Well, That Was An Interesting Finish

[Subdeacon Joe]

Those last dozen laps had some excellent driving.  How some of those drivers manage to keep it on the track in those situations is mind boggling. 

 

Of course,  the 1 inch separation fore and aft, and half inch on the beam at 170+mph is pretty darned amazing. 

[Cypress Sun]

Interesting finish, yes and congrats to William Byron who, by the way didn't have a mark on his car. Jimmie Johnson actually finished third!

 

However, one of these days, these restricted horsepower engines and large pack racing is going to result in a serious injury to a driver or possibly a spectator. 

I still advocate for giving all of the horsepower that the engines can put out and slow them down by taking all of that aero crap off of the car. No way are they going to flat foot it around the track then. That would put the race back into the drivers hands and not just who is lucky enough to make it through all of "the big ones".

[Subdeacon Joe]

5 minutes ago, Cypress Sun said:

Interesting finish, yes and congrats to William Byron who, by the way didn't have a mark on his car. Jimmie Johnson actually finished third!

 

However, one of these days, these restricted horsepower engines and large pack racing is going to result in a serious injury to a driver or possibly a spectator. 

I still advocate for giving all of the horsepower that the engines can put out and slow them down by taking all of that aero crap off of the car. No way are they going to flat foot it around the track then. That would put the race back into the drivers hands and not just who is lucky enough to make it through all of "the big ones".

 

I agree.   If not for the safety issues I'd like to see a return to cars like these

 

 

 

 

[Cypress Sun]

 

This 1987 crash at Talladega lead to the introduction of the carbonator restrictor plate which limited horsepower to slow the cars down. Bobby Allison cut a right rear tire down while at full speed (about 200++ mph), the car turned sideways, caught air and sailed into the catch fence in front of the main grandstands. It was just a miracle that the 3,000 lb car going 200 mph didn't end up in the grandstands. IIRC, a dozen people got hurt, some seriously and one was blinded by debris.

 

 

Edited February 17 by Cypress Sun

[watab kid]

dang i didnt get to see the end - we were driving home and lost reception so couldnt listen either , 

[Blackwater 53393]

I’d like to see three changes made to the NASCAR Cup racing!!

 

1: Make them use the actual body panels from the manufacturer of the car represented.

 

2: Give ‘em all the tire, aero, and horsepower the team can assemble.

 

3: Go back to the scoring and racing format that they used before all this playoff and stage points crap was initiated!!

 

Put whatever suspension, engine/transmission combination, tire/wheel combination, and all the latest safety features and equipment inside the manufacturer’s envelope! Give ‘em a minimum weight, a minimum ride height, and a common fuel and fuel capacity and let ‘em race!!

 

A car model would have to be submitted to the sanctioning body for approval according to size and specific minimum frontal area agreed to by the participating manufacturers.

 

Then you’d have some real racing!  Other sanctioning bodies do it successfully! Why not!!

[Still hand Bill]

1 hour ago, Blackwater 53393 said:

I’d like to see three changes made to the NASCAR Cup racing!!

 

1: Make them use the actual body panels from the manufacturer of the car represented.

 

2: Give ‘em all the tire, aero, and horsepower the team can assemble.

 

problem with this approach is all the hp would push them much faster.   They could go over 240 back 25-30 years ago.  Adding today’s tech to the engines would be faster yet.  Then tires become an issue.  They simply can’t handle the heat.  Unfortunately the days of unlimited racing on big high banked oval is over.  They could easily race the road course at Daytona and then it could be run what you brung.  Watched a great Rolex race there a few years back.  All 5 top cars on the lead lap with an hour left.  The Cadillac’s were faster, by a couple seconds a lap, but were burning up tires.  Needed an extra stop due to tire wear.  Could they make up the differing time?   Turned out, no.  

 

1 hour ago, Blackwater 53393 said:

 

3: Go back to the scoring and racing format that they used before all this playoff and stage points crap was initiated!!

 

yes, get rid of the stages and yellows.  Make them pit under green.  Put some strategy back into racing.  

1 hour ago, Blackwater 53393 said:

 

Put whatever suspension, engine/transmission combination, tire/wheel combination, and all the latest safety features and equipment inside the manufacturer’s envelope! Give ‘em a minimum weight, a minimum ride height, and a common fuel and fuel capacity and let ‘em race!!

 

A car model would have to be submitted to the sanctioning body for approval according to size and specific minimum frontal area agreed to by the participating manufacturers.

 

Then you’d have some real racing!  Other sanctioning bodies do it successfully! Why not!!

 

[Blackwater 53393]

The GTP cars at the 24 were turning 200+mph and holding the track with ease.  On the Molson Strait at Le Mans, they approach 300 mph.
 

The idea that tires should limit performance is almost laughable.  Making tires that wear out if the speeds are higher is counterintuitive and counterproductive.  They spent years working to make them safer and more durable and now they’re doing the polar opposite!!

 

They’re already restricting engine size and gear ratios. Selecting a production body style and making the builders use factory body panels or EXACT duplicates and allowing sensible aero modifications that make the cars safer, as opposed to controlling speed and drafting capabilities, would make for better competition.  

(It would also encourage the manufacturers to build better cars!!)

 

Outside of that?  Run what you brung and hope you brung enough!!

[Subdeacon Joe]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Cypress Sun]

I have to guess that the front tires were off the ground for at least 300', maybe more, before it flipped over. Longest wheelie in NASCAR history!

[Cypress Sun]

I think Ryan Preece has some experience flipping at Daytona. 

 

NASCAR might want to listen to what he has to say....

 

Ryan Preece in 2023 at Daytona. 

 

 

[Still hand Bill]

1 hour ago, Blackwater 53393 said:

The GTP cars at the 24 were turning 200+mph and holding the track with ease.  On the Molson Strait at Le Mans, they approach 300 mph.
 

The idea that tires should limit performance is almost laughable.  Making tires that wear out if the speeds are higher is counterintuitive and counterproductive.  They spent years working to make them safer and more durable and now they’re doing the polar opposite!!

 

They’re already restricting engine size and gear ratios. Selecting a production body style and making the builders use factory body panels or EXACT duplicates and allowing sensible aero modifications that make the cars safer, as opposed to controlling speed and drafting capabilities, would make for better competition.  

(It would also encourage the manufacturers to build better cars!!)

 

Outside of that?  Run what you brung and hope you brung enough!!

the gtp cars do not run flat out for the whole lap.  Big difference for the tires.  They have the bus stop on the back straight and don’t run through the tri oval flat out due to braking for turn 1.  even then they don’t get a lot of laps out of a set.  The banking at super high speed is really tough on tires, lots of downforce which makes them flex and adds heat.  Tire failure at 250 mph is a big deal.  
For bikes they rerouted the track to slow them down and take wear off the tires.  Back in the 90’s Troy Corser skipped the bus stop and ran both the west and east banking at full speed.  Went over 200 mph and the tire lasted one lap.  Same tire when not subject to the long duration at top speed are able to last significantly longer.  
 

daytona is an interesting place, you get speeds and aerodynamic forces that you don’t get elsewhere.  I have raced there 3 times and learned something new every time.  It’s also not smooth due to how they have to roll the asphalt.  It’s rolled in sections which makes the banking lumpy.  We used to get bruises on our chests from getting slammed into the tank from the g forces.  

[irish ike, SASS #43615]

I sum up super speedways like this. Watch the start and the first 15 laps.  Turn the sound off. Do something else. Come back at 25 laps to finish when the race actual happens.  The race isn't won by the best driver, fastest car, or best team. Its won by getting through the big one. As Byron did.  And as usual they need an extended race to finish because the cautions ran them past 200 laps.

[watab kid]

that was a spectacular wreck , i cant imagine being in that car 

[Trailrider #896]

I have no interest in auto racing, and don't watch. Bad enough on the main streets and highways during/after snow or freezomg rain! Rather watch horseracing...on TV. 

[Subdeacon Joe]

4 hours ago, watab kid said:

that was a spectacular wreck , i cant imagine being in that car 

 

 

And he walked away. Half an hour later he wascm standing there giving an interview as if nothing had happened.

 

A testimony to design ans engineering. 

[watab kid]

1 hour ago, Subdeacon Joe said:

 

 

And he walked away. Half an hour later he wascm standing there giving an interview as if nothing had happened.

 

A testimony to design ans engineering. 

and all that safety gear they have - its amazing , im sure he will have bruises and some pains but wow at that speed ..............just amazing ,