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If it ain't broke, fix it anyway: NASCAR 2017 Thread

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by Batman, Jan 23, 2017.

Page 3 of 28
  1. Moderator1

    Moderator1 Moderator Staff Member

    My son came with me to Bristol once, took one look around our "Ramada Very Limited" digs and said, "So much for me thinking you lived in luxury on the road."

    The one time I covered a race in New Hampshire I stayed a long way away but it was at a very nice Marriott at reasonable rates. I stayed in a shithole motel near Pocono once but somehow got the ONE renovated nice room in the place. Shockingly nice. Next time I did Pocono I couldn't get that room so I stayed at a Courtyard about 50 miles away.

    Also, I did eat at the Peerless once and it was actually pretty good. Also found some dive joint near the hotel that was outstanding. Had some tacos that burned a hole in me they were so good
     
    Moderator1, Jan 24, 2017
    #25
  2. Twirling Time

    Twirling Time Well-Known Member

    The campground scene at these races is pretty wild. The party starts the Monday prior to the race and it is nonstop. Never been to Talladega but the infield sounds like peak debauchery.
     
    Twirling Time, Jan 24, 2017
    #26
  3. playthrough

    playthrough Moderator Staff Member

    Monte Dutton (part of the great old-school NASCAR media corps that went by the wayside when papers stopped having racin' beats), nailed it on his blog:

    The politicians of NASCAR would attempt to adapt the sport to the changing habits of the folks out there in TV Land. In so doing, they’re never going to draw them any closer than their living rooms. The sport is dying because it reacts to ever-shortening attention spans. If it wants to occupy a tiny corner of fandom’s hearts and minds, this is the proper course, but it is a war of attrition that cannot be won.
     
    playthrough, Jan 24, 2017
    #27
  4. expendable

    expendable Well-Known Member

    Holy crap, that's a hard drive.
     
    expendable, Jan 24, 2017
    #28
  5. Jake_Taylor

    Jake_Taylor Well-Known Member

    When I worked in Danville all the hotels and restaurants in town were packed for Martinsville race weekend. Every paper was sold off the racks by about 7:30 a.m. too. I wonder if that's still the case down there.
     
    Jake_Taylor, Jan 24, 2017
    #29
  6. HanSenSE

    HanSenSE Well-Known Member

    It won't happen, just like in the big four, but it would make sense for NASCAR to cut a couple of weeks off either end of the season, no? And if you can't settle on a format for The Chase, dump it.
     
    HanSenSE, Jan 24, 2017
    #30
  7. dixiehack

    dixiehack Well-Known Member

    If the last race was Labor Day Sunday in Darlington they'd have it near perfect. Build in a rain day, avoid the start of the NFL. And other than that race, Daytona, Dega and Charlotte, make every race 400 miles or less.
     
    dixiehack, Jan 24, 2017
    #31
  8. Vombatus

    Vombatus Well-Known Member

    Forgive me for asking, but were the Bristol motels the origin of cucumber-scented candles?
     
    Vombatus, Jan 24, 2017
    #32
  9. playthrough

    playthrough Moderator Staff Member

    They finally came to their senses and dropped the "Chase" name, albeit several years too late.

    Definitely would make sense to drop races, but NASCAR owns half the tracks so taking that hit wouldn't be palatable. What it needs to do is explore more road courses and truly different stuff -- not chopping up existing races with goofy points deals. The Truck race at Eldora is very popular -- naysayers will argue that shouldn't be reproduced, but NASCAR is desperate.
     
    playthrough, Jan 25, 2017
    #33
  10. dixiehack

    dixiehack Well-Known Member

    Just going back and looking at the list of last year's races, the names reek of flopsweat. Go Bowling 400. Axalta "We Paint Winners" 400. Crown Royal Presents the Combat Wounded Coalition 400 at the Brickyard. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400. Citizen Soldier 400.
     
    dixiehack, Jan 25, 2017
    #34
  11. HanSenSE

    HanSenSE Well-Known Member

    No more SpongeBobSquarePants 400? I haven't been this heartbroken since the demise of the Poulan Weedeater Independence Bowl.
     
    HanSenSE, Jan 25, 2017
    #35
    Inky_Wretch, murphyc and Baron Scicluna like this.
  12. expendable

    expendable Well-Known Member

    I'd love to see these guys go on dirt once or twice a year.
     
    expendable, Jan 25, 2017
    #36
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