2018 Indianapolis -- Big Machine Vodka 400 - Pre-Race Thread

Johali

Johali

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THE RACE: Big Machine Vodka 400 at the Brickyard Powered by Florida Georgia Line

TRACK: Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Race #26 of 36

Date: Sunday, September 9th, 2018, Indianapolis Indiana.

Scheduled Green Flag (approx): 2:15 pm/et
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All Times E/T

FRIDAY, Sept. 7
1:05-1:55 p.m.: Xfinity Series first practice, NBC Sports App
3:05-3:55 p.m.: Xfinity Series final practice, NBC Sports App


SATURDAY, Sept. 8
10:30-11:20 a.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series first practice, NBCSN/NBC Sports App
11:45 a.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series qualifying, NBCSN/NBC Sports App
1:30-2:20 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series final practice, NBCSN/NBC Sports App
3 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series Lilly Diabetes 250 (100 laps, 250 miles), NBCSN/NBC Sports App
6:15 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Busch Pole Qualifying, NBCSN/NBC Sports App

SUNDAY, Sept. 9
2 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Big Machine Vodka 400 at the Brickyard (160 laps, 400 miles), NBCSN/NBC Sports App

The cutoff race before the chase/playoff's/circus/whatever the hell they call it now.
 
The National Anthem will be sung by Carly Pearce. She's pretty good, I hope she does the Anthem right.

 
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Feels like a lifetime ago...
 
I’d say the majority here take a huge dump on this race but not me. It’s Indianapolis, it’s NASCAR. It’s NASCAR Racing at Indianapolis....that will never not be cool to me despite other’s attention spans and entertainment opinions on racing here. I grew up in the Midwest my whole life, if I was a stock car driver a win here would mean way more than a win at any other place. It’s The Indianapolis Motorspeedway.
 
Snappy D said:
I’d say the majority here take a huge dump on this race but not me. It’s Indianapolis, it’s NASCAR. It’s NASCAR Racing at Indianapolis....that will never not be cool to me despite other’s attention spans and entertainment opinions on racing here. I grew up in the Midwest my whole life, if I was a stock car driver a win here would mean way more than a win at any other place. It’s The Indianapolis Motorspeedway.
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I get you, I grew up in the Midwest listening to Indy on the radio before they broadcasted it on tv. For me that enthusiasm does not roll over to NASCAR. It is Indy and Indy is open wheel racing in my book, not stock cars. Attendance now makes this race a travesty for NASCAR.
 
If nascrap asked for my opinion, which I'm sure they won't, I'm all for dropping Indy from the schedule.
 
DIDIT said:
I get you, I grew up in the Midwest listening to Indy on the radio before they broadcasted it on tv. For me that enthusiasm does not roll over to NASCAR. It is Indy and Indy is open wheel racing in my book, not stock cars. Attendance now makes this race a travesty for NASCAR.
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Eh the attendance doesn’t matter me to me as much as some people on here, I’d watch this race or want to compete in it if 10 people showed up
 
I'm not expecting much from the cup side. The Xfinity cars with the aero package, who should be racing instead along with the trucks at nearby Lucas Oil Raceway, will probably be the best race for me to watch of the weekend.
 
AuzGrams said:
I'd support the Brickyard more if NASCAR pulls their head out of their @$$ and gives IRP back for Xfinity and a Truck date return.
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Hell it's the last race of the regular season, I gotta watch the thing. The first three races in the playoffs are going to be pretty crazy ending with the cut off at the Roval. I have a pretty good notion heads will be exploding after the Roval race.:D:D
 
AuzGrams said:
Would be an absolute barnburner, 400 lap short track show at IRP would be nuts with how different it is from the rest of the short tracks in NASCAR.
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not my cup of tea, I don't want to watch three in a row races at a short track, cuppers probably stinking up both of the lower series races trying to do a "historic" sweep. They don't do it for me like it does for some of the others.
 
Bobw said:
If nascrap asked for my opinion, which I'm sure they won't, I'm all for dropping Indy from the schedule.
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100% agree. Boring to sit in the stands for 45 secs watching nothing and then seeing the cars for 2 secs. Also, it is a bad look to see the stands that empty when they are filled for the 500. It just isn't that exciting to watch on TV either.
 
Ya know those Division 2 college football teams that open their seasons at power conference D1 schools they're not suited to play, just to collect a check? That's NASCAR at Indy.
 
I'm sure NASCAR and NBC will get right on eliminating the most watched race of the last six months of the season, as the Brickyard was in 2017. Personal opinions are just that, and I get it, as I wish they'd change the similarly popular Daytona and Talladega races. But this continual fantasy that ditching IMS has any objective merit is tiresome.
 
Chances of a wild card winner bumping off Bowman? Isn't Newman pretty good here?
 
gnomesayin said:
I'm sure NASCAR and NBC will get right on eliminating the most watched race of the last six months of the season, as the Brickyard was in 2017. Personal opinions are just that, and I get it, as I wish they'd change the similarly popular Daytona and Talladega races. But this continual fantasy that ditching IMS has any objective merit is tiresome.
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It's going up against opening day of the NFL and the US Open final this season though, not sure how good an idea that is. Anything less than a 20% drop in ratings from last year's race would be a shock IMO.
 
ToyYoda said:
It's going up against opening day of the NFL and the US Open final this season though, not sure how good an idea that is. Anything less than a 20% drop in ratings from last year's race would be a shock IMO.
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Yes, these factors and just the simple move to later in the season are working against it this year. The casual audience doesn't give a $#!% about "regular season finale" either. Since nearly every race of the season that didn't move from cable to broadcast has been down 15% or more, 20% would be a baseline expectation. It will still be one of the most watched races of the year, and likely still bigger then Homestead, fall Talladega, etc.
 
gnomesayin said:
Yes, these factors and just the simple move to later in the season are working against it this year. The casual audience doesn't give a $#!% about "regular season finale" either. Since nearly every race of the season that didn't move from cable to broadcast has been down 15% or more, 20% would be a baseline expectation. It will still be one of the most watched races of the year, and likely still bigger then Homestead, fall Talladega, etc.
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The only reason the ratings might be good is because it's the last race before the "playoffs...and I use that term loosely ". All kinds of crazy crap probably will happen, GWC, accidents, and heated tempers.
 
Mopardh9 said:
The only reason the ratings might be good is because it's the last race before the "playoffs...and I use that term loosely ". All kinds of crazy crap probably will happen, GWC, accidents, and heated tempers.
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No, just the opposite. The ratings were excellent last year when it wasn't the regular season finale. They will be lower this year because of the factors mentioned, and because the "playoffs" don't matter to the . Will still likely again have a larger audience than either 9 or all 10 of the playoffs races.
 
gnomesayin said:
No, just the opposite. The ratings were excellent last year when it wasn't the regular season finale. They will be lower this year because of the factors mentioned, and because the "playoffs" don't matter to the wider audience. Will likely again have a larger audience than either 9 or all 10 of the playoffs races.
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Possibly, but I think the racing will be better due to the factors I mentioned.
 
ToyYoda said:
It's going up against opening day of the NFL and the US Open final this season though, not sure how good an idea that is. Anything less than a 20% drop in ratings from last year's race would be a shock IMO.
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Keep an eye on tropical storm Gordon, currently forecast to be over western IL Sunday morning.
 
gnomesayin said:
I'm sure NASCAR and NBC will get right on eliminating the most watched race of the last six months of the season, as the Brickyard was in 2017. Personal opinions are just that, and I get it, as I wish they'd change the similarly popular Daytona and Talladega races. But this continual fantasy that ditching IMS has any objective merit is tiresome.
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You know I didnt realize the amount of bitching, whining and crying that NASCAR fans do until this pre race thread was made. It's Indianapolis Motor Speedway, NASCAR SHOULD be racing here. at the end of the day no one gives a $hit about IRP, or whatever other track folks want to move the Brickyard to. The Brickyard 400 is a Crown Jewel/Major of NASCAR and if you're upset with that you can mow the lawn, catch a nap, play with your kids or take the week off from watching.
 
Snappy D said:
You know I didnt realize the amount of bitching, whining and crying that NASCAR fans do until this pre race thread was made. It's Indianapolis Motor Speedway, NASCAR SHOULD be racing here. at the end of the day no one gives a $hit about IRP, or whatever other track folks want to move the Brickyard to. The Brickyard 400 is a Crown Jewel/Major of NASCAR and if you're upset with that you can mow the lawn, catch a nap, play with your kids or take the week off from watching.
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Wait until the race thread and the week after for the bonehead, to get the full effect
 
Snappy D said:
You know I didnt realize the amount of bitching, whining and crying that NASCAR fans do until this pre race thread was made. It's Indianapolis Motor Speedway, NASCAR SHOULD be racing here. at the end of the day no one gives a $hit about IRP, or whatever other track folks want to move the Brickyard to. The Brickyard 400 is a Crown Jewel/Major of NASCAR and if you're upset with that you can mow the lawn, catch a nap, play with your kids or take the week off from watching.
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Well, I love IRP and wish it had at least Xfinity and Trucks races. You're right that IRP means nothing to the extra 1.5 - 2 million viewers who watch the Brickyard and not 'regular' races. Otherwise agreed.
 
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