2021 Food City Dirt Race Pre Race Thread

DewChaser988 said:
Problem is still at the end of the day, a logistical headache
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The alternative for the facility isn't no race, it's business as usual. So it likely has to be viewed as a smashing success to continue past a couple years, which is how long the initial experiment lasted in 2000 and 2001. That's why the audacity of it should be appreciated and valued while it is here.

I'm happy as a dirt fan regardless of how the Cup race turns out, because that's what it took to get dirt cars back to Bristol.
 
gnomesayin said:
The alternative for the facility isn't no race, it's business as usual. So it likely has to be viewed as a smashing success to continue past a couple years, which is how long the initial experiment lasted in 2000 and 2001. That's why the audacity of it should be appreciated and valued while it is here.

I'm happy as a dirt fan regardless of how the Cup race turns out, because that's what it took to get dirt cars back to Bristol.
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The problem is, as we're seeing now, this date is cursed with the weather.. That's a big reason why fans stopped showing up in the first place
 
I'm no meteorologist but it looks like once this current system passes through they should be good to go on the heat races today, which don't start until late afternoon anyway. For tomorrow it looks like any rain of any significance will be over by early afternoon. My summation is that the rainfall amounts, and when they're happening, may actually be an asset to providing a good racing surface.

https://www.wunderground.com/forecast/us/tn/bristol
 
Old Kid said:
I'm no meteorologist but it looks like once this current system passes through they should be good to go on the heat races today, which don't start until late afternoon anyway. For tomorrow it looks like any rain of any significance will be over by early afternoon. My summation is that the rainfall amounts, and when they're happening, may actually be an asset to providing a good racing surface.

https://www.wunderground.com/forecast/us/tn/bristol
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The problem is there is a flash flood watch until Sunday and NASCAR tilled the track yesterday
 
DewChaser988 said:
The problem is there is a flash flood watch until Sunday and NASCAR tilled the track yesterday
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I just don't see anything that that indicates any heavy rain for the rest of the weekend after the current system passes. They are showing .14 of inch in the 11:00 AM hour tomorrow and anything else is just a few hundredths of an inch at most in any given hour. A track spokesman yesterday indicated that small amounts like this would be no problem at all. We'll see.
 
Old Kid said:
I just don't see anything that that indicates any heavy rain for the rest of the weekend after the current system passes. They are showing .14 of inch in the 11:00 AM hour tomorrow and anything else is just a few hundredths of an inch at most in any given hour. A track spokesman yesterday indicated that small amounts like this would be no problem at all. We'll see.
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The problem is Sullivan County, Tennessee (where Bristol is) is under a Flash Flood Watch until 8PM tommorrow
 
DewChaser988 said:
The problem is Sullivan County, Tennessee (where Bristol is) is under a Flash Flood Watch until 8PM tommorrow
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Flash flood watches are very common in mountainous areas due to the terrain. It doesn't take that much rain, if it occurs over a short period of time, to cause isolated flooding if a given area is prone to it. Isolated is the key word here.
 
Instead of trying to find what rock Brian has crawled under, this new bunch is on the job

Working in collaboration with drivers, teams, Bristol Motor Speedway and Goodyear, NASCAR will extend the Stage 1 and Stage 2 distances, add two competition cautions and increase tire allotment. The result: there are now important additional opportunities to prep the track during the competition cautions, and more opportunities for teams to change tires — all of which should result in better racing for the first NASCAR Cup Series race on dirt in 50 years.
 
Rain has stopped, just got to our seats. Pack cars are fixing to hit the track. Announcement said they expect to start on time, or delayed just slightly. My son can't wipe the smile off of his face.

20210327_144858.jpg
 
I like the changes to the 100-100-50.

It's honestly 50 lap sprint races and that's more than enough for the tires.
 
Kiante said:
I like the changes to the 100-100-50.

It's honestly 50 lap sprint races and that's more than enough for the tires.
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Takes a little of the importance of tire management out of it that some of the drivers were calling for. Not all, as some of these guys are still going to burn up their tires overdriving in 50 lap segments. It's out of the norm to have the final 'stage' be the shortest, but actually it makes more sense to place the in-race points rewards deeper into the race than earlier. I've always hated how much the first quarter / third of the race matters in the current points structure.
 
Revman Dirt Appreciation Update: I am finding myself enjoying this as it feels like a combination of rallying which I love and NASCAR which I love. Loving the set up discussions and changing track conditions. Do I like this? Not yet. Do I want more? No. Am I more intrigued than I thought I would be? Yes.
 
Old Kid said:
My summation is that the rainfall amounts, and when they're happening, may actually be an asset to providing a good racing surface.
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I have the same feeling and suspect you're correct. This could be a key point. I don't think they were going to go far enough with how much moisture the surface needs to be raceable after 200+ continuous laps without Mother Nature's assistance.
 
gnomesayin said:
Takes a little of the importance of tire management out of it that some of the drivers were calling for. Not all, as some of these guys are still going to burn up their tires overdriving in 50 lap segments. It's out of the norm to have the final 'stage' be the shortest, but actually it makes more sense to places the in-race points rewards deeper into the race than earlier.
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That's the issue, tires will still play a role. After 25-30 laps, the tires for some were pretty much shot.

NASCAR is doing their best for this not to turn into a **** show with tire failures. I certainly understand your perspective though. Like Byron and Bowman were burning through the right rear after a 35 to 40 lap runs, it will still matter enough without any craziness.

At the same time, I'm a novice when it comes to understanding dirt.
 
Kiante said:
That's the issue, tires will still play a role. After 25-30 laps, the tires for some were pretty much shot.

NASCAR is doing their best for this not to turn into a **** show with tire failures. I certainly understand your perspective though. Like Byron and Bowman were burning through the right rear after a 35 to 40 lap runs, it will still matter enough without any craziness.

At the same time, I'm a novice when it comes to understanding dirt.
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Yes, I think it's far smarter to err on the side of caution and do 50 lap segments than have to make changes during the event due to mass failures.
 
Whiskyb said:
So far we have 7 pages of pre race thread, most this year was 3 with the rest 1 or 2. At least it has everyone talking
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I wouldn't even be watching a lap of this race with the ncaa tournament going on, but the dirt deal will have me watching every lap possible and I'm not alone. Anyone thinking this isn't a great deal for nascar is living on another planet.
 
gnomesayin said:
Yes, I think it's far smarter to err on the side of caution and do 50 lap segments than have to make changes during the event due to mass failures.
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It's much better to proactively announce a format change than to pull an Indy and look like you don't have a clue.

Not counting comp caution or stage laps is a good move. NASCAR should done that when they first rolled out stages, and when they added weekly comp cautions last year.
 
Is there going to be a thread for the heat races today? I'll be joining a little late but I'll get caught up what with commercials and all.
 
Kiante said:
I like the changes to the 100-100-50.

It's honestly 50 lap sprint races and that's more than enough for the tires.
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I think some can burn the rear off in that amount of time. They were doing it in 45 laps yesterday. They weren't blown out completely but slick. I don't think it should be made any easier, there should be a penalty for driving like Cole Trickle
 
It looks spotty with the weather, I wouldn't be surprised if they have some rain delays before they get done. Could be possible to have a race to half way. Find out later. :idunno: They could end up slinging mud. :punkrocke
 
Ten minutes into the one-hour Truck heats show and they aren't on the track yet. Good thing they have plenty of flex in the schedule
 
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