5 ms·

Sorry, NASCAR is not racing, it's driving left on an oval "freeway" on cars with horrible real driving performance because, among other things, they can't turn

Sorry, NASCAR is not racing, it's driving left on an oval "freeway" on cars with horrible real driving performance because, among other things, they can't turn right to save their lives. But, hey, it satisfies the need to make money by stuffing a bunch of people into a stadium to watch a "race" while they each chips, corn dogs and gulp soda. Easy to broadcast too. Announcers don't need to know a thing. Yes, I am bigoted about this. I think racing is about road courses, either on or off road. Let's see a NASCAR "race car" do this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEv_uFBnzwI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEv_uFBnzwI

dwe3000 10y ago
Is a quarter mile foot or horse race not a race just because it only turns left? I think not. NASCAR cars are tuned to their environment for maximum performance/speed, like difference in tire pressure for outside and inside tires. I have no doubt that if the tracks were different, the vehicles would be tuned differently.
- rebootthesystem 10y ago
  My comment has nothing to do with other forms of racing. You missed the part where I admitted to being a bigot about NASCAR. :) I also don't like that twirling ribbon event at the Olympics. Let a guy be grumpy for a moment, will ya? :)
hermitdev 10y ago
Yes, NASCAR is racing. Not every course is a road course, but they do run 2 per year. Not all courses are true ovals. None of the tracks have the same distance & banking. It's not as simple as you state: they just turn left. Racing on an "oval" is certainly a different discipline and takes different technology than say Indy or F1. Would you likewise argue that only a marathon is a foot race because they don't run in an oval? That the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 5000m steeplechase, 15000m steeplechase are all not races because they're either only run in a straight line or on an oval track? I doubt so. You have a preference for F1, and that's fine. I also prefer racing that isn't largely determined by pole positioning. How many F1 courses actually allow for passing? Not many. Certainly not Monaco, the premiere race. NASCAR's premier race, Daytona, sees a lot of passing. Subjectively, F1 has less competitive racing, albeit maybe more exciting. NASCAR has more competitive racing, but maybe not in a style you appreciate. To each, their own. Also, comparing an unregulated Porsche to a NASCAR car is disingenuous. NASCAR has strict regulations regarding engine displacement & aerodynamics to level the playing field and for safety (they were tired of killing drivers). At Daytona, you rarely see a car hit 200 mph these days when they used to hit up to 240 mph. It's not a technological decision. It's been a conscious safety decision.
- rebootthesystem 10y ago
  F1 is just one type of what is know as "road course" racing in the US. There are plenty of other categories, including off road. Having driven Nurburgring as well as having spent days training at well known US race courses I can tell you that turning left all day feels just like being on a busy freeway. Take away the crashes and nobody would care. A road course requires skills not found in the "let's all turn left for 200 laps" courses. Not even close. The other aspect of road courses is that they require a very different level of concentration and physical endurance. Hard to understand this without spending a few hours driving a race car on a road course. OK. Yes, I know NASCAR goes to road courses a couple of times a year. Yet, NASCAR, for the most part, is oval-turn-left racing.
burkaman 10y ago
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-0MfJeKc4w https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-0MfJeKc4w
- rebootthesystem 10y ago
  That's just funny.

dwe3000 10y ago

Is a quarter mile foot or horse race not a race just because it only turns left? I think not. NASCAR cars are tuned to their environment for maximum performance/speed, like difference in tire pressure for outside and inside tires. I have no doubt that if the tracks were different, the vehicles would be tuned differently.

rebootthesystem 10y ago
My comment has nothing to do with other forms of racing. You missed the part where I admitted to being a bigot about NASCAR. :) I also don't like that twirling ribbon event at the Olympics. Let a guy be grumpy for a moment, will ya? :)

hermitdev 10y ago

Yes, NASCAR is racing. Not every course is a road course, but they do run 2 per year. Not all courses are true ovals. None of the tracks have the same distance & banking. It's not as simple as you state: they just turn left. Racing on an "oval" is certainly a different discipline and takes different technology than say Indy or F1. Would you likewise argue that only a marathon is a foot race because they don't run in an oval? That the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 5000m steeplechase, 15000m steeplechase are all not races because they're either only run in a straight line or on an oval track? I doubt so. You have a preference for F1, and that's fine. I also prefer racing that isn't largely determined by pole positioning. How many F1 courses actually allow for passing? Not many. Certainly not Monaco, the premiere race. NASCAR's premier race, Daytona, sees a lot of passing. Subjectively, F1 has less competitive racing, albeit maybe more exciting. NASCAR has more competitive racing, but maybe not in a style you appreciate. To each, their own. Also, comparing an unregulated Porsche to a NASCAR car is disingenuous. NASCAR has strict regulations regarding engine displacement & aerodynamics to level the playing field and for safety (they were tired of killing drivers). At Daytona, you rarely see a car hit 200 mph these days when they used to hit up to 240 mph. It's not a technological decision. It's been a conscious safety decision.

rebootthesystem 10y ago
F1 is just one type of what is know as "road course" racing in the US. There are plenty of other categories, including off road. Having driven Nurburgring as well as having spent days training at well known US race courses I can tell you that turning left all day feels just like being on a busy freeway. Take away the crashes and nobody would care. A road course requires skills not found in the "let's all turn left for 200 laps" courses. Not even close. The other aspect of road courses is that they require a very different level of concentration and physical endurance. Hard to understand this without spending a few hours driving a race car on a road course. OK. Yes, I know NASCAR goes to road courses a couple of times a year. Yet, NASCAR, for the most part, is oval-turn-left racing.

burkaman 10y ago

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-0MfJeKc4w https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-0MfJeKc4w

rebootthesystem 10y ago
That's just funny.