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Daytona 500...20 Years Ago


Cypress Sun

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I had the normal Daytona 500 party. Had about 20 -30 folks over. Libations and the food flowed. Had folks watching the 500 for the first time and had folks watching for the umpteenth time, a great time was being had by all. It all changed on the last lap. Dale Earnhardt Sr. was killed in a last lap crash. Never was a Earnhardt fan but I shed a few tears that day. The safety of NASCAR racing and racing in general, changed for the better that day. I still miss Earnhardt Sr. even though I rooted against him every time.

 

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23 minutes ago, Cypress Sun said:

 

I had the normal Daytona 500 party. Had about 20 -30 folks over. Libations and the food flowed. Had folks watching the 500 for the first time and had folks watching for the umpteenth time, a great time was being had by all. It all changed on the last lap. Dale Earnhardt Sr. was killed in a last lap crash. Never was a Earnhardt fan but I shed a few tears that day. The safety of NASCAR racing and racing in general, changed for the better that day. I still miss Earnhardt Sr. even though I rooted against him every time.

 

Same here, minus the people coming over. 

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28 minutes ago, Cypress Sun said:

 

I had the normal Daytona 500 party. Had about 20 -30 folks over. Libations and the food flowed. Had folks watching the 500 for the first time and had folks watching for the umpteenth time, a great time was being had by all. It all changed on the last lap. Dale Earnhardt Sr. was killed in a last lap crash. Never was a Earnhardt fan but I shed a few tears that day. The safety of NASCAR racing and racing in general, changed for the better that day. I still miss Earnhardt Sr. even though I rooted against him every time.

 

That was the last complete NASCAR race I have watched.  I always felt that Dale was thumbing his nose at all of the other drivers and NASCAR itself, saying "Here I am, the man in black, come and get me if you can"

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6 minutes ago, Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967 said:

Well, today's event is sure a train wreck.   :mellow:

Nothing new - even when I was really into NASCAR I hated Daytona and Talladega.  It's not racing.

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19 minutes ago, Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967 said:

Well, today's event is sure a train wreck.   :mellow:

 

I was watching the replays of that and marveling at them all being able to walk away. 

 

Also at the video from inside the cockpits. 

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I was an Earnhardt fan back then.    Some of NASCAR faded with King Richard retired.  I was a big MOPAR fan.

Never was crazy about Rusty Wallace.

 

But when Dale passed away, I just haven't found much excitement in watching NASCAR...... just don't seem the same

with all my younger day hero's not behind the wheel.

The 'pretty boys' of today will never match up to Richard, Dale, Cale, The Allisons, Wild Bill from Dawsonville, etc.....

 

..........Widder

 

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I used to enjoy watching NASCAR back when Petty, Earnhardt, Elliot and the like raced. Bump and run. They raced the entire race. Not in 1/3's.

And I was watching when Dale Sr. crashed. It was a sad and sport changing day.

Today right after the wreck, that Kyle caused, lighting was off in the distance. The sky is falling, oh my god we're all going to die. NASCAR  is the only racing venue that stops races for rain.  How can everyone else deal with it and they can't? A bunch of girly men. That and the whole Bubba Wallace on camera every 10 minutes.

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5 hours ago, irish ike, SASS #43615 said:

NASCAR  is the only racing venue that stops races for rain.  How can everyone else deal with it and they can't? A bunch of girly men. 

I agree with this.  BUT - I believe even F1, Indy car and IMSA would have stopped their races for what I saw coming out of the sky and across the track yesterday.  At least for a little while.  I'm waiting patiently for the next IMSA race in March.

 

Indy car, like F1, is only exciting to me on the starts/restarts.

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My son-in-law, his father and brother have been going there every year for the last 21 years.  This year they had to extend their stay for one more day because of the rain.  They used to invite me to come along many times but I just can't get enthused about NASCAR.  I was stationed at the airport control tower for a year and a half and made it to the 500 once but it turned me off.  I'm into IMSA and the one race I enjoyed there was the Paul Revere 24.  Now formula one racing  is a different animal.

Last night I watched "Rush".  I consider hat real racing.

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8 hours ago, Chief Rick said:

Indy car, like F1, is only exciting to me on the starts/restarts.

I watch the first 25 and last 50 laps. Everything in between is racing for a stage finish.

I get the rain thing if it gets in sane as far as downpour. Last year NASCAR did race in the rain at the Roval race. And no major crashes. The drivers adapted.

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Actually, I believe its because NASCAR doesn't put rain tires in the pits.  Slicks + Water+ rubber residue = slippery track = wrecks = poor results. 

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I was glad to see the #34 Michael McDowell win the race. Always nice to see a first time winner who's only other claim to fame is a bad crash at Texas (see below).

 

NASCAR does drive in the rain on the road courses using rain tires and windshield wipers. For obvious reasons, they don't race ovals in the rain. I don't know about you guys but I wouldn't sail off into turn 3 at Daytona doing 200 mph.

 

Michael McDowell's previous claim to fame.....

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GkEbdgrkFM

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12 hours ago, Cypress Sun said:

 

Michael McDowell's previous claim to fame.....

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GkEbdgrkFM

 

Well, THAT was impressive~!  :o

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