Yep, short tracks and road courses (and Darlington) are way more demanding in every aspect. Constant braking and accelerating, shifting, more wheel turning, more physical contact, tire wear. Everything about those races takes a toll on car and driver. And, oddly enough, they all produce the best racing. Pocono's extremely tough too and that's why I like that place. Rockingham was the same way.
The Brobdingnagians were initially built for open wheel racing. Then NASCAR adopted them and two publicly traded companies thought we should build more brobdingnagians.
The things NASCAR does to improve the racing reminds me of when NHRA went to 1,000 feet for safety (a knee jerk reaction to Scott Kalitta's death at Englishtown). They said that the shorter distance would slow the cars down because they wouldn't reach top speed of 320mph and thus make it safer -- on top of the additional shutdown. Of course, the mechanics found a way to get to 320mph in 1,000 feet.
Of course, the common sense fix was to quit racing at Englishtown because the track is unable to expand their shutdown area and sand pit. Seattle is in the same boat. Instead, they changed the fundamentals of the sport.
NASCAR can shorten the races, have twin races and do whatever they want. They tried lower downforce last year and after a handful of races and a bunch of testing, the teams found ways to make the cars handle perfectly again. Cut the race distances and the drivers and teams will eventually adapt and, by the second half of the year, they'll be cruising again.
Of course, the common sense fix is to quit going to The Brobdingnagians 20-something times a year and race at more short tracks and road courses.
and better racing.
haha classic