Openwheel drivers to NASCAR

debris cautions can be a pain in the arse but its a product of oval racing. You cant leave a piece a sheet metal out on the track. As well, dont look at a caution as a break in the racing, look at it as an opportunity for the drivers to work on and fix their cars, and as a time when a strategist can work his magic. Having guys take two right side tyres and other guys behind on four fresh tyres is interesting to watch. Same thing with fuel strategy, can you eek it out an extra couple of laps?, if you can you win the race if you cant you'll probably end up a couple of laps down.

generally week from week the quickest driver/car combination/with the best pit stops/communication/and ability to keep up with the track will win.

I dont get your comments about americans not being purist racers. Ive just never seen that myself.

A debris caution for chunks of car on the track is completely understandable, but too often , the flags get thrown for debris the TV cameras seem unable to pick up, if you get my meaning!

Maybe I'm just wired differently but oval racing has just never had the same interest for me. Don't get me wrong, I'll still sit and watch anything with wheels racing and I consider the Daytona and Indianapolis in my "to do" list of races to see but I find the highlight videos on nascar.com tell me everything I need to know about a race.

I meant that American fans seem much more willing to accept just about any change to the sport in the name of entertainment, with the most extreme example so far being the chase. All but writing off over two thirds of a seasons worth of racing to ensure a closer finish in the championship just seems a step too far. What happens if someone still manages to run away with championship, even after the chase? Do they make it a one off end of season race for the top ten in the points, winner takes all?

Anyway, back to the original topic, I think any top driver in any top series around the world, given enough preparation time, could make it in anything. Jeff Gordon has proven it by lapping relatively quickly in the F1 Williams a few years back, Rossi was close to moving to F1 with Ferrari after some promising tests for Ferrari and countless F1 drivers becoming successful in other catergories. Schumacher has even had a little success on bikes!

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Originally Posted by mpj4582

I meant that American fans seem much more willing to accept just about any change to the sport in the name of entertainment, . . . .

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Lawd Lawd. We poor ol' simple minded 'muricans sho nuff is glad you high falutin' sophisticates frum way over thur will lower youselves to mingle wiff us.

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A debris caution for chunks of car on the track is completely understandable, but too often , the flags get thrown for debris the TV cameras seem unable to pick up, if you get my meaning!

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NASCAR and the TV companies have been alot better at showing the debris this year since. The drivers started complaining about debris cautions. They should have been making the effort in the first place.

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Maybe I'm just wired differently but oval racing has just never had the same interest for me. Don't get me wrong, I'll still sit and watch anything with wheels racing and I consider the Daytona and Indianapolis in my "to do" list of races to see but I find the highlight videos on nascar.com tell me everything I need to know about a race.

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You really cant get a good view of a race from highlights on nascar.com. Ive watched races and then watched the hour long highlight shows on Channel 5. You miss massive chunks of the race and most of the stories from the pits. I like finding out during the race whos loose, whos tight etc and seeing what changes to the cars they are making during the pitstops.

The highlight shows just follow whos leading, the real story is how they got to the lead. Following someones progress from the back of the pack to the front is fun to watch, even if it isnt your driver thats doing it.

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I meant that American fans seem much more willing to accept just about any change to the sport in the name of entertainment, with the most extreme example so far being the chase. All but writing off over two thirds of a seasons worth of racing to ensure a closer finish in the championship just seems a step too far. What happens if someone still manages to run away with championship, even after the chase? Do they make it a one off end of season race for the top ten in the points, winner takes all?

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Generally the american fans dont like the chase either. NASCAR would like to think that the low ticket sales are down to the economical downturn, but i believe it has more to do with the chase format and grass roots fans being fed up with what many see (including me) as a watered down points system and NASCARs top people forgetting where and who put the sport where it is, with traditions being broken.

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Originally Posted by Lee Roy

Lawd Lawd. We poor ol' simple minded 'muricans sho nuff is glad you high falutin' sophisticates frum way over thur will lower youselves to mingle wiff us.

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I give up! You could very easily have taken that as a compliment, meaning that you were more open minded to change but instead you've chosen to take it as an insult. If this forums attitude to fans of other forms of motor sport is typical of NASCAR fans, I think I'll reconsider any planned trips to Daytona!

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Originally Posted by mpj4582

I give up! You could very easily have taken that as a compliment, meaning that you were more open minded to change but instead you've chosen to take it as an insult. If this forums attitude to fans of other forms of motor sport is typical of NASCAR fans, I think I'll reconsider any planned trips to Daytona!

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With your condescending attitude, you probably wouldn't have enjoyed it anyway. BTW, the last two races that I've attended have been Formula One races. I'm not just a "NASCAR Fan". People are human beings, not stereotypes to categorize.

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Originally Posted by Haulin'AssAndTurnin Left

You really cant get a good view of a race from highlights on nascar.com. Ive watched races and then watched the hour long highlight shows on Channel 5. You miss massive chunks of the race and most of the stories from the pits. I like finding out during the race whos loose, whos tight etc and seeing what changes to the cars they are making during the pitstops.

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I agree. Highlights packages for any motorsport are awful, because there is not any tension building up to the "highlights" of the race. That definitely ruins the enjoyment for me.

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Originally Posted by mpj4582

I give up! You could very easily have taken that as a compliment, meaning that you were more open minded to change but instead you've chosen to take it as an insult. If this forums attitude to fans of other forms of motor sport is typical of NASCAR fans, I think I'll reconsider any planned trips to Daytona!

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;) I wouldn’t worry about it, some people are just to one track minded to acknowledge that other formulas of racing are just as prestigious or require an equal skill set to nascar. I enjoy many types of racing including nascar, although my main focus is on Rally. When I first started reading your comments I was thinking what an intelligent point of view, but some people just don’t see the talent it takes to drive in other formulas. Usually their favorite argument is that in other racing its all about the technology in the car and the driver is basically just along for the ride. When someone starts talking like that you just have to shake you're head, have a little laugh, and walk away. One of the best articles that I have ever read was on taking drivers from different formulas of racing and testing them against each other.

Thanks for the support Saabaru, was beginning to wonder! Didn't realise that an opinion could be wrong! As I mentioned, I'll watch pretty much anything, from clubbie racing to F1 and have attented just about every form of motorsport there is, bar NASCAR and consider myself a motorsport fan, although if I had to choose, the BTCC is my first love. NASCAR, IN MY OPINION, seems to lean more towards entertainment than sport.

You know that would be an interesting special for the Speed Channel. Take the top five drivers in the US from NASCAR, IRL, Rally (RA and USRC), and Baja and have them all compete against each other in each form of racing.