The Nascar and other Motorsports thread!

[JRRacing64]

What did ya'll think of the race tonight?

[Cash]

McMurry was phone interviewed on Mike&Mike today, and he said he will be on Regis&Kelly and Letterman soon. So JRR keep a lookout for when, I know you wont want to miss that.

As far as what I think about the races. I thought the 300 was more entertaining. May have been because of Danica's involvement. I know who she is, and yes, I admit, she is a pretty lady and that doesnt hurt people's interest in what she does. I am NOT saying thats right, but to be honest, its a factor. I also thought the announcers did a better job for the 300. The announcers performance makes a BIG difference. And the pothole delay did cool my enjoyment of what I watched of the 500. I didnt even know you could patch something that quick. I thought patches needed time to harden and bond with the hole, or they would pop right back out. I thought they had to be heated, then needed time to cool. Plus at speeds they travel at, I would think they would pull it right back up. 

One thing that I did think of. Why do people attend those races in person? I thought the tv coverage was good. All the replays, special reports, interviews for people, etc. If you attend a race, wouldnt you miss all that? Unless they have tvs posted around the seats and people can see those things.

[Kevin R.I.]

Jamie MacMurrey?  Didn`t see that one coming after Harvick looked so strong.But he deserved it and he certainly appreciated the significance of the win.  Maybe it`s time to re-surface Daytona?

[JRRacing64]

McMurry was phone interviewed on Mike&Mike today, and he said he will be on Regis&Kelly and Letterman soon. So JRR keep a lookout for when, I know you wont want to miss that.

As far as what I think about the races. I thought the 300 was more entertaining. May have been because of Danica's involvement. I know who she is, and yes, I admit, she is a pretty lady and that doesnt hurt people's interest in what she does. I am NOT saying thats right, but to be honest, its a factor. I also thought the announcers did a better job for the 300. The announcers performance makes a BIG difference. And the pothole delay did cool my enjoyment of what I watched of the 500. I didnt even know you could patch something that quick. I thought patches needed time to harden and bond with the hole, or they would pop right back out. I thought they had to be heated, then needed time to cool. Plus at speeds they travel at, I would think they would pull it right back up. 

One thing that I did think of. Why do people attend those races in person? I thought the tv coverage was good. All the replays, special reports, interviews for people, etc. If you attend a race, wouldnt you miss all that? Unless they have tvs posted around the seats and people can see those things.

Kinda the same reason people go to the Superbowl or go to Wrestlemania. Its about that atmosphere you get by being there.   Besides if you can afford those ticket prices for some of these races you can afford a DVR.

[Cash]

Yes thats true. Its fun to be at an event in person.

But the thing with racing is the distance and speed. Lets say you get a ticket front row center, the best seat in the house. Most of the action still takes place, say, at least a quarter mile away from you? And when it does happen right in front of you, at 180 mph you only see it a split second. And those tv guys really do an excellent job for racing. They may be among the best announcers of any sport.

[JRRacing64]

I've never gone to NASCAR event but I have been to many local races. The experience of it to me seems more exciting as you get more sensations then you do on a small TV screen. You get the smell of racing fuel and burnt rubber in the air, you get the sound of those V8 engines roaring by (that alone does it for me ) It's just for me a lot more fun. For the average fan the TV coverage will do but for the die hards it's hard to beat going in person.

On a side not for auto racing believe it or not its quite the oppiosite for what the best seats in the house are. At most tracks the seats higher up are actually the more expensive ones since they provide the best view of the action.

[JRRacing64]

Time for race #2 today at the California speedway (I know its called Auto Club Speedway, I'm a old timer when it comes to track names ) Jamie Mcmurray won the pole for the race making him the first driver to win the Daytona 500 and sit on the pole for the next race (On Qualifying time) in history. Mark Martin was fastest in final practice. Should be a good race today. 

[JRRacing64]

Today also marks the 62nd anniversary of the creation of NASCAR. Here's an article from Jayski.com

February 21, 1948 - NASCAR born: Six days after its first race was held, NASCAR was officially incorporated as the National Association for Stock Car Racing, with race promoter Bill France as president. From the beginning, stock car racing had a widespread appeal with its fan base. As the legend goes, the sport evolved from Southern liquor smugglers who souped up their pre-war Fords to outrun the police. NASCAR brought the sport organization and legitimacy. It was Bill France who realized that product identification would increase enthusiasm for the sport. He wanted the fans to see the cars they drove to the track win the races on the track. By 1949, all the postwar car models had been released, so NASCAR held a 150-mile race at the Charlotte Speedway to introduce its Grand National Division. The race was restricted to late-model strictly stock automobiles. NASCAR held nine Grand National events that year. By the end of the year, it was apparent that the strictly stock cars could not withstand the pounding of the Grand Nationals, so NASCAR drafted rules to govern the changes drivers could make to their cars. Modified stock car racing was born. Starting in 1953, the major auto makers invested heavily in stock car racing teams, believing that good results on the track would translate into better sales in the showroom. In 1957, rising production costs and tightened NASCAR rules forced the factories out of the sport. Today NASCAR racing is the fastest growing spectator sport in America.

[Jack]

I'm not a devoted NASCAR fan today, though I do follow the races.  If I get to watch them, OK, if I miss one it's not a crisis.  I am a little more ancient than most on the forum (don't feel it, but that's the way it is! ).  When I was a teenager, I went to a lot of races with my best friend's family and I remember NASCAR in its infancy.  Back then, Hudson Hornets, Oldsmobile Rocket 88's, and Chrysler 300's ruled the tracks, while Lee Petty was doing quite well in his Plymouths.  Don't hold me to it and I can't recall the driver's name, but there is a story that for some reason he arrived in Darlington without a car, went down to the local dealer and bought a Plymouth off the showroom floor, took it to the track and won the race!!  At the time, as the article says, the cars had to be strictly stock.  They did a lot of racing on dirt tracks back then and at one time I had a chunk of clay that came from the wheel-well of Fonty Flock's Chrysler 300.   As legend has it, Fonty was another of the moonshine runners who "graduated" to NASCAR.

While I never attended a race at Daytona, I do remember the race course was half on the frontage road (paved) and half on the beach.  The turns were banked sand and fun was had by all!  When they built Darlington my friend's Dad was friends with the head of one of the construction contractors and we got to go out to the track and walk the high-banked turns, all under construction.  At the time I think they were 30 degrees, which really seemed steep.  Once construction was complete, we attended many races there, stock and sportsmen.

Memories, memories.

Jack

[Jack]

To follow up and get the story straight, from the Darlington Raceway website:

"The first Southern 500 is contested. Indy Car driver Johnny Mantz, who showed up as a spectator, had a car bought for him — then being used to run business errands. He won after being the slowest qualifier. He ran the full 500 miles on the same set of tires, as witnessed by Firestone’s Bill McCrary. The night before the race, Mantz attended a party in Myrtle Beach and almost didn’t make it back in time for the race. He popped two aspirins and buckled up. Jack Smith, who finished 29th, said preparing his own car meant placing masking tape over the headlights, securing the doors with dog collars, and using rope as a seat belt."

And that, folks is the way it was "back then". 

Jack

[JRRacing64]

Thanks for the great stories there. I very much like the history of any form of auto racing as much as todays stuff. I believe Johnny Mantz used truck tires for that race he won because they would outlast normal tires.

Btw. Congrats to Jimmie Johnson on the win at California last night, Had to watch it today instead. Win #48 at his home track driving car #48 what are the odds, lol.

[JRRacing64]

Can't believe its already race 3 in the 2010 season! Kurt Busch is on the pole for this race. It would be great to see him win in his home town of Las Vegas this afternoon!

[JRRacing64]

Looked like Montoya and Daytona 500 winning McMurriey got together, Dang!

[JRRacing64]

Congrats to Jimmie Johnson, he earned that win today!

[JRRacing64]

Carl Edwards almost Killed Brad there glad he got parked and Brad walked away there. That was scary!