The 2021 Running NASCAR/IMSA/other racing things thread

Actually, NASCAR had a Convertible Division from 1956 to 1959 (and still had one race a year through 1962) and ran mixed fields. In fact, just noticed the inaugural 500 had one qualifying race for each, so there were 20 convertibles in the 1959 race. That's actually why the Twins exist.

 

I think the spring race at Darlington originated as a Convertible only event. I've seen a great photo of the start somewhere but this is the 1957 parade lap, according to Getty. That should be Glen Wood in the No. 21.

 

What is it with the slow cars riding around the wall?

 

The Wood Brothers are being kind, though the team's greater point is about its driver.

I couldn't take that seriously. It wasn't a race. It was a demolition derby.

It has been embarrassing for far too long for NASCAR. Even more so at the plate tracks. For all the stupid mess done during Brian France's, um, reign, why didn't the organization do more to straighten out this mess?

Congratulations, France family, you got your "show." You can figure out what four letters to put in front of that word.

 

I thought maybe Dale's death would be the point where NASCAR said, "That's enough." But instead of policing the BS, they've doubled down and allowed drivers with little experience to wad up the field, time after time. Of course, gotta have a "finish under green" which only dumbs it down further.

Watch races from before 2000 and then after. Very few multi-car crashes during the Winston era were deliberate, mainly because drivers were more cognizant of the danger and more respectful. Now the second-place car basically punts the blocking car with two laps to go and away they go. It's not even a race any more. You might as well put 40 cars in a car crusher on the start-finish line and spin a roulette wheel to determine the winner.

I don't care how much safer the cars are -- you keep wrecking at those speeds and odds are something will go seriously wrong at some point. No matter how many crush panels, rollcage upgrades, protective seats, HANS devices and SAFER barriers you've got, that's still a fragile human being inside. The survival rate will never be 100 percent.

I thought it was Ryan Newman's turn last time until it wasn't.

NASCAR's overconfidence will bite them in the ass one of these days. I'm just glad I won't be at the track.

 

Family of Wendell Scott, first Black man to win NASCAR Cup race, finally receives a trophy for that 1963 victory

 

Safety improvements are obviously a good thing, but they also contribute to the problem. We have a generation of drivers who have never had a reason to listen to those demons whispering in their ear coming out of Turn 2. It's no longer defying death where ultimately you've got your asshole saying, "Enough. Don't try it." All they know is no matter how bad it looks, they can just climb into a new car next week and do it again.

 

One man’s block can be another man’s smart move, but I wish there were a way to cut down on it. Whoever was in front last night had almost no chance of losing the lead on the track. They looked like a drunk on the Cross Bronx with all the weaving/blocking up front.

 

Wha-a-a-a-at?

 

Hmmm ...