FanIQ News: NASCAR Blames ABC/ESPN For Boring Talladega Race -

11/7/09

2

So what is the result of the craziness? What we watched Sunday. A race that was 90 percent single file.

Single file for 90 percent of the race at ever-wild Talladega? What's going on? Bottom line, staying in line for most of a race at Talladega is the drivers' way of protesting. And who can blame them? As soon as they started to really race Sunday, both Ryan Newman and Mark Martin went upside down. As soon as they started to race at Talladega in the spring, Carl Edwards almost went into the stands. So why even race?

The fact is, the drivers cannot just not show up for a race at Talladega. Racing for the championship, sponsor commitments and everything but the on-track product forces them to race. But right now, if you took a poll and gave drivers the opportunity to skip a race, I would guarantee that they would pick one of the Talladega races. Mark Martin did when he went part time a few years ago (and probably wishes he would have last week).

So the drivers' way of showing their dislike for this style of racing, at this track, is that they simply don't race during the race. Single-file racing is their way of saying, "You know what, we don't like this. You put us in a narrow box? Fine, then we will just sit here and make it boring." When all 43 are on the same page, guess what? Drivers win.

Unfortunately, nobody can force them to do otherwise -- not the media, not the fans, not even NASCAR. The same single-file racing cannot be done at Daytona, however, the other restrictor plate track, because handling and the rough track will not allow the cars to stay single file for long periods of time. But Talladega is super smooth, super fast and handling doesn't mean a thing.

Unless someone can come up with a miracle solution that hasn't been thought of in 20-plus years of plate racing, for the foreseeable future expect Talladega races to be exactly like it was Sunday -- all single file until the last 20 laps when someone will have a big wreck and risk the chance of getting hurt. I'm sorry, that's not racing and it's not the drivers' faults.

11/7/09

kramer

1	The truth hurts, doesn't it, Mike Helton?

11/7/09

esther2kus

0

JRSFLAME88 wrote:

So what is the result of the craziness? What we watched Sunday. A race that was 90 percent single file.

Single file for 90 percent of the race at ever-wild Talladega? What's going on? Bottom line, staying in line for most of a race at Talladega is the drivers' way of protesting. And who can blame them? As soon as they started to really race Sunday, both Ryan Newman and Mark Martin went upside down. As soon as they started to race at Talladega in the spring, Carl Edwards almost went into the stands. So why even race?

The fact is, the drivers cannot just not show up for a race at Talladega. Racing for the championship, sponsor commitments and everything but the on-track product forces them to race. But right now, if you took a poll and gave drivers the opportunity to skip a race, I would guarantee that they would pick one of the Talladega races. Mark Martin did when he went part time a few years ago (and probably wishes he would have last week).

So the drivers' way of showing their dislike for this style of racing, at this track, is that they simply don't race during the race. Single-file racing is their way of saying, "You know what, we don't like this. You put us in a narrow box? Fine, then we will just sit here and make it boring." When all 43 are on the same page, guess what? Drivers win.

Unfortunately, nobody can force them to do otherwise -- not the media, not the fans, not even NASCAR. The same single-file racing cannot be done at Daytona, however, the other restrictor plate track, because handling and the rough track will not allow the cars to stay single file for long periods of time. But Talladega is super smooth, super fast and handling doesn't mean a thing.

Unless someone can come up with a miracle solution that hasn't been thought of in 20-plus years of plate racing, for the foreseeable future expect Talladega races to be exactly like it was Sunday -- all single file until the last 20 laps when someone will have a big wreck and risk the chance of getting hurt. I'm sorry, that's not racing and it's not the drivers' faults.

Always shifting blames

11/7/09

JRSFLAME88

2	(Edited by JRSFLAME88) I would like to put my foot up that man's ass for the way he is ruining Nascar. Not just for the fans, but also for the drivers!

11/7/09

Scott

1	From what you heard? C'mon Eric, we all know you were glued to your TV last week watching that snoozefest at Talladega, you closet Nascar fan you

11/7/09

carlalbert64

0

Scott wrote:

From what you heard? C'mon Eric, we all know you were glued to your TV last week watching that snoozefest at Talladega, you closet Nascar fan you

It definitely was a snooze fest. How can you tell the drivers to not bump in the corners at Talladega? All that BS and there was still the big wreck at the end. You would think that Nascar, being the governing body of the sport, would realize that a lot of the momentum for passing that happens on the straightaways is gained in the corners. If the drivers can't run hard through the corners it really makes an already tough passing track even more difficult. I wonder who the brain surgeon was that came up with that bright idea!

11/7/09

ckillorin

0

carlalbert64 wrote:

It definitely was a snooze fest. How can you tell the drivers to not bump in the corners at Talladega? All that BS and there was still the big wreck at the end. You would think that Nascar, being the governing body of the sport, would realize that a lot of the momentum for passing that happens on the straightaways is gained in the corners. If the drivers can't run hard through the corners it really makes an already tough passing track even more difficult. I wonder who the brain surgeon was that came up with that bright idea!

i'll second that lack of "motion" LOL

11/7/09

JrCanuckFan

0

For the record Eric, they didn't outlaw bumpdrafting, it has always been prohibited in the corners, but NASCAR has never punished for it. Last weekend, however, they announced that they would be assessing punishment, be it a drive through, being sent to the end of the longest line (end of the lead lap) or taking away a win. Drivers took that seriously and did not bump draft in the corher. NASCAR said they were doing it to keep the cars from wrecking and becoming airborn, however, we saw two cars do exactly that.

The race was not only a snoozefest, with ABC/ESPN actually doing all they could to make it look like a good race, but it was dangerous as well.

Hopefully NASCAR WILL work with Ryan Newman to figure out exactly what can be done - he said it right, put the RIGHT car on the track, and the fans could be watching an excellent race. The TV station, no matter which one it is, cannot make a boring race exciting.

11/14/09

CRAZY_LADY

0	JRSFLAME88 wrote: I would like to put my foot up that man's ass for the way he is ruining Nascar. Not just for the fans, but also for the drivers! i so agree with you on that ! you need some help lol

11/14/09

kramer

0	CRAZY_LADY wrote: i so agree with you on that ! you need some help lol Maybe all of us NASCAR fans on the Q can plan to attend a race and raid his suite during the prerace show. Then we could all kick his ass in unison!