Cup RACE thread --- Loudon

Without question, the most poorly officiated race I’ve ever seen.

Multi-million dollar teams operate with war-rooms, strategy engineering personnel at the track, crew chiefs, spotters and everything else they need to operate their cars during races only to have tire choice and tire change timing dictated by NASCAR’s race “control”. Flies directly in the face of the competitive nature of auto racing.

Beyond embarrassing. 🤡
 
Without question, the most poorly officiated race I’ve ever seen.

Multi-million dollar teams operate with war-rooms, strategy engineering personnel at the track, crew chiefs, spotters and everything else they need to operate their cars during races only to have tire choice and tire change timing dictated by NASCAR’s race “control”. Flies directly in the face of the competitive nature of auto racing.

Beyond embarrassing. 🤡
I totally agree. If they wanna go put on slicks and bust their ass let them.
 
I didn't catch much of the post race but it didn't sound like any of the drivers called them out for their BS today which is very disappointing. I guess they'll wait until they get behind their podcast mics...
 
Without question, the most poorly officiated race I’ve ever seen.

Multi-million dollar teams operate with war-rooms, strategy engineering personnel at the track, crew chiefs, spotters and everything else they need to operate their cars during races only to have tire choice and tire change timing dictated by NASCAR’s race “control”. Flies directly in the face of the competitive nature of auto racing.

Beyond embarrassing. 🤡
Yep, no way I can't give an atta boy to this race. They have used this tire in the Truck race two years ago, and used it again at an Xfinity race. The gerbils and the race control idiots must have been in a cave, they had plenty of data. They killed all of the fun out of something that could have been a win if the teams who are smarter than they are would have had the freedom to switch tires if they thought it was a good move and pit whenever they wanted.
 
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I didn't catch much of the post race but it didn't sound like any of the drivers called them out for their BS today which is very disappointing. I guess they'll wait until they get behind their podcast mics...
or on here
 
I wonder if there will be a statement from NASCAR later in the week. 🤔

Absolutely! It will probably sound something like this…

“This past weekend was an unprecedented situation, and we feel like it was handled in the best way possible. Our goal is always to put on the best possible show for the fans and we think we delivered on that. However, we will still use this race as a learning moment for the future.”
 
Rumors abound that New Hampshire is back in playoffs next year. Saving C. Bell for that one. Gateway rumored as well
 
Could it have been better officiated? Yes. I wonder if there would have been just as many Stage 3 cautions if NASCAR had left the decisions to the teams. The way the weather is going this season, we'll probably get another look at these tires.

Was it better than waiting to dry the track, or calling the race when the rain started? Hell, yes.
 
Well, what a mess that was. That's really all I can say to sum it up. I know the field was really jumbled there at the end but my biggest disappointment as a fan is that if you root for a Chevy driver you will not be getting a championship this year as when the field was NOT jumbled and on the same tires/strategy the Toyotas and Fords were VISIBLY faster than the Chevys. I don't know what they have figured out for these flat 1 mile tracks but once the tries wore C Bell ran Chase down from over 4 seconds behind and left him in the dust in a pretty short period.

I was sitting right in the middle of turns 1 and 2 and you could hear the Fords and Yotas getting back to the gas quicker than the Chevys. I know some will say I am wrong and think I am just whining or whatever but this is why Logano won the title in 22 when he clearly was not the best car all year and Blaney won last year. Blaney is a really good driver and I like him a lot but never saw him winning a championship - at least not as things are right now. NASCAR needs to move their finale to more of a driver's track.

As for the rest of the race....I am ashamed to admit that for the first time in my life I left early. With the way the weather reports had been all weekend I thought there was NO CHANCE they were restarting that race once it started raining so we bounced. I thought about staying but still glad we did not as the dog needed to be let out and we would not have gotten home until after 11 or close to 12 probably depending on how bad traffic was getting out. I was about 30 minutes form home when my wife saw the update that they were going to restart it. I caught the last 30 laps when I got home and was just scratching my head the whole time about NASCAR telling teams what to do and then changing their minds. Had to have been the worst officiated raced I have ever seen.

Restarts - If you were on the bottom you were screwed. Plan and simple. Should not be that way and it sucks. Not one car could start on the bottom without losing multiple spots.

Chase/Logano - I am glad Chase's top 20 streak is intact but it means little after losing the points lead. The crash happened right in front of us and it looked like Logano just kept coming up and Chase tried to give him room but Logano would not stop coming up. The section we were in was very "Chase Heavy" and for a while it was full of middle fingers every time Logano went by. LOL

My mystery of the week - Willie B? What was their deal? It seems like another lifetime that he was winning races earlier this season and many were pointing to him as a title threat. Very odd indeed but it's why I'm still excited for Chase's season as I think they are getting better as the season goes so they could catch up to the 5 and 11 on speed but once again I will say I give Chase and Larson no shot at a title unless some wacky thing ensure like yesterday but I don't see much rain coming to the desert.
 
Upon further reflection, what annoyed me about what Bubba did yesterday is that whenever something happens to him on track,he has an emotional meltdown. There’s 2 or 3 examples of that in the past which I won’t bring back up but there’s a pattern there. Sure he’s allowed to be angry but I just feel at the top level of stock car racing, a top driver has to show emotional stability and growth. Bubba really isn’t showing that and it just seems the pressure to produce in the 23 might be starting to get to him. Maybe it was harsh calling him an idiot yesterday, I’m not going to take it back it’s what I felt in that moment watching in real time. He’s got the talent to produce and be an every year playoff driver with the ability to go deep in the equipment he’s driving, I’m just not sure his emotional capacity will allow that.
 
Upon further reflection, what annoyed me about what Bubba did yesterday is that whenever something happens to him on track,he has an emotional meltdown. There’s 2 or 3 examples of that in the past which I won’t bring back up but there’s a pattern there. Sure he’s allowed to be angry but I just feel at the top level of stock car racing, a top driver has to show emotional stability and growth. Bubba really isn’t showing that and it just seems the pressure to produce in the 23 might be starting to get to him. Maybe it was harsh calling him an idiot yesterday, I’m not going to take it back it’s what I felt in that moment watching in real time. He’s got the talent to produce and be an every year playoff driver with the ability to go deep in the equipment he’s driving, I’m just not sure his emotional capacity will allow that.
There could be a penalty for what he did. Nascar is really sensitive about pit road stupidity. The whole 10 crew was over the wall and he terrorized them also.
 
There could be a penalty for what he did. Nascar is really sensitive about pit road stupidity. The whole 10 crew was over the wall and he terrorized them also.
Agreed. Halfway Parking in the 10 pit with them out ready to service the car as it was coming in was what made me call out the behavior.
 
Bubba has a history of doing stupid **** like this. Like when he threw water on I think it was Bowman and the emt while he was getting medical attention. The incident with Larson when he attacked him after a huge wreck while having no idea if Larson was hurt in the wreck. He definitely needs to learn some mental coping skills and think before he reacts. He isn't the only driver with these issues but he is already in the spotlight so of course it's going to be a bigger thing when he does it.
 
Berry with a comfortable lead for the Rookie of the year. Lots of racing left though. Hocevar looked like a fish out of the water at Loudon though lol.

 
Crew Chief AND the spotter ....and most of us thinking the same thing


Wow.....That's some pretty intriguing stuff.....Were they serious? That was good hard racing. Yeah - If you're a fan of the 5 you are not happy with if but the 11 was faster and pushed the issue a little. That has to happen at tracks that are hard to pass at. I like Kyle throwing it right back...even if they were kidding.
 
Wow.....That's some pretty intriguing stuff.....Were they serious? That was good hard racing. Yeah - If you're a fan of the 5 you are not happy with if but the 11 was faster and pushed the issue a little. That has to happen at tracks that are hard to pass at. I like Kyle throwing it right back...even if they were kidding.
I'm so surprised!...not
 
I'd spend your time working on yourself and not be making a fool out of yourself thinking you know what others are thinking. But if not, I'll live rent free.
It’s easy to know when you show it every week bud lol. ;) proven by the fact you hated Kyle Busch in 2022, then became a huge fan in 2023, when he still acts the same way lmao. If Denny was in a Chevy next season, you be his biggest fan.
 
You didn’t bad mouth Denny, so SOI isn’t happy. That’s all it is.
Ohhhhh...Gotcha. I forget sometimes that many people are not capable of looking at things objectively when their driver is involved. I admitted if I was a fan of the 5 I'd be pissed but it's not like what Denny did there was anywhere on the level of, oh I don't know just for example, what Larson did to Chase at The Glen in 2022? Wait. I forgot once again that was perfectly OK. LMAO!
 
Ohhhhh...Gotcha. I forget sometimes that many people are not capable of looking at things objectively when their driver is involved. I admitted if I was a fan of the 5 I'd be pissed but it's not like what Denny did there was anywhere on the level of, oh I don't know just for example, what Larson did to Chase at The Glen in 2022? Wait. I forgot once again that was perfectly OK. LMAO!
I didn't feel like going round and round in circles. It's just that simple. Surely you have heard that there are two sides to every story. After watching you go on for page after page writing a book when the 5 tried to run both races, it's a waste of time. I'm done.
 
I didn't feel like going round and round in circles. It's just that simple. Surely you have heard that there are two sides to every story. After watching you go on for page after page writing a book when the 5 tried to run both races, it's a waste of time. I'm done.
Sure thing man. Here's some advice -Be willing to see flaws in your driver and try to understand other people's opinions and perspectives are just as valid as yours - even if you disagree. Anything I have said about Larson in "books" I have apparently written always have the caveat that I think he does have the most raw talent in the sport but the sport does not seem to be his priority. He has a fan base now that seems to delight in pointing out how much "better" he is than everyone else but refuse to acknowledge when he might have been outdriven like or when he does or says things not good for a sport trying to regain its popularity. I get frustrated with him because he could be a huge help in that if he learned to represent the sport better. I know some will say that's not his "job" but stars are supposed to be ambassadors in my opinion - especially if they are making their livelihood off the sport.

There is also a thing called hypocrisy - you can't have any issue with what Denny did to Larson there if you are OK with what Larson did to Chase at the Glen. Case closed. I was so disappointed about that because I wanted to see Chase have the chance to run him clean and see what he could do but that was taken away by dirty driving. On the note of his fanbase though - I have been going to Loudon almost every year for the past 15 years and hardly ever saw a Larson shirt until he started winning all the time. I am not saying you are one of those "bandwagon jumpers but those folks will move on quick once the winning slows down - and it will - it's happened to every driver ever.

I will always end by saying Larson is great and the potential is limitless. That said, he is a mirror-opposite of Chase to me in that I think Chase needs to be more aggressive at times and I think Larson's only possible Achillies heel is that he is too aggressive at times. I know it's a fine line but look at him and KB at WWT and then what happened at Iowa. Because of this, he can't seem to manage tires. I love how a Larson fan here (can't remember who) tried to spin this by saying "he just doesn't want his speed managed by tires" or something like that. Isn't that racing? LOL That last caution at Loudon saved his ass. He was getting run over quick by guys who managed them better.
 
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