Really good NACAR race lightly attended

[Arthur Grant]

Watched a really good race both yesterday and today and was sorry to see the dismal turnout. Yesterdays race was so lightly attended it looked like just family and friends. Today's race looked like the good old days Busch crowd. Shame becuase they were both really that good a race.

[Rick Brown]

Really good NASCAR race = oxymoron

[Arthur Grant]

Really good NASCAR race = oxymoron

Not at all, its very good racing and surprisingly very technical. I have covered a vast array of auto racing, and although I enjoyed the IMSA of the 1980's the best and the NASCAR of the 1980's the best I still find NASCAR fun to watch and fun to be around. I prefer ALMS over Rolex and sorta kind a like SCCA world challenge better than Rolex Grand Am as well but will easily watch any. Current Indy Car is ok at best.

Bottomline racing is fun, NASCAR is a lot of fun depends on how you look at it. When you watch 20 cars moving at an average lap speed of 189 mph, seperated by 20 seconds from 1st to 20th often inches apart with the level of concentration needed, it's fun. 13 second pit stops are as physical and intense as you are likely to find in sport.







My opinion it's good, sometimes like this weekend great racing.

[Mako Koiwai]

Nice Photos! ... when are you going to treat us AX'ers with your photo talents?!

[KJ Christopher]

One weekend many years ago I was watching a British touring car race. One of the drivers had some sort of problem. He pulled off track, opened the door and went to the trunk to change something - I think it was ignition boxes. (Never mind it would have made more sense to mount that within the driver's reach.) I think I've watched a total of 30 NASCAR laps since then.

[Steve Towers]

by Arthur Grant on 10 Oct 2010 20:48

Rick Brown wrote:
Really good NASCAR race = oxymoron

NASCAR is a lot of fun depends on how you look at it.

I look at on TV for about 5 minutes a year. Booooring!

[John Coffey]

One word: "Digger." That was the end of NASCAR for me.

[Jeff Shyu]

if NASCAR was anything like what the original races were about, i'd totally watch it.

instead, it's just a bunch of cars that are exactly the same, playing dress up.

[Bill Schenker]

I get what Art is saying: live, NASCAR must be pretty thrilling; h*ll, most any racing live is thrilling to watch - well, maybe not AX! lol

I remember working @ Irwindale. After work, I went down to the edge of the track and watched the Late Model Stockers go roundy round - it was soo cool! Top speed is only about 100mph, I think, and it was thrilling! And this is coming from a guy that grew up loving all them ferien racin' like La Mans, F1 and CanAm (o.k., at least that last thing is amurican).

But on TV? Gotta agree, NASCAR can be boring to watch - and there does seem to be a lot of arbitrary rules designed to create a good "show" rather than let the best driver/car/team win.

[Jayson Woodruff]

Yawn, wake me when there's a right turn.

if NASCAR was anything like what the original races were about, i'd totally watch it.

Bootlegging? Yeah, me too.


Jay W

[Don Salyers]

What a bunch of racing snobs----the Nascar race on TV Sunday was great. The parade in Japan was not------after the first turn the race is over!

Oh, I forgot lap 2, they (F1) only have one nut keeping the wheels on and they can't even get that right!!!

For those that have not watched Nascar this year, you have missed a lot of good racing!! Since Nascar told the drivers that they could settle their problems on the track, it has been very interesting.

My Top 5 Racing Ranking:

1. Touring cars from anywhere (Oz, England, etc)
2. Jetsprint boats--autocross on water!
3, Skiff racing from Oz
4. Nascar Sprintcup
5. F1

Last---3 way tie:
24 hrs from anywhere
petite anything
SCCA whatever.....

Don

[Jeff Shyu]

i watch F1 on DVR at 1.5x (or faster) speed.

when it's exciting, it's exciting, but mostly, i'm following it for the point race to the drivers' championship.

i'm probably in the minority in my disappointment of Schumi not being in the mix, but this year has been very interesting watching the points leaders duking it out, even if the individual races may not be the most exciting.

I'm a webber fan, and hoping he makes some magic happen in the next 5 races.

[Giovanni Jaramillo]

I get what Art is saying: live, NASCAR must be pretty thrilling; h*ll, most any racing live is thrilling to watch

I actually thought about going out to see this live. And it's nice as doing driving schools on this track you get to see the pros go into Turn 1 at close to 200mph. Makes my breaking into Turn 1 at 145mph seem slow as a snail.

Since Nascar told the drivers that they could settle their problems on the track, it has been very interesting.

So basically run each other off the road? Yeah that's racing <insert sarcasm>. Agreed that F1 can be boring but not hooligan like NASCRAP.

i'm probably in the minority in my disappointment of Schumi not being in the mix

Yes you and Schenker are in the minority! It's good to see how the mighty have fallen. Not having Bridgestone at his beck-and-call, with millions of hours/miles of testing. Time to retire Schumi

but this year has been very interesting watching the points leaders duking it out, even if the individual races may not be the most exciting.

I'm a webber fan, and hoping he makes some magic happen in the next 5 races.

Agreed. From a points perspective, I want Webber to win.

As for racing I watch in this order:

• Formula 1
• Rolex Grand-Am Series
• American LeMans Series
• (used to watch) SCCA World Challenge but way to many hack rules (like reverse grid), along with Continental Tire but the drivers are mediocre at best with the occasional pro in the running (i.e. Randy Pobst or Peter Cunningham)

Good other types of real racin'

• Australian V-8 SuperCars (THIS is what NASCAR should be). Those V8 cars sound fast and are fast
• BTCC-British Touring Car Championship
• DTM (aka German Touring Cars)

[Jeff Shyu]

speedvision used to televise super trucks.

wish speed would show these (or DO they already? i never see it on the listing)

[Giovanni Jaramillo]

speedvision used to televise super trucks.

The minute they switched their name from Speedvision to Speed Channel, they went from all motorsports to a motorsports version of MTV. Notice how MTV hardly shows any more "music videos"?? We're left with "PINKS", and the rest of the garbage.

[Mako Koiwai]

Agreed that F1 can be boring but not hooligan like NASCRAP.

You must have missed the reminder video's at the beginning of the Japan GP Practice where they showed Senna punting off his rivals, at the first corner no less, in order to guarantee his World Championship chances. How about Schumi blocking the road during Qualifying at Monaco ... or taking Damon Hill out in Australia. Pure Hooliganism! }:)

[Giovanni Jaramillo]

Agreed that F1 can be boring but not hooligan like NASCRAP.

You must have missed the reminder video's at the beginning of the Japan GP Practice where they showed Senna punting off his rivals, at the first corner no less, in order to guarantee his World Championship chances. How about Schumi blocking the road during Qualifying at Monaco ... or taking Damon Hill out in Australia. Pure Hooliganism! }:)

How long ago was that? Years ago. And I'm talking about the massive 10 car pileups that 1 guy can cause in NASCAR. In F1 it's usually 1 guy taking out another guy out to WIN the championship. Not cause half the grid to go DNF because of the title chase.

[Mako Koiwai]

It's been only a year or two since that incident in Singapore where Alonso's teammate crashed on purpose to bring out the Safety Car to bunch up the field .... pure Nascar. Goodbye Briatore!

[Giovanni Jaramillo]

It's been only a year or two since that incident in Singapore where Alonso's teammate crashed on purpose to bring out the Safety Car. Goodbye Briatore!

Pay attention. That was more cheating, and also there were no other cars wrecked in that incident. Again you're comparing apples to oranges. You do not see (or rarely see) one F1 car take out 10 in one lap. NASCAR it's like every other race.

[Mako Koiwai]

What IS FUN, are the Nascar and many side races at Toyota Speedway in Irwindale: http://www.toyotaspeedwayatirwindale.com/schedule.asp

They put on a really good family show, from ALL of the cars and drivers (and families and GF's!) being on display the front straight with access for everyone before the event starts, to kiddie races, trailer races (with the track being reversed at some point in the middle of race!), "Legend" races, to very intense, hard core, well driven dicing in the main events plus a great selection of decent food.

And our own Cal Club'er Brandon Davis is campaigning a Nas Car this year. Best race of the night watching him claw his way to the front only to spin and then work his way back up to the front pack.

[Mako Koiwai]

The reason one car takes out so many in Nascar racing is because IT IS CLOSE RACING!

Here's Jody Schecker taking out a good part of the F1 field at the '73 English GP at Silverstone when he spun, coming out of the first corner. Such cool cars!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7R_XId0YabQ

Because of Spoiler Alert rules I won't go into this weekends F1 start. ;)

[Giovanni Jaramillo]

The reason one car takes out so many in Nascar racing is because IT IS CLOSE RACING!

10 car wrecks is not racing.

Here's Jody Schecker taking out a good part of the F1 field at the '73 English GP at Silverstone when he spun, coming out of the first corner. Such cool cars!

Again you proved my point...1973??

[Mako Koiwai]

1973

Yup, folks like me were actually involved in F1 way back then ... hard to believe.

Some of the best racing ever ... unfortunately also the most dangerous.

[Mako Koiwai]

A few more snaps from an evening at Irwindale

[Mako Koiwai]

Cal Club'er Brand Davis's close race: