i go to the texas race every year. i'm not a close follower but being there, in person, is really something to see. no, it's not a night at the dirt oval, mud falling from the catch nets above ya, but it's damned entertaining. don't really have a favorite driver but i do root for the chevys. i still maintain that anyone who disrespects it should take a lap or two at 190mph. i bet they piss themselves. i'm as much of a thrill junky as the next guy and can judge a dangerous situation as well. i'm telling you now, it's a goddamned dangerous form of racing. if you go, the first ten laps will convince you. you'll fear for every single driver's life out there. i'd much rather watch damned near any other form of racing, but nascar is great fun in person. i suggest you give it a try.
Shit watching the grass grow is way more exciting then watching golf And I hate it when I agree with snoid
I have been involved in racing for 16 years. First working on an old "street stock" dirt car for a year, then moving up to a a national touring Dirt super late model. In 2004 and 2005, I was lucky enough to get involved with a Nascar truck team as an over the wall front tire carrier. I had an idea of the speeds since I was used to our 900 hp. 2300 lb late model but it's a whole different ball game in Nascar. People who watch it on t.v. really have no clue what it's like. If you ever get to get close to the track, watch the drivers hands, they are very rarely ever just turning left. The cars are on the verge of out of control all the time. The amount of skill involved is scary. For me personally, it's addiction. The smell of the burnt fuel, the rubber, the sounds, the engineering ect... I have never been able to shake the racing "bug" and don't think I ever will.
I keep thinking of giving it a try. From reading the informed in this thread it sounds like Phoenix may be a good bet for me. Close enough to be cheap, and a relatively short track-- 1 mile. My other choice would be Vegas, but seems like that was a snooze fest this year and it's a 1.5 mile course. I have a feeling live would be much like my baseball fandom--- Kick back, have a few beers with friends and enjoy the show. And much like Baseball, on TV rarely does it for me. I've become a real Kyle Busch fan, he drives a Toyota and I like cheering for one of the good guys, not the dirty cheats.
Despite the arguments to the contrary, I still think the "Skittles down a toilet" is the best analogy ever for NASCAR. Growing up, we used to go to Bristol when the stands were nothing more than crumbling concrete (early/mid 70's) and to the dirt track at Bull's Gap. I hated it then for the same reason I dislike it now. Just a bunch of cars going round and round endlessly. It may be fun to do, but very few of us will ever get behind the wheel so that aspect is too distant and removed to be of any interest. And watching it on TV? If someone else likes it.. more power to them I guess. It just seems like an odd form of hero worship or something to me.
Let me explain buddy. You're a sports snob. You probably enjoy olympic diving, as it is as quiet as golf. You are welcome. GO JR!! #88!!!!
Golf is like bowling; much more fun when played with a .45. Olympic swimming, running, skating, et aliae... too far removed from any sort of reality... and they often dress weird, so that puts me off to those as well. Biathlons, boxing, motocross and rally racing? But I still ain't gonna' watch 'em on the TV. MMA?.. Too bad it wasn't around when I was still fighting (and younger!). Mountaineering rocks! Football, basketball, baseball, hockey, cornholing, horseshoes... meh, the only way I could ever see any of that crap becoming even remotely interesting might (maybe) be with the addition of hidden punji pits, random explosions and remotely operated taser cannons... Er, well... hockey might not be so bad in that light...
here's a tip, take a flask and earplugs (and a cooler because beer prices at the track are insane). yup on baseball, love it in the park but on the toob, i'm always asleep before the stretch. i rarely catch the end of a game unless it's the series.
The best privateer rallyists I know (and one of the few to ever get any factory support) read "Circle Track Magazine" for technical tips. And biathlon as a spectator sport? BIATHLON? Talk about something that's so far removed from it's original concept...
Circle Track and Racing Technology was a great magazine when I was racing in the 90's. I raced 1/4 mile paved oval and had a blast...but lessons I learned from racing and the magazine has helped me tremendously in all my automotive endeavors. Kenny
i got nascar in smell-o-vision on sunday. just as the commentators were talking about all the cars blowing up and running on 7 cylinders, some guy went down my street burning oil to beat the band. felt just like smell-o-vision.
He's got a lot of competitive spirit. If those other cars would just stop cutting him off, and spinning him he'd do better. I'd like to congratulate Kyle for his Nascar Win at Richmond.
I'm not a Nascar fan, but who cares if you are. My only gripe is the whole athlete argument. Yes, they are out there fighting the heat while driving a car 200 miles an hour, but what other sport can 50 year olds still compete in (besides Golf and Bowling and that weak kind of shit)? I think its more mental than physical for Nascar driviers.
Not very many drivers are competitive in their 50's. Mark Martin works his ass off, literally, to be in shape to compete at a high level. Jeff Burton is with a good team, when was his last win? See the difference? You can say Dale Earnhardt was competitve at 50. He was not a gym rat but was always working on his farm and hunting. Just like going to the gym, only he accomplished something. I guess if you consider driving around to help a sponsor competitve....not so much athleticism. Try sitting in your sauna for 5 hours straight, then immediately drive to the grocery store and get back to us on how it went. And yes, congrats to the best badboy in the mix on another win.
He has more talent in his little toe than Princess Danica has in her entire body so I'm sure he will be whupping her very soon. Great result for her though eh
