Bryan Watts

Purely from a RACING standpoint, I rank NASCAR well above F1. And it's certainly above WRC, which is racing the clock rather than a competitor.

From a driving skills standpoint, I rank it pretty far up there as well, though behind F1 and WRC for sure. It's a specialized form of driving like any is. A F1 driver won't hop into a touring car and be instantly competitive and a touring car driver won't hop into NASCAR and be instantly competitive. There's cross over in car control skills, but it still takes time to develop the talent to driver a certain type of car.

The icon is mostly a result of, what I assume to be grown adults, running around calling things NASCRAP, Redneck, etc. The number of DE champs (speaking generally, not specifically here) on the internet who think they could be NASCAR champions is always a bit funny. If folks like Boris Said and JPM can't dominate in NASCAR and claim to enjoy it much more than other forms of racing, it should cause one to stop and think. It's all racing to me...I see no reason to make fun of a certain type of racing and then to complain when the fans of that type of racing don't latch on to WRC, Touring Cars, etc.

Streak

B, it's pretty hard to deny the redneck factor in NASCAR. And why no similar eyeroll directed at the use of LEFTCAR by a previous poster?

I believe, just me, no data, that a WRC driver is going to be competitive in a stock car far faster than the reverse. I believe a WRC driver will be competitive in almost any other form of 4 wheeled motorsport. That's not saying they will be instantly world champions but Kimi is going to be a great test of what I believe to be true. Even better would be to put Loeb in an F1 car. The driving skills and fearlessness, I believe, is a step up in WRC so putting other cars on the track with them isn't going to disrupt them for too long.

For a NASCAR driver to transition to using the brakes a lot more, turning right and left, shifting gears, drifting, trees and people 1 foot from the track, rocks, puddles, rivers, cliffs, snow, ice, gravel, tarmac, mud and any combination there of, and having to use the emergency brake all the while having a passenger yammering in his/her ear is a much tougher hill to climb.

There are a few NASCAR drivers who are genuinely good road racers and as for JPM and Boris, aren't they paid pretty well to extoll the virtues of NASCAR? I think so. Pay me to drive a Monte Carlo and I'll tell you how great NASCAR is too. Not much to hang your hat on there. Didn't Pat Long dominate a truck race not too long ago with TRG?

When whatshisname won his 4th championship I heard various media types claiming him to be possibly the best driver in car racing in history. Not kidding. The best in history. To that I roll my eyes.

I don't think NASCAR as a RACING venue is all that. I have much more respect for any road race over NASCAR. It is very predictable. So much so it's a joke. 15 laps to go and a no name back marker hits the wall (paid to do so? hmmm that makes you think) and the 10 lap shoot out. Every single time. But my biggest issue with NASCAR is that it has obliterated just about any other form of racing in this country. From a coverage standpoint it has pushed out better forms of racing because it is so simple that everyone can understand it. How many threads are there here lamenting the current state of the Speed Channel? Kind of sums up why I belittle what I believe to be a lesser form of motor racing. Speed bragged about 100 hours of programing surrounding last years Daytona 500. 100 hours for a 4 hour race. WTF are you going to talk about for 96 hours? This is why I have nothing but disdain for NASCAR.

Streak

I never said it wasn't racing. I don't think it's the pinnacle of race craft, skill and machinery as they try to make it out to be.

VR, you are citing some road races, those are obviously different and very often who do they get to come run those races? Some road race ringers.

I also said "not much braking" Relatively speaking, a season of road racing requires more braking than a season in a stock car yes?

I'll never be convinced that NASCAR racing is equal to road racing which is also inches apart. It takes more race craft and skill to get buy someone on a road course than an oval of any kind.

Not saying I'm equal to a NASCAR champion btw, I just don't think a 4 time NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion is the greatest driver in racing history.

onefastviking

^ #1


Until you drive it you guys don't have any idea, I admit I didn't.
Just think, over 800hp/600tq with tires smaller than most of the P-cars I drive. I never understood the comment having trouble putting the power down while they were crusing down the straights....then I drove one.
I have a total different respect for those guys. It's something you have to experience to understand.

Streak

Between Rockingham and Talledega I have a few hundreds laps in retired stock cars albeit a few years ago now.

Gary R.

That explains a lot of things about you.......

onefastviking

How retired ? Detuned ?
I also had previously driven some detuned models, fun , but not the same. This last year I got to drive a more up to date model with 800+/600+ in a road race chassis on a road course, it was magical. Totally different. No explaination possible, you must experience to understand. Had 2 other very experienced racers drive it for the first time as well and all of us shared the same feelings.

Veloce Raptor

..

wanna911

If Ken can finish mid-pack in an event or two I'd consider it a success.

Wishing Loeb had gotten that shot it F1 so all the speculation could be put to rest for good.

Streak

I was getting looked at by Hendrick Racing.

I keed I keed!

It was more of a DE but still trying to go as fast as possible.

They were governed I'm sure (insurance) but still needed some finesse on the gas or you'd be in trouble quick. They weren't any older than 2 or 3 years.

Either way, road racing is still more difficult than oval IMHO. Rockingham, a short track, was hard to get the rhythm. Tallegega was a breeze. Fast fast fast left, fast fast fast left, you get it. In any venue a more powerful car is going to have the same issues. Drop 600+ in a 911 and tell me it won't break loose. It is not unique to NASCAR.

I'm just a bit of a snob

Streak

HEY!

Veloce Raptor

Don't worry. I FedEx'd you that case of Nair that I promised.






Professional Racing and Driving Coach

kurt M

No kidding, I work for Penske and was getting looked by Penske racing too. The guy looked at me and said "Hey, get away from the car"