd be in the running had he not been set back by thousands of points.

 

Unless this thread is a road course.

 

Seven right turns at Watkins Glen.

 

A few races during the year are road courses. But nearly all the rest are all lefts. You guys prefer short track or the big ovals? I don't really enjoy the short tracks as much because of the reduced speeds.

 

Hehehe, yes it's just a joke. People always like to mention how all they do is turn left.

I like all of them. Short tracks are exciting because they get all bunched up and there can be more bumping. I like the longer ones too except when they get strung out.

 

Nah, Tony was far enough back he wouldn't be competitive for the title this year.


However, if he had made the Chase, he'd easily be the points leader right now.


Restrictor plate tracks are fun to watch, but I gotta get myself to a Bristol race just once.

 

Which drivers do you like Sapes?

 

I've never been the biggest Nascar fan, but I have to say it has appealed to me much more the last few seasons. Texas Motor Speedway is about an hour from where I live, but I've never been to a race there.

 

I've never been to a race but I really want to try to go next season. I live within driving distance of Dover, and Pocono and if I stretch it Martinsville.


Edit: typo

 

Me too. My parents watch it and it's sorta grown on me. I love the Bristol races. Lots of action!

As for the points system, the chase at the end bugs me. There can only be 10 drivers? 10? No, we need more then that. What about this: Keep the current points system the same; the top 10 drivers qualify for the chase. But here's the addition, also include winners from each race in the current season. So you have the top ten points guys and any winner from any race. This makes winning the race actually mean something more valuable.

 

I've always wondered how the drivers get paid. Like do they get a salary, or is there a purse that the pays drivers based on how they came in for each race. I'm under the impression that the sponsors only pay for the upkeep of the cars, but I could be completely wrong on that.

 

I don't know if it's the same for every driver, but their contracts have a base salary and I think they keep all or a percentage of race winnings.

Toss in merchandising on top of that and it's a good chunk of change.

 

I guess the thing about short tracks that's appealing to some people is that because they're small, you're a lot closer to the action on the track. If you're talking about a track like Bristol, everything is jam packed into such a small arena and that will more than make up the fun factor that's lost from reduced speeds.

[image=http://www.nascar.com/races/tracks/bms/images/trk_pict_598x322.jpg]

 

I don't see how you can get into NASCAR. What keeps sports fresh and exciting is that there are different matchups every day(or week). In auto racing it's the same guys racing the same cars week after week after week.

 

Professional baseball teams play the same teams back and forth all season long. After the first few months of the season, what's fresh and exciting about that?


The competition is the same, but the venue varies greatly from week to week. I always like the old NASCAR schedule where they'd to from a road course (Watkins Glen) to the longest track (Talladega) to the shortest track (Martinsville).

Admittedly a lot of the 'cookie-cutter' tracks now seem an awfully lot alike.

What makes it interesting is that for such a long season, there's so many ups and downs to keep fans interested. Something can happen on a track one week that'll spark a rivalry that'll last for months or years.

Plus there's so much that is out of the drivers' control. Luck can determine a race win or a championship as much as anything else.

 

I had a post this morning and just as I was trying to send it the boards went down. but I had an answer for this.


I don't see how you can get into NASCAR. What keeps sports fresh and exciting is that there are different matchups every day(or week). In auto racing it's the same guys racing the same cars week after week after week.




But that is just it. It may seem like the same people, but you never know who will end up racing against who for the finish. Who will be knocked out because of a flat tire, or who will come back despite being two laps down, who has a grudge against someone. So many things can change the stakes. Parts, Pit stops, road temp, the track shape. Imagine if football players had to play on a standard field one week but the next week it was 30 yards shorter, and the week after that it was sloped at either end. So you do have different match ups every week and more.

 

Woo!

This was a great year to be a #48 fan. Congrats to Jimmie, Chad & the whole Hendrick teams, you guys did a great job.

On another note: Nascar's gonna get a piece of Newman for wrecking Montoya I think. Especially since Newman's spin wasn't Montoya's fault at all.

 

Congrats to Jimmy, though he's not my favorite driver he did what he had to do to win this. Yeah, Newman got called to the Trailer so he's probably going to get a penalty for knocking out Montoya.

After: Ford 400
Rank Driver pts behind leader.
1. -- Jimmie Johnson Leader
2. -- Matt Kenseth -56
3. +1 Denny Hamlin -68
4. -1 Kevin Harvick -78
5. -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. -147
6. -- Jeff Gordon -219
7. -- Jeff Burton -247
8. +1 Kasey Kahne -292
9. -1 Mark Martin -307
10. -- Kyle Busch -448

 

Newman had a tough year.

In the off-season he was heralded as a favorite to make a run at the championship. Instead, he wallowed in mediocrity most of the year.

My bright spot is that at least Chevy won the Manufacturer's Cup.