NASCAR running thread

Re: 2011 NASCAR running thread

Best pre-race invocation of all time before tonight's Nationwide Series race in Nashville. Followed by yet another off-key country warbler doing the National Anthem.

And here's a link! God bless YouTube:

 

Re: 2011 NASCAR running thread

Stock cars don't work around a high-speed flat track. Have had more than one driver describe it as a road course with four left turns. Before Goodyear started having massive tire issues shortly after the CoT was introduced (even before tiregate, there were some major blowout problems the year before -- Johnson was one of many who cut a tire that year, but he came back and won the race), I kinda enjoyed the Brickyard because it was a better test of driving skill than most of the NASCAR tracks, and there was enough wheel-to-wheel racing to make it interesting.

But with the straightaways as long as they are, full-bodied cars going 190mph at Indy look slow and lumbering, especially when you're used to watching formula cars go down that same straightaway at 240mph. And a lot of the Indy crowd is used to the latter.

The BY400 got hit with two major whammies at the same time -- the recession (which hit NASCAR's key demographic much harder than many other pro sports, as it's significantly more rural/blue collar/working class, and has killed attendance throughout the series) + the major tire problems turning the race into a farce a few years back. Add in the number of popular drivers from the heyday in popularity either retiring, cutting back or in the twilight of their careers all in a pretty short amount of time, and the fans that once followed them don't have the emotional investment they once did (same thing that killed IndyCar. IMO, that did as much damage as the split).

 

Re: 2011 NASCAR running thread

Wow. I never thought I'd hear anyone top the dude at IRP that asked God to "let these good ole' boys get it on," but this guy did.

I'm not sure to be amused or ashamed that I happen to be of the same faith as that guy.

 

Re: 2011 NASCAR running thread

 

Re: 2011 NASCAR running thread

I never thought anyone would top the guy at Charlotte who thanked God for Humpy Wheeler and all the sponsors.

 

Re: 2011 NASCAR running thread

Well, ave you seen Charlotte Motor Speedway since Humpy left? There was a reason to be thankful.

 

Re: 2011 NASCAR running thread

No sense being ashamed ... remember that Jesus' first miracle was to whip up a batch of wine to keep the party going!

 

Re: 2011 NASCAR running thread

I went to Bowman Gray Stadium on Saturday just to sit in the stands and enjoy the race. I covered a football game there once, but had never been there for a race. It was about the best time I've had in a long while.

The Modified race was a far better show than anything Cup or Nationwide has put on this year.

 

Re: 2011 NASCAR running thread

The Brickyard also worked because it was a novelty -- a race in the north, and a race at a track that had (mostly) never hosted anything else but the Indy 500. Now there are plenty of races within spitting distance of Indy, and the I-wonder-what-NASCAR-at-Indy curiosity is long gone.

Also, the recent resurgence of the 500 itself probably hurts, too. I'm sure there are people who bought Brickyard tickets who switched back to Indy, or people who had both (like me, as caretaker of my late father's tickets) who are dropping the Brickyard in favor of Indy. (Actually, that was my intention all along, but someone wanted to buy the seats, so I kept them. Now they don't want them anymore, so I'm not holding onto them.)

 

Re: 2011 NASCAR running thread

He mentioned so many sponsors, I was shocked there wasn't someone taking hats on and off him while he prayed.

 

Re: 2011 NASCAR running thread

Because those of us who are laughing realize the joke is on religion?