Re: The Attraction of NASCAR Well, my dad loves the sport. He's watched NASCAR for years, and always loved short track driving the most (he'd even race in his younger days on a dirt oval track occassionally). He loves it because it's a matter of endurance and knowing the car and what it's doing (you're sitting four three hours and lose up to 10 pounds of water weight because of the heat you endure inside the semi-flame retardant suit). There's complexities that aren't apparant in regular driving that show up in stock car racing, chiefly, the draft. It's amazing when a racer loses that edge, you'll see him drop 4 or 5 spots back as the other cars draft past him. Drafting is simply using the suction of air being pulled behind the lead car to pull the car behind you. And the force of the car behind you pushing the air against the back of your car. It increases the power of the cars and can go faster. Knowing when to pit, and planning accordingly are another big part of the sport. Pit times can kill you if the pit crew isn't fast. Then there's little thing such as changing camber and tire pressure to accomidate how the car is handling, since a car handling badly loses speed and uses more gas. Which means you may have to pit again for fueld, or need another stop to adjust tire pressure. And with all of that, the cars are basically identical, so it's the ability of the entire race team to win the race. And regardless of what people say, the crashes create interest. Sykotyk
Re: The Attraction of NASCAR It is easier to follow, but not particularly interesting to watch Michael Schumacher lead a single file procession around these circuits. I find the constant lead changes interesting in Nascar. Plus, i think over a dozen different drivers have won races this season. Call it parity, but it works. Which series is going from strength to strength, and which is in serious trouble? I respect F-1. The technology is amazing, and the drivers are the best in the world, but it doesn't interest me as a fan.
Re: The Attraction of NASCAR I got into NASCAR several years ago. By no means am I an expert on the history, strategy, points system, etc., but damn I LOVE watching it and someday hope to go to a race. I think one of the reasons that it's so popular is that the raw power and speed appeals to the masses here in the US because well...cuz it's American. When you hear "Gentlemen...start your engines!" and the drivers fire up their cars...you hear the rumble and roar...that stuff just gets your blood flowing and your andrenalin jacked up. Take for example the race earlier today in Atlanta....cars are flying by at 180-190 mph...racing side by side...sometimes 3 wide...that's just balls out. To me, NASCAR gets to the core of what it is to be a guy that is into cars. Sounds hooky, but I don't know how else to explain it. It's this raw, dirty, grimy beast. I think another reason why NASCAR is so popular is that there are personalities out there that people can easily relate to. It seems like most drivers are down to earth and posses a blue collar work ethic.
By all means attend a race if you can. The physical sensations of being there in person are incredible.
Well, this is what Brian France wanted. It's come down to a one race championship, and three drivers have a good chance of taking it. I'll be pulling for Johnson in this one, he's earned the championship in my opinion. But, i wonder if France has realized that Homestead has supplanted the Daytona 500 as the most important race of the year. In fact, Daytona now has less value than the 9 other "playoff" races. Has anyone done the math? Would Johnson be well ahead under the old system?