NASCAR racing formula

[Pat]

I was a big fan of NASCAR racing in the 1950-70 decades.

But after watching weekend NACSAR racing, since the late '90s I'm dismayed by the number and severity of crashes. So much so that I equate it to a National Hockey League game, "we went to see a fight and a hockey game broke out".

With a third more cars on the track and double the speed of the 1950+ era it's like I go to see a "destruction derby and a race breaks out".

Prior to 1970 there were 30 cars on the track with speeds around the century mark. Now it's 43 cars and speeds nearly 200 MPH.

Back then one could watch racing, now I cringe because I know there's going to be a big pile up and our favorite race cars and drivers are wiped out. The number of crashes took a dramatic turn for the worse when the field went to 43 cars.

Today's NASCAR race had to be stopped because fifteen cars were wrecked. that's more than a third of the field. The expense of reconstituting runs into the millions. Is that what NASCAR thinks the racing fan want's? Is this the excitement that will fill the seats? Is this what the fan wants?

I propose a daily race venue of two races of twenty cars with the first five places of both races in a third rubber match. That's three shorter races With winners getting points for the heat races and the rubber match. There should be few crashes based on statistics and we, the fan get to see some racing.

Just my two cents.

[Bad_S55]

Something that bugs me too is how the cars have pretty much all become cookie cutters; they're almost all the same. The bodies are anyway. The only way you can tell them apart is the dang stickers! Back in the 50's-70's, the cars were all unique from each manufacturer.

[Ms. Denmark]

Something that bugs me too is how the cars have pretty much all become cookie cutters; they're almost all the same. The bodies are anyway. The only way you can tell them apart is the dang stickers! Back in the 50's-70's, the cars were all unique from each manufacturer.
+1 "Stock" cars my ass. :rolleyes:

[FastMerc]

+1 "Stock" cars my ass. :rolleyes:


They haven't been stock cars since the 90s!

[WhatsUpDOHC]

I have had no interest in NASCAR since the late 80's/very early 90s.

Same with (no thread derail intended), Indy.

Used to love both. Dead to me now.[emoji22]

[J-MAN]

"First off, there's nothing stock about a stock car"
What movie?

[MMBLUE]

Great topic glad you brought it up. I'm with you, I've been a fan since late 70's early 80's. Just not the same.

To me. races to long, conglomerate owners and race teams as well as tracks. I'm not a fan of Kevin Harvick but, he recently voice his opinion on this very topic. And, he's 100% right (time for change).

Little guy has been pushed out as well as creative engineering. To much cookie cutter stuff, cars, tracks, drivers not to mention $.

[MarauderCyclone]

Nascar stopped being 'Stock Cars" in the early 1980's friends.

The last true Stock Car bodies came to an end when GM went to the 1978 Models bodies. They were pretty much pieced and fabricated unlike the 1976 Charger and Mercury Montego's that soldiered on past there make years. These were welded door designs , lightened and strengthened to a max degree with the Big Engines . all be it Nascar had played havoc on their true HP output.

Real Stock Car racing essentially ended when the Factory's pulled out of the Sport in 1970/71...and it all became about seeking Sponsorships , not brands as it was prior.

Richard Petty survived Chrysler pulling out by teaming up with Andy Granatelli's STP brand.

David Pearson and the Wood Brothers though running a limited schedule had Purolator in thieir corner...a carryover from Pearson's time with Holman Moody.

Bobby Allison kept Holman Moody alive another season after Ford cut a trail with the Coke sponsorship he brought with him....after that it was all over but the shouting for Fords famed Nascar Factory in Charlotte.

The 80's created some good racing , but the smaller cars , smaller engines just never had the same appeal to me.

The cars today make me want to puke...Stickers and engine blocks being all that seperates one make from another. Driver loyalty to a given brand is out the window now , more than it ever thought of being too.

[BLACKMARAUDER04]

NASCAR's number one mission now is driver safety.
We haven't had a fatality thanks to innovations like COT (Car Of Tomorrow)and the Hans Device since Dale Earnhardt Senior was killed in February 2001. I was at the last Fontana Race. Great ending. True Nascar thru a caution for debris on the track with 3 laps to go, but 2 green white checkered attempts were exciting.

[Marauderjack]

A friend of mine was a NASCAR photo guy with Petty and STP back in the day and I went to lotsa races toting cameras (got some pretty good lucky shots too)!!

We used to hang around the garage and Richard, Cale, and the rest called it a "Traveling Circus" back then....it's even more so now!!:shake:

BTW....photo guys got in free back then.......4 years ago at Daytona he paid $3500.00 for access and had to have NASCAR approve and release any photos he wanted to sell......BIG $$$$'s have ruined it......cars (and drivers) are simply expendable tools!!:(

[Bigdogjim]

+1 "Stock" cars my ass. :rolleyes:

There ain't nothing stock about a stock car. Harry Hog. Days of Thunder:)

[Bigdogjim]

I was a big fan of NASCAR racing in the 1950-70 decades. Just my two cents.

IIRC Fireball Roberts, Dave Sacks, & Joe Weathley all died in crashes. I know Fireball drove a purple ford and Joe drove A Mercury.

Since Dale Enhart died how many since?

[FastMerc]

Lets not forget about Adam Petty he died after Dale during Qualifying I believe.

[MarauderCyclone]

Lets not forget about Adam Petty he died after Dale during Qualifying I believe.

Adam Petty died in May of 2000 at New Hampshire
Kenny Irwn Jr. died there the in July of 2000...Both in Practice Runs

Dale Earnhardt died in February 2001.............Race Related

They have had 5 deaths in Nascar sanctioned events since Dale Sr's death but NONE in the Cup Series.

The safety upgrades have to this point worked...I'll be happy when the safer barriers on all the walls are in place...Cuz we've had a few that only by the grace of God have survived some horrible hits into secondary walls that aren't protected at some of the tracks.

[MarauderCyclone]

IIRC Fireball Roberts, Dave Sacks, & Joe Weathley all died in crashes. I know Fireball drove a purple ford and Joe drove A Mercury.

Since Dale Enhart died how many since?

Joe Weatherly died instantly at Riverside in Jan 1964 while driving for Bud Moore Engineering ..Head Injuries when his head contacted the retaining wall in a crash..No Safety Nets

Glenn ( Fireball ) Roberts crashed at Charlotte in May 1964 driving for Holman Moody ( Passino Purple Car) sponsored by Young Ford of Charlotte NC...he died from his severe burns a month or so later. Jaques Passino was the head of Ford Racing at the time , thus the name of the color of the car.

Fireball's Crash inspired the safer tank that prevented fuel spilage in a rollover , onboard fire extinguishers and the Mandatory Flame retardant suits. He was medically excused from using the existing suits due to alergic reactions to the crap they soaked them in at the time.

I have no knowledge of any Cup Driver named Dave Sacks...and his name and death are not listed in the data base. I recall Greg Sacks as a driver but to my knowledge he's still very much alive , but retired from racing at the NASCAR level anyway.

[Bigdogjim]

^^^^ Thanks the drivers I was thinking about were Indy drivers Eddie Sachs (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Sachs) and Dave MacDonald (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_MacDonald) both killed in 1964 it was a 7 car crash in both died.