Mid-O Nascar...

[what]

Happened to catch the tail end of the race today on in flight entertainment... holy crap it was a disaster. Wonder if they will catch flak about the shit surface/coating in the wet from Nascar peeps. 

 

Also Nascar sucks. 

[Tonik]

Apparently Rick thought it was a good idea. But I will say, if you have never been to a NASCAR race you don't know what you are missing. It's a blast.

[what]

yeah I was really surprised to see a Nascar race at Mid-O. I was just going to watch a lap or two and see what big ol' stock car speeds were like but when I saw it was pouring rain I decided to watch the carnage (pun only slightly intended). I wish they would do more circuit racing instead of speedway... Euro Nascar seems to have the right idea, 80% circuit 20% speedway.

[Tonik]

Just for the record, that was the minor teams Nascar. The farm league so to speak.

[what]

9 minutes ago, Tonik said:

Just for the record, that was the minor teams Nascar. The farm league so to speak.

yeah it was a bunch of jokers I'd never heard of before. not that I know many of the top tier drivers these days anyway, just the holdouts from the early/mid 90's who are somehow still racing.

[Tonik]

I was a big fan, but as the drivers I follow retire I just can't get into the new guys. I got hooked when Gordon was coming up. I met him at an event, and got a spin in his car in the parking lot. Also spent a fair amount of time at Pettty's shop. I used to sell the equipment they used to paint the cars.

[redkow97]

Jalopnik did a short article on the "zombie dodges" racing in NASCAR.  2 were at Mid-Ohio, and one was getting significant camera time, running up front.   Probably due to the conditions.

I agree with Tonik though. Don't knock NASCAR until you've tried it.  It's a circus of a weekend, and a hell of a party.  I actually enjoy it on television as well.  I just pick a driver (usually Carl Edwards, because I pretend I'm rooting for Colin Edwards) and root for him until/unless he crashes out.  Then I pick someone else, and repeat.

[scottb]

On 8/15/2016 at 9:57 AM, redkow97 said:

Jalopnik did a short article on the "zombie dodges" racing in NASCAR.  2 were at Mid-Ohio, and one was getting significant camera time, running up front.   Probably due to the conditions.

I agree with Tonik though. Don't knock NASCAR until you've tried it.  It's a circus of a weekend, and a hell of a party.  I actually enjoy it on television as well.  I just pick a driver (usually Carl Edwards, because I pretend I'm rooting for Colin Edwards) and root for him until/unless he crashes out.  Then I pick someone else, and repeat.

The other dodge was my wife's cousin, Roger Reuse, car number 74

Roger normally races late model race cars all over the south.

They are from Birmingham Alabama, This year, that second car on paper was owned / leased to Mike Harmon racing. They were still out there racing, having fun, but no way do they have deep enough pockets to get a top 5  or top 10 against the Hendick's, elliot's and Penske's. race team. 

A four year old Dodge is affordable enough to get you in the game at a kinda high level.

 

 

[CBBaron]

I happened upon this race on TV live. It was carnage with some cars spending almost as much time in the grass and gravel as on the pavement. Personally I thought is was the most interesting Nascar race I have ever seen. I watched to the end.

 

Craig 

[scottb]

12 hours ago, Isaac's Papa said:

That still has to cost a boat load of cash. How does car racing compare to motorcycle racing, cost wise? I know I'm assuming you may know more than you do, so feel free to disappoint me. 

I would guess the reoccuring costs are about $20,000 - 30,000 per weekend, assuming you do not wreck / damage the cars. 

Roger and his brother Bobby owns the company on the side of the car WCIparts. 

I would say this is a serious hobby for them. They do it because they can.

After each race, the engine gets torn down, inspect and replace bearing, valve springs, wheel bearings, brake pads.

Just for set up and practice at each track, you have a cabinet full of springs and shocks and gears to get the fastest speed you can at each track. 

Then, the silly stuff like spark plugs, oil changes, rear end fluid.

You have entry fees, tires at $1200 a set of four, a crew to pay, food, hotels, fuel for the $300,000 Renagade car hauler with a double decker trailer.Figure about 6 miles per gallon. Inside the trailer, you have a rolling work shop. A few spare engines, transmissions, rear end, rims, control arms. Other than a frame and roll cage, there are enough spare parts to build a second car. IF you are traveling away from the shop, you need to have anything you would need should it fail or get damaged with you, track side.

Plus, there is a complete second "back up" car inside the trailer too.

If you wreck the car, other than sheet metal damage, you have earned a trip back to North Carolina to NASCAR to have the car re-certified. 

It is fun for me when I am on the pit crew, just trying to make our car the best it can be with what we have to work with.

[2talltim]

I used to be a die hard fan, watched every race and even went to 6 or 8 races a year. My problem with Nascar any more is it seems like the same dudes winning week after week. Not a fan of the big money teams dominating all the time. I know Nascar has tried to even out the playing field with different rules packages but it didn't seem to do anything, some times made it worse. So for now I'm just a band wagon fan and watch occasionally. My fav driver has always been Dale Jr. just because when I first started watching many moons ago he was just starting out and followed him through most of his career.