All-Star race experimentation receives mostly high marks

This will be interesting. The casual fan loves plate racing so I'm willing to bet that we are going from 4 plate races a year to 25 (including all cookie cutters, cali, mich, indy, dover) I left out phoenix, darlington, and the short tracks, so it could be potentially more.

I have to admit, it was certainly more entertaining than the single file races that we have seen in recent years, but the cars sure did look slow on tv.

I can see them implementing this and then all of the teams start complaining because they are wrecking too many cars each week. So much for cost efficiency.
 
StandOnIt said:
yep right on. F-1 has reduced speed and HP three times recently, Indycar, the old Trans Am series, on and on. They can make a thousand HP out of a small block without breaking a sweat now days. They can't afford to have one of them fly up and over a twenty foot fence into the crowd.
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were gonna need a bigger fence then.
 
DIDIT said:
I really don't get this. I enjoy racing at Martinsville at 95 mph. I enjoy racing at Atlanta at 190 mph. I enjoy racing at Darlington at 175. I enjoy racing at Charlotte at 160, 170, 180 or whatever. During the race last night I could not tell the difference this year from last year in speed on TV. I even watched some of the 2017 All Star race just to see if I noticed much difference. Nope. I have been to Charlotte many times and have seen ARCA, Truck, Xfinity and Cup cars race there. It did not matter to me that the lower series were running slower than cup and had no bearing on my level of enjoyment. Actually it never even entered my mind. I never once thought, I can't wait until Cup runs so we can really get to see some speed....
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I agree with this as far as it goes, BUT it doesn't go far enough for me. Seeing the top level of oval racers droning around Charlotte WFO at terminal velocity... that speed where aero drag equals rear wheel horsepower... that type of "racing" does nothing to attract me or excite me. It's not the lack of speed that makes it bland and unsatisfying... it's the lack of driver skill being tested. The racing is dumbed down by too much drag and too much downforce and too little power. At the Cup level, this is an air burger served with water on the side. Just my $0.02.
 
gnomesayin said:
My top priority for a race or sport is that it be a contest of skill, with the importance of 'the show' way far in the background. To me the show is the skill on display. Sometimes, often times even, true contests of skill at the top levels are runaways. I prefer this to imposing closeness and randomness on the proceedings.
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FLRacingFan said:
Seems like some here believe those who didn't enjoy it, or at least don't want to see it full-time, think we make an active effort to dislike whatever NASCAR's flavor of the week is. Couldn't be further from the truth. I think the racing has been good this year for the most part, maybe even the "purest" they've had in quite some time. I really don't get how anyone would want to see minimal braking input, cars that aren't nearly as on edge and challenging to drive, almost every week of the season in the so-called highest form of motorsport in the country.

Besides sideforce, which I thought they had been working on with the X-3 in preparation for the Gen-7, I don't really think there's a whole lot to "fix". If that puts me in the minority though, so be it. Plenty of other good series out there and more time for other hobbies couldn't hurt.
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Since I arrived late to this discussion, I just want to highlight two posts by @gnomesayin and @FLRacingFan that express perfectly how I feel about this All Star racing package. I support the trend toward lower downforce, and feel it has improved the racing greatly. I too thought reducing side force was the last big aerodynamic hurdle for Nascar. At this moment, it seems that all the gains of the last few years are today on the endangered species list... in favor of total aero domination from high drag, high downforce, low horsepower pack racing. I'm pretty depressed at that prospect.

I've often posted here my doubts that Nascar has the balls to put the race back in the hands of the drivers, and then leave it there in their hands. Judging from the spin I see coming from Steve O'Donnell, it seems my doubts were well founded, sadly.
 
StandOnIt said:
If the Nascars could pass at Indy like the Indycars can I would agree with you, but that isn't the case. Last years Xfinity race as far as "organic" was much better. The faster car could pass instead of being bogged down behind on a track designed for open wheelers.
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Oh I absolutely despise that track. It’s awful to run at on iRacing because it’s so easy to block faster cars into the corners, especially between the short chutes. Drafting or slipstreaming in the case of Indy is the only way to finish off passes there
 
gnomesayin said:
You do as well. I wish they would leave Indy and Pocono alone, to me they completely belong on the Cup schedule as they are today. That's because they are real driver / team performance showcases, but the masses aren't interested in that.
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One day I'll figure out why I enjoy the racing at Pocono but not at Indy.
ChexOrWrex said:
Shiny new toys end up in the bottom of the toy chest scuffed and broken
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All toys were shiny and new once, even the ones that are now scuffed, dirty, and beloved.
Mopardh9 said:
I'm talking next year when plates are at every track.
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Great googly moogly, plate-adverse as I am, even I don't expect NASCAR to go that far or that fast.
StandOnIt said:
I heard they were going to put two of em on there next year..double plate to go with stage racing.
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You misunderstood. There will indeed be two plates, but they won't be on at the same time. Actually, teams will switch from one plate to another after the second stage. Fan vote will decide if the plate for the final stage has bigger or smaller holes. :D
 
Mopardh9 said:
Have you ever disagreed? I've agreed with some things nascar has done, especially their safety measures, but I have yet to see you disagree with one thing Nascar has done.
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I've already told you some things I disagree with and what they could do to change it BUT you conveniently ignore it.
 
StandOnIt said:
4 wide right before Truex takes a ride.
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I'd call that 3.7 wide :D
 
I see the writing on the wall....This package ( a refined one) is so going to be for 1.5 milers next year, is it too early for BOLD PREDICTIONS 2019 ?
 
Snappy D said:
I see the writing on the wall....This package ( a refined one) is so going to be for 1.5 milers next year, is it too early for BOLD PREDICTIONS 2019 ?
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Would make the redesigns they made to Kentucky and Texas mean absolutely nothing if they are just full throttle all the way around those tracks.
 
My son who used to be much more into NASCAR, but recently has become more of a casual observer and who had no idea about the new package being used for the All Star race sent me this text during the race "Wild racing...can't believe they got the cars to handle this way at Charlotte!!!" Someone previously wondered if we were not told about the package what would we be thinking of the race. Well, at least we know one opinion.
 
Simple Fan said:
Would make the redesigns they made to Kentucky and Texas mean absolutely nothing if they are just full throttle all the way around those tracks.
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I agree 100% , but I think this is the way its going. Tracks are going to want to do this because as someone posted earlier it's shiny, new, and people are curious.
 
Snappy D said:
Cant help but agree with ol Bob in this article, he raises many good points that I agree with IMO.
http://www.espn.com/racing/nascar/s...cetracks-following-2018-all-star-race-success
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I agree, Snappy. Bob Pockrass has raised all the issues about restrictor plates as necessary safety devices (at Daytona and Talladega) versus a way to create a pack of cars strictly for entertainment.

Includes a poll at the end, too...

22% Yes, use plates at all 1.5ers
26% Maybe, at select 1.5ers
52% No, plates for Daytona/Talladega only.
 
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