betterREDthandead 58 Report post Posted February 21, 2007 The problem the plates cause is they limit the cars' ability to accelerate and also cause the cars to run at speeds low enough to allow drivers to never have to lift off of the throttle at Daytona and Talladega (especially Talladega). These two factors make it so the cars have difficulty separating out of large 20-30 car packs. These packs lead to the wrecks drivers call "the big one". I remember all the talk back in 1988 and 89 of how the plates were supposed to be "temporary". 20 years later we still wait for NASCAR to come up with a real solution. Makes you wonder if NASCAR likes it that way. Puttin' on the tinfoil hat here. Daytona and Talladega, the two tracks where the most people are likely to be watching, and what does the casual NASCAR fan like the most? Big piles of cars going every which way but forward, of course. I'm guilty as charged same as everyone. NASCAR's got fancy walls, a mandatory head-restraint system, and the supposedly dazzlingly safe Car of Tomorrow - their butts are covered - so why not please the masses with a technology that guarantees spectacular crashes on the biggest stage? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mannysBETTER3434 1 Report post Posted February 21, 2007 NASCAR's got fancy walls, a mandatory head-restraint system, and the supposedly dazzlingly safe Car of Tomorrow - their butts are covered - so why not please the masses with a technology that guarantees spectacular crashes on the biggest stage? I see your point, and understand why people like the crashes (I do too), but if you took restricter plates off at Talledaga, and Daytona a driver or fan could seriousley die. A car could flip right over without any other car touching him when you're going that fast. It happens once in a while when people race funny cars, and thats going only a 1/4 of a mile. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sting 11 0 Report post Posted February 21, 2007 In 2004, Rusty Wallace did some hot laps unrestricted at Talladega. I guess it was for a radio comms test, but I can't believe NASCAR okayed it. Here's the story: Rusty Runs Unrestricted - Car News JERRY GARRETT, September 2004 Have you ever wondered how restrictive a NASCAR restrictor plate is? Well, Rusty Wallace decided to toss his and find out. On June 9, at Alabama International Motor Speedway in Talladega, Wallace hit a trap speed of 228 mph in his Miller Lite Dodge. "We hit 228 at the end of the straightaway," he said. Wallace's top lap speed was 216.306 and was 25 to 30 mph faster than with a restrictor plate. "It was a helluva deal that I certainly will remember for the rest of my life," Wallace added. "We'd all been wondering what it would feel like to run at Talladega again without the plates, and now I know. I'll bet we could be running speeds up to 235 without the plates if we spent time doing some tweaking. But I'll tell you this�"there's no way we could be out there racing at those speeds. It was neat to be out there running that fast by myself, but it would be insane to think we could have a pack of cars out there doing that." The officially recognized Talladega track record is Bill Elliott's 212.809 mph set in a qualifying run in 1987. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
betterREDthandead 58 Report post Posted February 21, 2007 OK, well, I'm about to display severe n00bishness here, because I'm sure this question has been asked a zillion times, but Indy cars have no problems going that fast, so why NASCAR cars? The Brickyard even has turns that aren't anywhere near as banked as those at Daytona. If NASCAR vehicles can hit speeds of 235 at Talladega, why don't they even come close to that when they race Indy? Are open-wheel cars really that much more stable? Are they wider? Pardon my incessant flow of questions, but I really don't know the nuances of racing, only the basics. And it would appear I've already made the decision to actually follow NASCAR, since I looked at the upcoming schedule and subconsciously (and happily) noted that I won't miss as many races as I thought I would due to being away from home for five weeks, starting shortly. So I guess I should try to know what I'm talking about. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sting 11 0 Report post Posted February 21, 2007 OK, well, I'm about to display severe n00bishness here, because I'm sure this question has been asked a zillion times, but Indy cars have no problems going that fast, so why NASCAR cars? The Brickyard even has turns that aren't anywhere near as banked as those at Daytona. If NASCAR vehicles can hit speeds of 235 at Talladega, why don't they even come close to that when they race Indy? Are open-wheel cars really that much more stable? Are they wider? Pardon my incessant flow of questions, but I really don't know the nuances of racing, only the basics. And it would appear I've already made the decision to actually follow NASCAR, since I looked at the upcoming schedule and subconsciously (and happily) noted that I won't miss as many races as I thought I would due to being away from home for five weeks, starting shortly. So I guess I should try to know what I'm talking about. It's mainly because Indy cars weigh (roughly) half as much and have tires that are (roughly) twice as wide. Indy cars are quite stable and will pretty much go whichever direction you point them. Stock cars are by nature not very stable and their handling is very touchy. Banking is critical to maintaining your cornering speed in a stock car. Because of a stock car's weight and relatively narrow tires, if you're going too fast for a corner, you will turn the wheel and still pretty much go straight (i.e. understeer). Think of taking a 35 mph corner on the highway; an Indy car would be like driving a Corvette, a NASCAR stock car would be like driving a dump truck. This is a main reason why hotshot Indy drivers tend to struggle mightily when they try their hand at NASCAR. If you're planning on watching the next few races, don't get your hopes up too high for racing as exciting as it was at Daytona. It's not going to be. It might get interesting with pit strategy and stuff, but there won't be as much door-to-door racing, especially at California and Vegas. If you want to see a fun race, circle Bristol on your calendar, March 25. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mannysBETTER3434 1 Report post Posted February 21, 2007 (edited) And it would appear I've already made the decision to actually follow NASCAR, since I looked at the upcoming schedule and subconsciously (and happily) noted that I won't miss as many races as I thought I would due to being away from home for five weeks, starting shortly. So I guess I should try to know what I'm talking about. Oh you're going to have to choose a favorite driver then! Be careful and select a good one. When I was 5 years old I picked Kyle Petty because he had a cool Mellow Yellow car. I still love the guy, but I wish he would just retire so I can pick a new one! Oh, and since you're watching the next five races. Here is a tip to enjoy NASCAR on TV- -- You watch the first 50-75 laps. Then take a nap...when you wake up there should be about 100 left. I've done it all my life. It's great! Edited February 21, 2007 by mannysBETTER3434 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sting 11 0 Report post Posted February 21, 2007 Oh you're going to have to choose a favorite driver then! Be careful and select a good one. When I was 5 years old I picked Kyle Petty because he had a cool Mellow Yellow car. I still love the guy, but I wish he would just retire so I can pick a new one! Oh, and since you're watching the next five races. Here is a tip to enjoy NASCAR on TV- -- You watch the first 50-75 laps. Then take a nap...when you wake up there should be about 100 left. I've done it all my life. It's great! That was a cool looking car. The paint scheme was based off of the Days of Thunder car: I was always a Rusty Wallace fan until Ryan Newman came on the scene. I had to follow Newman since we're both Hoosiers and Purdue grads. Following a driver is key to enjoying racing. The mid-race nap is a family tradition that I'm just now inheriting from my dad. I was actually asleep when Stewart and Busch wrecked on Sunday, so when I woke up I was like "what the hell happened?" Oh, my only tips on picking a driver...don't pick a Toyota driver (obviously), and don't pick Kyle Busch...he's an out-of-control doofus. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mannysBETTER3434 1 Report post Posted February 21, 2007 (edited) That was a cool looking car. The paint scheme was based off of the Days of Thunder car: I was always a Rusty Wallace fan until Ryan Newman came on the scene. I had to follow Newman since we're both Hoosiers and Purdue grads. Following a driver is key to enjoying racing. The mid-race nap is a family tradition that I'm just now inheriting from my dad. I was actually asleep when Stewart and Busch wrecked on Sunday, so when I woke up I was like "what the hell happened?" I LOVE DAYS OF THUNDER!! That movie made me like Kyle Petty. I met Kyle Petty twice. He's a great guy, and a class act. He reminds me of Tony Dungy, because of his strong faith, and how he dealt with his teenager dying. Kyle is the man, but lets face it...he stinks at driving I also use to like Johnny Benson because he's from my hometown, but he stunk, and now drives trucks. After Kyle leaves I'm not sure who I'll like. I can't like Gordan, Johnson, or JR because thats jumping on the bandwagon. I can't stand Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, or Kevin Harvick, and I can't become fans of Martin, Jarrett, or Labonte because they are to old (even though I still like them) It's going to be a hard choice for me! I was kind of leaning towards a guy like McMurray, Kahne, Truek, Sadler, or someone like that Edited February 21, 2007 by mannysBETTER3434 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
betterREDthandead 58 Report post Posted February 21, 2007 Oh you're going to have to choose a favorite driver then! Be careful and select a good one. When I was 5 years old I picked Kyle Petty because he had a cool Mellow Yellow car. I still love the guy, but I wish he would just retire so I can pick a new one! Oh, and since you're watching the next five races. Here is a tip to enjoy NASCAR on TV- -- You watch the first 50-75 laps. Then take a nap...when you wake up there should be about 100 left. I've done it all my life. It's great! Unfortunately I won't be watching the next five races. My ship is getting underway this week and we won't be back for quite a while. I'll miss Bristol. I don't plan on picking a favorite driver 'til I watch enough races. I'm sure something will present itself. In the past I've just kind of hoped a good sponsor won. Beer, liquor, gasoline, automotive, hardware stores, military - good. Cell phones, mortgage companies, pharmaceuticals, candy - not so much. Can you imagine Dale Earnhardt driving, say, the M&M's car???? Or the Cingular car? Or, heaven forbid, the Viagra car that Mark Martin drove for a couple years? These days, of course, there's Toyota to boo. And it's a shame, because I noticed the Valvoline car is a Toyota, as well as the Caterpillar car. (Which come to think of it, I think was the one that ended up zorching down pit row. Ha.) BTW, I probably still have the Mello Yello toy car from a Hardee's kids meal when they were doing a Days of Thunder promotion that one was cool. But probably one of my favorites from whenever was the Tide car. I dug that one. Weird. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mannysBETTER3434 1 Report post Posted February 21, 2007 Ship....Navy? Sailor? Cruise? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
betterREDthandead 58 Report post Posted February 21, 2007 Ship....Navy? Sailor? Cruise? Yes, yes, yes, and sort of. Didn't you know that's what I do? I thought I'd broadcast it pretty far and wide by now Yeah, we're going to San Diego and that area of the ocean for about five weeks. Everett, which is where we're based, is a much smaller base and doesn't have all the facilities and services, so Everett ships periodically head to San Diego for about a month to get various things done that can't be done up here. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
timothy1997 0 Report post Posted February 22, 2007 Oh, and since you're watching the next five races. Here is a tip to enjoy NASCAR on TV- -- You watch the first 50-75 laps. Then take a nap...when you wake up there should be about 100 left. I've done it all my life. It's great! THATS WHAT I DO!! I am a casual NASCAR fan. I know what is going on and who wins the races...but only a few races will I actually watch start to finish (daytona being one of them). Main reason why....long season. Hard to believe that this season will end up right before thanksgiving and have a race most sundays and a few saturdays. I don't really have a favorite driver but I must say I was pulling for Tony Stewart to win last sunday. Anyone but Jeff Gordon!! lol Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mannysBETTER3434 1 Report post Posted February 22, 2007 THATS WHAT I DO!! Anyone but Jeff Gordon!! lol Best post ever written on LGW.com!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
betterREDthandead 58 Report post Posted February 22, 2007 Yeah, I don't know who, if anyone, I'll settle on as a favorite driver, but I'm pretty sure it won't be Jeff Gordon. I really got nothing against him, but I can't see myself rooting for him either. It'd be like going to N'Sync concerts and insisting it's cause I think they have really good songs. I'll tell you who would be my favorite driver, if I could only remember who it is. Couple years ago, don't remember exactly when, I was flipping through channels when I found a race in the middle of a crash. After the cars had stopped spinning and the drivers involved had climbed out of their cars and the race was well under caution, one driver was still pretty pissed. He grabbed a piece of his wrecked car, waited in ambush for the driver that had apparently bumped him into the wreck in the first place (and had escaped unscathed) and chucked the piece of wreckage at the other driver as he drove past. Hilarious (if dangerous). I can't get the idea out of my head that the targeted driver was Junior. I got nothing against Junior either, it's just that the whole idea of waiting for the guy who wrecked you and chucking things at his car is funny as hell. If I could somehow find out who that was, I'm sure he'd be the guy I root for. EDIT: found it. that didn't take long. yay search engines. Turns out it was Robby Gordon throwing his helmet at Michael Waltrip. The article I found mentioned that Gordon tried to use his own car to bump Waltrip after the wreck the first time around, then threw the helmet the second time around, resulting in a Bronx salute from Waltrip. Which is close enough to how I remember it. Fine, works for me. Robby Gordon it is Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
timothy1997 0 Report post Posted February 22, 2007 I'll tell you who would be my favorite driver, if I could only remember who it is. Couple years ago, don't remember exactly when, I was flipping through channels when I found a race in the middle of a crash. After the cars had stopped spinning and the drivers involved had climbed out of their cars and the race was well under caution, one driver was still pretty pissed. He grabbed a piece of his wrecked car, waited in ambush for the driver that had apparently bumped him into the wreck in the first place (and had escaped unscathed) and chucked the piece of wreckage at the other driver as he drove past. Hilarious (if dangerous). I can't get the idea out of my head that the targeted driver was Junior. I got nothing against Junior either, it's just that the whole idea of waiting for the guy who wrecked you and chucking things at his car is funny as hell. If I could somehow find out who that was, I'm sure he'd be the guy I root for. EDIT: found it. that didn't take long. yay search engines. Turns out it was Robby Gordon throwing his helmet at Michael Waltrip. The article I found mentioned that Gordon tried to use his own car to bump Waltrip after the wreck the first time around, then threw the helmet the second time around, resulting in a Bronx salute from Waltrip. Which is close enough to how I remember it. Fine, works for me. Robby Gordon it is My personal best was Carl Edwards crashing into Junior after he spun him out in the Busch race at Michigan last year. That was hiliarous. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mannysBETTER3434 1 Report post Posted February 22, 2007 Robby Gordon it is I strongly advise you to change your pick. Robby Gordan is a bum unless he's racing at a road course. Being a Robby Gordan fan is pretty much like being a Kyle Petty fan like myself. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sting 11 0 Report post Posted February 22, 2007 Yeah, I don't know who, if anyone, I'll settle on as a favorite driver, but I'm pretty sure it won't be Jeff Gordon. I really got nothing against him, but I can't see myself rooting for him either. It'd be like going to N'Sync concerts and insisting it's cause I think they have really good songs. I'll tell you who would be my favorite driver, if I could only remember who it is. Couple years ago, don't remember exactly when, I was flipping through channels when I found a race in the middle of a crash. After the cars had stopped spinning and the drivers involved had climbed out of their cars and the race was well under caution, one driver was still pretty pissed. He grabbed a piece of his wrecked car, waited in ambush for the driver that had apparently bumped him into the wreck in the first place (and had escaped unscathed) and chucked the piece of wreckage at the other driver as he drove past. Hilarious (if dangerous). I can't get the idea out of my head that the targeted driver was Junior. I got nothing against Junior either, it's just that the whole idea of waiting for the guy who wrecked you and chucking things at his car is funny as hell. If I could somehow find out who that was, I'm sure he'd be the guy I root for. EDIT: found it. that didn't take long. yay search engines. Turns out it was Robby Gordon throwing his helmet at Michael Waltrip. The article I found mentioned that Gordon tried to use his own car to bump Waltrip after the wreck the first time around, then threw the helmet the second time around, resulting in a Bronx salute from Waltrip. Which is close enough to how I remember it. Fine, works for me. Robby Gordon it is Ah yes, helmet throwing incidents...gotta love 'em. The unusual thing about Robby Gordon's toss was that it didn't occur at Bristol. I forget where it was, but most of the hot-headedness over the past 10 or so years has come from Bristol. has all of the helmet tosses in it, along with a lot of other racing goodness. The guy's other videos there are good too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
betterREDthandead 58 Report post Posted February 22, 2007 I strongly advise you to change your pick. Robby Gordan is a bum unless he's racing at a road course. Being a Robby Gordan fan is pretty much like being a Kyle Petty fan like myself. Too late now. Besides, I'm a Lions fan, you think I can't handle pulling for an underdog? Ah yes, helmet throwing incidents...gotta love 'em. The unusual thing about Robby Gordon's toss was that it didn't occur at Bristol. I forget where it was, but most of the hot-headedness over the past 10 or so years has come from Bristol. This video has all of the helmet tosses in it, along with a lot of other racing goodness. The guy's other videos there are good too. According to the article it was New Hampshire. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mannysBETTER3434 1 Report post Posted February 23, 2007 (edited) This is off topic but I have to post it. B-red since you're on ships I thought you would like this poem I found.... Dear Penthouse- I'm a seamen first class at a over seas navel base... It's been seven long months since I've seen a women's face... When I saw your recent issue... I took a book of klenex tissue, and I locked the barex door... Thanks to you I gotten a grip... Please excuse my jerky pendminship Edited February 23, 2007 by mannysBETTER3434 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
