[71350SS]

I just saw a race at Daytona using the inside road course and portions of the big track.Entertaining to say the least but not boring like a typical Daytona race would be.They also used the road course for the Busch clash or whatever its called now.I'm not saying this will get me to watch every Nascar race but itsa much more fun watch at a road course.
They even almost went to rain tires and wipers when it rained.I know a lot of people will not like this post but WTH its worth a quick watch if it a road course race then make your choice.

 

[Alan F]

It was entertaining. I was rooting for Bell to get his first win. Exciting that he was able to run Logano down from 4 secs back and pass him especially after he throws a block.

It’s too bad after 33 years they cannot get the super speedway formula right, I hate restrictor plate races and used to love and look forward to the races at both Daytona and Talladega. I loathe the cookie cutter 1.5 mile tracks. Bristol, Richmond and Martinsville are my favorites.

 

[billdini]

It’s even more fun to drive on it. I bought a 2012 300 SRT and that came with one day of Richard Petty Training at different tracks and I lived near Daytona. The better news Chrysler had to replace that car so I went twice.Ford sent me to Sebring to drive the new 2015 Gt350. All three days were a blast. Did you guys know you can't drive a newer car on the regular 500 track. The computer goes nuts because of that bank and tries to compensate for the angle and starts locking up the brakes.

 

[pannetron]

This year NASCAR is doing seven road races. I'm looking forward to watching the races at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) and Road America! Even the sound tracks are more entertaining At least for the races broadcast on Fox, for those of you with home theater sound systems, turn down the center channel so you can crank up the surround channels!

 

[kermitsass]

Bristol is going to be on dirt for the spring cup race this year.. Fontana is going to be a short track in 22. Indy is going to use the road course too

 

[RAIDER SS]

I'm the opposite where I love Daytona and Talladega and I'm not a fan of the Nascar road racing at Daytona. Way too much goes wrong when the cars leave the track and thru the mud. It just doesn't seem to be a good road course venue compared to Watkins Glen and Sonoma. Maybe the ground will be harder in the summer so move it to then? It'll be interesting to see how the teams adjust to all the road courses coming up.

I'm with Alan on hating the cookie cutter 1.5 mile tracks & give me those short tracks! Nascar wonders why people get bored with racing and then have SO many 1.5 mile tracks where the cars are only racing the track. No fighting for a position because they can take 3 laps to get around somebody because they are a tenth faster and they never even have to get close to each other.

Bristol filled with dirt? Ugh. Concrete Bristol is such good racing, but dirt is going to make it a crash fest for non-Nascar people looking for the crashes.

 

[71350SS]

Bristol is going to be on dirt for the spring cup race this year.. Fontana is going to be a short track in 22. Indy is going to use the road course too

Bristol on dirt will be great but Cup cars at Bristol have lap times of around 14-15 seconds.This because Bristol has 30 degree banking in the turns and the straightaway banking is in the high teens. So how are they going to get the dirt to stay put in the turns with those cars moving it around with their over 100 mph or higher turn speeds ? They're not going to un-pave the speedway for one race a year are they ?

 

[71350SS]

Hey Raider,the July race around the 4th at Daytona this summer will be on the road course.So we'll get to see if there's any difference to today's race.This is new stuff for the cup cars and at least they are making it more entertaining and not so boring.
Don't forget the road course at Daytona is a world class racing facility and has been used for the 24 Hrs of Daytona road race since the early 1960's and the 24 hr. race is considered one of the premier races to start off every race year for teams worldwide.

 

[kermitsass]

Bristol on dirt will be great but Cup cars at Bristol have lap times of around 14-15 seconds.This because Bristol has 30 degree banking in the turns and the straightaway banking is in the high teens. So how are they going to get the dirt to stay put in the turns with those cars moving it around with their over 100 mph or higher turn speeds ? They're not going to un-pave the speedway for one race a year are they ?

They haul in a bunch of clay, don't know how they keep it in place but i remember they did it to run world of outlaw cars a few years back.

 

[Alan F]

Bristol on dirt will be great but Cup cars at Bristol have lap times of around 14-15 seconds.This because Bristol has 30 degree banking in the turns and the straightaway banking is in the high teens. So how are they going to get the dirt to stay put in the turns with those cars moving it around with their over 100 mph or higher turn speeds ? They're not going to un-pave the speedway for one race a year are they ?

They’re not going to get the dirt up the banks. It will be more level. I think the racing ought to be very interesting there. I’m sure there will be something no one expects.

Speaking of competition, I used to love to watch the cars slipping and sliding around on a track like Darlington. I think the cars have too much grip. Almost any fool can hold on to the wheel. I really like to see racing where the driver himself makes the difference in the outcome, as long as it’s not blocking. That’s just not sporting.

 

[DZAUTO]

I was once one of NASCAR's biggest fans. But more and more, as time goes by, I've lost total interest. Anymore, I don't hardly know the names of the drivers------------------and don't care. SAD! In my diary, when Dale died, NASCAR died.

 

[Derek69SS]

I'm actually tempted to start watching again.
Sounds like they're finally starting to do things that are interesting!

I started to lose interest when they started the "chase" for points, lost a lot more interest when they mandated the COT, and finally lost all interest when my favorite driver (Tony Stewart) spent a year in a Toyota... he moved back to Chevy the next year, but I had already quit watching.

 

[lucifershammer]

I'm actually tempted to start watching again.
Sounds like they're finally starting to do things that are interesting!

I started to lose interest when they started the "chase" for points, lost a lot more interest when they mandated the COT, and finally lost all interest when my favorite driver (Tony Stewart) spent a year in a Toyota... he moved back to Chevy the next year, but I had already quit watching.

My final straw was "stage" racing.

 

[RAIDER SS]

I actually like the Chase playoff. It adds excitement and drama to the end of the season. One or 2 bad races and you are out of contention; which is how it goes in most sports. I never liked the old system where a driver won the season with 3 races left in the season. The COT was a joke, and next years car could be just as bad. I hope not. Stage racing doesn't bother me. Ad's a kink and provides another way to bunch up the field again.

I find that when people follow one driver - they are interested in the racing. Always checking to see where their driver is during the race. Nice. But then when their driver retires; that fan can lose interest in staying on with the sport. For me I got reenergized in the sport with Rusty Wallace driving for Penske in a Pontiac. A lot has changed since then (including Penske switching to Dodge & Ford), but I continued to follow the #2 car. And I still do today. I watch every race, but I DVR them all and watch without all the commercials. I can't stand it when Nascar runs an ad for us to watch Nascar racing while there is a live race going on that we can't watch because of their ad running!!!

 

[Derek69SS]

I actually like the Chase playoff. It adds excitement and drama to the end of the season. One or 2 bad races and you are out of contention; which is how it goes in most sports. I never liked the old system where a driver won the season with 3 races left in the season.

It killed the excitement of the individual races though.

It added drama for season points, but late-season races became more about endurance, and merely finishing every race with a decent amount of points rather than running hard and taking chances.

 

[-SS454-]

I would gladly watch the road course races. Nascar on the twisties with drivers that aren't always expert on the road courses is always entertaining.

The Chase playoff thing is fine I guess, but the knockout system in the Chase is horrible. There is no validity to the champion as basically the champ is the guy that stayed out of trouble the most. It is also all the manufactured drama within the races that I can't stand. Competition Cautions, the Segments, etc etc. And now the cars have less horsepower than before, at least on the big ovals.

 

[lucifershammer]

I would gladly watch the road course races. Nascar on the twisties with drivers that aren't always expert on the road courses is always entertaining.

The Chase playoff thing is fine I guess, but the knockout system in the Chase is horrible. There is no validity to the champion as basically the champ is the guy that stayed out of trouble the most. It is also all the manufactured drama within the races that I can't stand. Competition Cautions, the Segments, etc etc. And now the cars have less horsepower than before, at least on the big ovals.

I agree - let 'em race. The only time they should throw a yellow is for safety reasons. The stages they could keep, just let 'em keep racing and let the stage "winner" be the leader on that lap. Don't stop all the action and throw a yellow and all that. It would actually make it more exciting because right now, they all know a yellow is coming at a certain point, whereas without it, more overall race strategy would come into play.

Kinda like they used to give you a bonus point for leading at the 1/2 way point of a race, but they didn't stop the and throw a yellow then...

 

[Alan F]

I was once one of NASCAR's biggest fans. But more and more, as time goes by, I've lost total interest. Anymore, I don't hardly know the names of the drivers------------------and don't care. SAD! In my diary, when Dale died, NASCAR died.

Tom,
You have to admit that even if we hadn’t lost Dale, he would not be driving today. Even Gordon, Johnson and Dale Jr. have already retired. There are really some fine young drivers. The Xfinity series (old Grand National series) race on the Daytona road course was really fun too.

I hate the stage racing. I will grant that it doesn’t allow anyone to run away with the race. I also don’t like the crash clock. Bit if it stops all the caution it’s good.

Nascar has really tried to figure out a way to make sure that no strokers ever win the championship again. You had Harvick and Hamlin, who won 16 races, get smoked in last years championship by Chase Elliott in the playoffs. He won 3 out of the last 5 races and one of those races he would have been eliminated had he not won. It was enjoyable.

There’s no more men like Dale, Cale, Benny, Buddy, Darrell, Harry, David Pearson, Richard Petty, Bobby Allison, Junior, Fireball, Fred, Curtis, Ned or, last of the breed, Tony.

 

[DZAUTO]

I really think that I've been so disappointed with NASCAR these past few years, that I'm now past the point of no return of getting interested again. Enough is enough!
By the way, I guess you saw the videos of our first flight. Once we get the gremlins worked out of the left engine, we will be scheduling another flight. Say HI to your son for me.

 

[Alan F]

I really think that I've been so disappointed with NASCAR these past few years, that I'm now bast the point of no return of getting interested again. Enough is enough!
By the way, I guess you saw the videos of our first flight. Once we get the gremlins worked out of the left engine, we will be scheduling another flight. Say HI to your son for me.

Thanks Tom. He wants a ride on that bird. Hopefully we will see you again soon.