Daytona

[yoda]

Couldn't help but notice how the mighty have fallen... Where it used to be a healthy green infield, with thousands of dollars of groundskeepers efforts looked a bit more like the infield of a sandlot little league team field. And was that decision to cut their losses and end the race based on the additional cost of television coverage? Anyone in Florida know how much longer the rain fell?

 

[.]

Did yesterday's race get an unusually late start? It seems to me when Dale Earnhardt died on the last lap of the race it was bright and sunny outside. Even if it didn't rain yesterday, they still would have finished in the dark, under the lights. Was the late start planned or did it rain earlier in the day too? This was the first time in about 4 years that I even caught part of the race on TV so maybe the late start wasn't something new, but it was new to me.

 

[paoldtimer]

If they would've started at the "normal" start time of noonish - 1:00 they would've gotten the whole race in...but no...we'll just start it shy of 4 o'clock and hope we can get it in....and it doesn't run into prime time tv 'cause we can't have Extreme Home Makeover late

Apparently everyone in the NASCAR tower lost their cajones when making the non-call of Earnhardt...then HE has the stones to challenge Vickers to meet him in the bus lot to kick his @$$.... whataschmuck,

 

[paoldtimer]

a few years ago they pushed back the start times to no earlier than 2:00. This way the west coast folks can get home from church and not miss the start of the race....It wont matter next week when NASCAR is in California - the stands will be very empty...

 

[mick]

if i'm supposed to believe the race is started later to allow pacific time zone
people ample time to attend church and still catch start of race, then let's
also throw in 'some convenient stores won't sell booze on sunday till after
noon' ..........it's just as plausible, or not depend's how you look at it.

i'd say nascar likes their premiere events to finish under the lights.

 

[DrRocket]

They've been starting it quite a bit later than they used to for several years now. I think to get in a bigger pre-race show along with all the advertising revenue it produces.

I actually laughed out loud when I saw Jimmy Johnson's new "stubble" image! It's quite well known it really bugs him that he's considered a squeaky clean corporate "sissy boy" by most fans, especially the old timers. This is a not-very-subtle attempt to roughen his image up a bit. Maybe he needs to take a poke or two at Tony Stewart now.

He looked ridiculous. Jr he ain't.

He's not the only one. I've noticed about half of the "young guns" are wearing peach fuzz now. Wonder what Gillette thinks about that?

 

[Bullard Anderson]

This would have mattered to me 10 years ago!

 

[BF]

Incredible, isn't it? You try to improve your sport and get it to a certain level. Then, when you get close to that level you start changing things dramatically. Then, the powers that be wonder why they are backsliding. Judging by the stands in CA, there aren't that many NASCAR fans there. Californians go to church? (it's a joke) Most people I talk to out west liked the race starting early because it left some of the day to do something else. Starting races later in the day also affects attendance. When the race ends so late in the day, unless you live real close to the particular track, it's impossible to drive home and work on Monday. Most of us probably have to work Monday. Have you ever been to NHRA Sunday rainout run on Monday? I have, we were pretty lonely in the stands. The powers that be can't go back, I guess, because it would make them look bad? All forms of racing have been guilty of it. The INDY 500 moved their starting time and it ended any chance of NASCAR drivers competing. Anyone who saw "bubble day" when Tony Stewart was trying to get a ride at the last second a few years ago and all the attention it got knows what a mistake that was.

 

[wilbur]

Martin, I,m sure you are good people, and I know your a veteran on this board, and you have all my respect. But. Are nascar posts allowed here. Blasphemy I tell ya, it,s just basphemy. Somebody get a moderater.

 

[.]

Martin, I,m sure you are good people, and I know your a veteran on this board, and you have all my respect. But. Are nascar posts allowed here. Blasphemy I tell ya, it,s just basphemy. Somebody get a moderater.

I'm pretty sure this thread started out in the lounge area, but it seems to have made it's way into the NASCAR Section of this site. Which reminds me..... I gotta get out of here!! This thread is the most attention I've paid to NASCAR in about 5 or 6 years.

I watched a few laps yesterday before it rained and I was surprised to see Dale Jr. in a green and white car.... I thought Terry Labonte retired about 6 years ago but I saw his name on the screen.... and most of the drivers they interviewed after the race I've never seen or heard of before. NASCAR has really changed quite a bit in the last several years and I didn't noticed until yesterday.

 

[yoda]

Martin, I,m sure you are good people, and I know your a veteran on this board, and you have all my respect. But. Are nascar posts allowed here. Blasphemy I tell ya, it,s just basphemy. Somebody get a moderater.

I was Loungin first, Michael... Hell- I didn't even know there was a NASCAR section... I was wondering WHERE the mods could have possibly moved it... Imagine my surprise...

 

[DrRocket]

You know, everyone's making a big stink about the Earnhardt Jr/Vickers incident. But let me tell you, this is nothing new. In fact, it's almost the exact same scenario from exactly 30 years ago, to the day! Watch this video, and tell me there's any difference between this incident, and the one that happened Sunday.


YouTube - Daytona crash and fight Cale Yarborough X Donnie Allison

This is THE FIGHT! The one that supposedly put NASCAR on the map! The ONLY difference as I see it, is that in this case, Earnhardt got away with his car intact. Personally, I think Vickers needs to get a grip, and settle things in California next week. JUST like they used to do it before things got all sanitized and warm and fuzzy. (Do you think they all hold hands and sing "kumbaya" in the driver's meeting before the race these days????)

IT'S RACING for crying out loud!!!! NASCAR racing is a contact sport!! Jr's Dad did MUCH worse when HE was driving. For the longest time, he was the driver everyone loved to hate! But since his death, he's achieved near god-like status, almost cannonized for crying out loud. Everyone's memory seems to have gotten real short about HIS antics.....


And I STILL think Jimmy Johnson looks like a flaming idiot with that stupid peach fuzz. And I'll bet you his wife hates it as well.

 

[Bullard Anderson]

Incredible, isn't it? You try to improve your sport and get it to a certain level. Then, when you get close to that level you start changing things dramatically. Then, the powers that be wonder why they are backsliding. Judging by the stands in CA, there aren't that many NASCAR fans there. Californians go to church? (it's a joke) Most people I talk to out west liked the race starting early because it left some of the day to do something else. Starting races later in the day also affects attendance. When the race ends so late in the day, unless you live real close to the particular track, it's impossible to drive home and work on Monday. Most of us probably have to work Monday. Have you ever been to NHRA Sunday rainout run on Monday? I have, we were pretty lonely in the stands. The powers that be can't go back, I guess, because it would make them look bad? All forms of racing have been guilty of it. The INDY 500 moved their starting time and it ended any chance of NASCAR drivers competing. Anyone who saw "bubble day" when Tony Stewart was trying to get a ride at the last second a few years ago and all the attention it got knows what a mistake that was.

Barry, I concur! The Daytona 500 is a big enough race where if you want to watch it you will. Even at 10pm West Coast!