Talk to Tony Formosa, Manager of Nashville fairgrounds, He lost an eye years back when he was a driver when he was in the pit area watching the race when a lug nut came off a race car and hit his eye.
I have never seen a wheel come off an Indy car because the ring nut came off.
If it were a problem, they could add a second "lock" ring . It still would be faster and safer than what they are doing now.
Yes I am a long time NASCAR fan. I have witnessed many accidents on pit road even fatalities. I watched when David Pearson lost both outside tires when he exited the pits because they crew did not put lug nuts on the car.
How many times have you heard drivers telling their crews they think one of the tires felt loose ?
Nascar more than likely has reports of lug nuts coming off cars and going into the stands, but its hard to get that info.
How many of you remember when there was no speed limit on pit road ? These cars came in hot !
In summary, I am not concerned with how long it takes to change tires as my overall idea is that the cars re-aline in the order they running when the caution came out. ( with the exception of 1) only taking fuel, 2) only taking 2 tires, 3) taking 4 tires, 5) making major body repairs ) I am concerned about some teams leaving lug nuts off or lug nuts loose.
I am concerned about cars crashing on pit road by trying to get in and out a split second faster than other teams.
Pit road was not built to race, there are pit crew men and officials that are at danger with the current system NASCAR uses and there is no reason for that.
Nascar has a rule that a driver can not pass during the yellow flag, ( caution) but they allow drivers to pass in the pit area by having a split second faster pit stop. NASCAR polices which drivers violate the rules about speeding entering and exiting pit road and I personally think they do not go a very good job. Just like Phantom cautions coming out that seem to benefit certain drivers.
These cars do not have speedometers, they rely on their tach and instead of staring at it they should be looking at whats happening in front of them. They are at highway speeds, 55 mph and just inches from pit crew members changing the outside tires.
Auto racing should be all about racing on the race track.
NASCAR use to brag about how races are won or lost in the pits !
That should tell you just how far they were off about auto racing.
I guess if you couldn't buy a seat that had a good view of the pit road that you were just out of luck.
NO, I do not have all the answers, but I do want to start having intelligent conversations about how to improve NASCAR.
Yes I believe I saw a race years ago when a NASCAR driver won a race by several laps. Oddly, it was exciting as during the race the top drivers were battling it out for the lead, really pushing those big block unrestricted motors until they started popping one after another. During the event the top drivers tried to back down the pace and some drivers that were lapped actually were getting their lap back by passing the leaders and coming back to challenge them. Just look back at "Chargin" Charlie Glotzbach, that is one driver that never backed off. I bet he blew up more motors than most of the top teams. With him in a race you had to push your car to keep up with him.
Today at most tracks, once a car gets out in clean air it is almost impossible to pass. Its freight train racing, Drivers that do try to pass get out of line and fall back at least 5 to 10 or more spots until they can get back in line.
Tracks usually have a preferred line, one that has better traction, and only the leader gets to choose which lane he wants to restart in. So the cars that are lined up in the slow lane are at a distinct disability.
Going to the Delaware Restart System that allows drivers to choose which lane they want to start in would be a great improvement. ( At least for all the drivers on the lead lap.)
Another rules should be that with 10 laps or less to the finish, caution flag laps should not count. If the caution comes out with 10 to go, if it takes 6 laps or what ever, to clean the track, the race will have 9 laps to go.
The Overtime rules is nothing but a 2 lap sprint to the finish and at many big tracks it takes a lap to get up to speed.
Green, White , Checkered is only two laps. You go on the green and the white lap is the last lap.
The Leader has a big advantage, that driver gets to decide when to take off, is the first to get in clean air and most of the cars behind him are side by side and losing time.
I still say that adding short front fins to the front fender to put more down force on the front panel will help the ability for cars to pass at speed.
I call NASCARS divisions the Grand National and The Sportsman division because their names change when new sponsors come in. So I am more accurate as sometimes I forget is it the Monster or Infinity series ?
Nascar needs to go back to weighing the car and driver together.
I would like to hear some intelligent discussion about these ideas or other ideas. I would hope NASCAR reads these ideas, and takes them into consideration.
The good ol days right?
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