2020 NASCAR Thread

[maumann]

Trying to catch up on old reading these days, just got through "Racing to the Finish" by Ryan McGee with Junior on his concussion history and retirement. Didn't realize how messed up he was, and for how long. Quick, decent read.

NASCAR hid the truth from the masses, but Junior was lucky to survive the Sears Point crash and not be a vegetable after the hit at Kansas. He wasn't right in the head -- and everybody knew it -- but they kept trotting him out there because the sport needed him more than they needed him to get well.

Sad but true.

 

[playthrough]

NASCAR hid the truth from the masses, but Junior was lucky to survive the Sears Point crash and not be a vegetable after the hit at Kansas. He wasn't right in the head -- and everybody knew it -- but they kept trotting him out there because the sport needed him more than they needed him to get well.

Sad but true.

Definitely. Junior also knew how many people fed their families off his name, and how old racers never give up their seat for fear of not getting it back (though in his case, that was absurd).

 

[wicked]

Junior was lucky to survive the Sears Point crash and not be a vegetable after the hit at Kansas.

The lick he took at Fontana in I think 2002 was a vicious one. And the time he got out of the inferno in Sonoma (don't know if that's the one you're talking about or a different one).

 

[TigerVols]

I once produced a lengthy on-camera interview with Junior and he was literally brought to tears twice and I found that a bit odd, since the subject matter wasn't about his daddy's crash or something terribly emotional.

 

[2muchcoffeeman]

Not finding "normal" any time soon.

 

[wicked]

I suppose it lets them get a head start on Richmondizing Fontana.

 

[Driftwood]

It's also not surprising in as much as the teams wanted the short weekends closer to home. I read the other day where the Bristol dirt race was either the carrot or the stick, depending on your point of view.
The teams didn't want dirt. NASCAR told the them they had two choices: 1. Take the dirt race for TV and get short weekends. 2. Balk on the dirt and go back to long weekends.

 

[wicked]

Vegas and Phoenix are next up after Fontana.

 

[maumann]

And I'd think those races are OK for now, as Nevada and Arizona have had no travel restrictions. But if states change their minds when COVID blows up this winter, you start running out of replacement options in a hurry.

As far as SMI, you can't really run Atlanta twice in a month. Charlotte? Texas?

For ISC, 'Dega and Darlington are the only other East Coast "warm weather" tracks not in Florida.

 

[2muchcoffeeman]

And I'd think those races are OK for now, as Nevada and Arizona have had no travel restrictions. But if states change their minds when COVID blows up this winter, you start running out of replacement options in a hurry.

As far as SMI, you can't really run Atlanta twice in a month. Charlotte? Texas?

For ISC, 'Dega and Darlington are the only other East Coast "warm weather" tracks not in Florida.

NASCAR/ISC also owns Road Atlanta via IMSA after the merger with the American Le Mans Series.

 

[maumann]

NASCAR/ISC also owns Road Atlanta via IMSA after the merger with the American Le Mans Series.

Great point. Wonder if they installed SAFERs, particularly on the blind corner coming over the hill at the entrance to the pits? I've always thought the Cup cars would be great there, except that corner is particularly dangerous for a 3,700-pound brick on underpowered brakes.

 

[2muchcoffeeman]

Great point. Wonder if they installed SAFERs, particularly on the blind corner coming over the hill at the entrance to the pits? I've always thought the Cup cars would be great there, except that corner is particularly dangerous for a 3,700-pound brick on underpowered brakes.

If Don Panoz didn't when he owned it, IMSA/NASCAR almost certainly did. From the satellite photos, I'd say that's happened. There's also a hellacious bus-stop chicane coming into that final turn that could be utilized, although it might be sized better for motorcycles.