10:38 AM
JD
Sure, some of you will say I am testy simply because Dale Jr. was relegated to another disappointing Talladega finish. Perhaps you are correct, but let me finish.
I believe that NASCAR's premier series is best when they have 43 (or as close to 43 as they can get) competitive cars all racing to get their best finish. No "team orders." No need for a "partner."
Yet this past Sunday we had about 20 teams competing. We had drivers told not to help other makes (Ford, Chevy, Etc) so that drivers with their own make that are in the Chase would benefit. (No, I am not just speaking of the Roush/Bayne situation, because I am sure it happened with other teams as well.) We saw about half the field content with laying back until about 20 laps to go. They were simply happy to just ride for about 170 laps to compete in the last 18.
NASCAR, that is not competition.
After the race, Richard Childress made the point that the drivers are not on the track to simply ride around. I am sure that his former driver of the #3 would totally agree. Previously, Dale Jr. would have as well. Although he and Johnson have laid back in the past 2 or 3 plate races, earlier in his career Junior prefered to be ahead of the "big one" rather than dodging it from the back of the pack. Hopefully the Hendrick teams can see that laying back with this two car tandem racing may be easy to overcome with 100 laps to go, but not so easy when everyone else at the back is also trying to wake up and start racing in the final laps.
Don't get me wrong. Although I do prefer the pack racing to this ridiculous two-car stuff, much of what I am complaining about would still occur. Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. would probably still have "hidden out" in the back. Trevor Bayne would still have been scolded for helping Jeff Gordon.
Should NASCAR fix this non-racing and make Talladega competitive again or should they simply tell the drivers that Talladega will only be 30 laps next year so they can conserve fuel and quit wasting tires simply to make time for commercials. How many fans actually watched all 188 laps anyway? I did. But I will admit that the last 30 were the only laps where all the cars were actually competing.
Again... NASCAR, that is not competition.
How can NASCAR fix the restrictor plate races. Can they remove the restrictor plates? This is what many NASCAR purists would love. "Let 'em loose," they would say. But with safety being so paramount these days, NASCAR will not let the cars maintain a speed above 200 mph. Although that would do away with pack racing and tandem racing, if NASCAR says its not going to happen, it is not going to happen.
There are other possible solutions. Changing the shape of the front and/or rear bumpers so that "linking up" is much more difficult is a possibility. Opening the Restrictor plate up much more so that the car's ability to produce horsepower by itself makes running in a pack less necessary. Mandate that the air intakes on the front bumper be only in the center of the bumper, that would really screw up the two car tandems. I am sure there are others, but NASCAR should know after this weekend that 1/64th of an inch more opening in the restrictor plate and lowering the pressure allowed on the cooling system by a few pounds makes absolutely no difference whatsoever.
Perhaps NASCAR should conduct a test with one car from each team and experiment with several packages on track. Obviously the wind patterns on the "drawing board" don't react the same way they do at Talladega and Daytona.
Posted in: Dale Earnhardt,Dale Earnhardt Jr,Jack Roush,Jeff Gordon,Jimmie Johnson,Nascar,Nascar Blog,NASCAR Race Results,racing blog,Richard Childress,Sprint Cup,Talladega
5 comments:
Well leave it to nascar drivers to ruin a good thing, they never liked pack racing and alot of drivers complained about it, so let they ride around and bore the hell out of the few fans that put up with the two car tandem racing, I went to Dega in 2008 09 and 2010, I will not return!
It was ridiculous. Just when you thought the 2 car pack idea couldn't get worse, enter team orders. (Teams and manufacturers can SAY there were no solid orders but ya know if the man who writes your paycheck makes a "suggestion" you know darn well you're going to do it.) If NASCAR can't find a way to rid the sport of this ridiculous style of driving, then turn the format of the race on it's ear. Do a series of 30 lap sprints. Each time eliminating the slowest 5 cars. At least that would give the fans a show. No more riding around in back. More wrecks, more chances to lose your dance partner.
talladega. has always been my favorit race to watch, the last two races ,i, have fell alseep an my husband also! been going to nascar races ,since back in the 60"s. this two car racing an drivers hanging in the back, is killing off an already dying sport! we always went to all 4 races at bristol, martinsville, all the races at charlotte, taladega and michian ! this year , only went to bristol night race an not renewing that race to much money for such lousy racing! dale jr. has always been an always will be my favorit an only driver, but when he went to hendrick, i think, he sold his soul to the devil! when is he going to wake up an see ,he is only ther to benifit j.j. wake up ,jr. an be the racer you used to be an go to the front an race! everyone knows j.j. is afraid of taladega, so jr. had to lay bach to help ,him an it backfired. couldn"t been any better. the finish!! so ,hated this race and team orders! folks ,i think the golden goose is dying!!!
A BIG AMEN TO THE ABOVE POST.NASCAR IS A SHEEP IN {BLACK} WOOL. DON'T BLAME THE DRIVERS. They do not make the silly rules. this sport has seen its better days. [over and just about done with] HOW SAD.THANKFUL FOR THE YRS I GOT TO GO AND SEE GREAT RACES. NOT GONE 2 ONE THIS YR.
Great Article: The laying in the back is not racing or entertaining. (Nascar it appears has become Un American) I won't waste any more on Dega or Dayt (its not racing if you just hold your foot to the boards all race thats NHRA) Brain ARE YOU LISTENING...& Their rule changes did NOTHING in fact it got more sophisticated. What an embarrassment. Maybe I'll just go back to open wheel stuff because at least its not the WWE
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