Blocking

Tumbleweed

Tumbleweed

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It has long been my understanding that blocking is just as illegal in NASCAR as it is in Indy Car. If Brad K. had pulled that move (that he pulled on Kenseth) in Indy Car, he would have gotten a drive thru penalty. I can’t even remember the last time I’ve seen anyone in NASCAR get penalized for blocking.

Tony Stewart is someone else who has tended to do this a lot and at times has caused some pretty bad wrecks by doing so. Still, I don’t recall seeing him ever get penalized for doing it.

So, is blocking really illegal in NASCAR or not? If it IS illegal, why doesn't NASCAR ever call it? Brad's block on Kenseth was a blatant as I've ever seen.
 
as far as i know there's no rule for blocking in Nascar. as far as Indy when their tires hit another tire from blocking, big problem. i dread the day when cars pull to the side to let another car go by (Mark Martin). it's racing, i'm trying to beat you and you're trying to beat me.
 
It's a gentleman's agreement and blocking in stock cars is basically a douche move.. like someone gassing it trying to not let you in a lane. Pretty simple.

However, there's a difference whether it's during a restart, or strung out going and going into turn 3, or whether there is 60 to go or 3 to go.. just my extremely irrelevant opinion.
 
I say blocking is fine. So is moving an excessive blocker.
Both trying to win. I mean, don't block on lap 50 protecting 18th position with a 2 mph faster car coming by.... but that's just common sense.
 
I guess Tony Stewart is the only one in NASCAR who really gets worked up about it even though he does it himself:

http://espn.go.com/racing/nascar/cup/story/_/id/9105495/nascar-blocking-nascar-here-stay

>>"I can tell you there are not any conversations internally inside of NASCAR to look at blocking as a violation or a penalty type situation that some other forms of motorsports do," Cup series director John Darby said. "& As good as the racing has been and as exciting as it's been, I don't think we need to jump in the middle of any of that and screw it up."

In other words, Stewart needs to accept that blocking is here to stay.

No driver has been more vocal against blocking the past few years than Stewart. In 2011, he tried to wreck Brian Vickers in retaliation for a block at Sonoma.

"If they block, they are going to get dumped," Stewart said at the time. "It is real simple. I mean, I don't blame him for dumping us back. But I don't race guys that way; I never have. If guys want to block, then they are going to be wrecked every time.

"Until NASCAR makes a rule against it, I am going to dump them every time for it."

His comments were just as pointed on Sunday.

"He has the choice to do that," Stewart said of Logano's block. "He's in control of his car. But if he ever turns down across in front of me again, I don't care what lap it is, he won't make it through the other end of it."

rpm_g_stewart_d1_576.jpg


Tony Stewart (14) triggered a 25-car pileup in the October Talladega race when he tried to block Michael Waltrip on the final lap.<<
 
SpeedPagan said:
Honestly, I think blocking is perfectly acceptable in the last five laps of a race.
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Especially if it is meaning the difference between moving on to the next round or not. Just about anything is on the table for this elimination race. Blocking is just part of the game. Punting is where they might run into problems. ;)
 
Blocking is necessary when two cars are trying for one position. What should be illegal , is moving over and giving some guy your spot . Blocking is also known as 'holding your line' . 'Running the other guy's line ' . etc. It's just what racers do when they race . Please , let's not take racing out of racing .
 
its not illegal, but its incredibly stupid even with 10 to go. Its more accepted at plate tracks - but look where that got Dale.

Too soon?

Well it happened. Welcome back to reality, we have cookies.
 
I don't have a problem with holding your line and I am thinking the leading car has the right and gets first choice by default to run anywhere he chooses. In fact I like holding your line.

Blocking is subjective and defined a million different ways and I am glad that Nascar doesn't impose a rule. But if a driver gets radical with the blocking I am thinking the following car then has the right to move him.
I am thinking of a case were a driver slams the door on the Apex to pinch off a driver on the inside, and then takes him to the wall when he tries to go around the outside. In that case he is virtually asking to get moved imo.

I don't care for a bump and run if there is an outside or inside line or when the driver is not blocking as described in the previous paragraph. Simply knocking out a driver just for running the line you want for yourself is cheap, and I hope the guilty parties get paid back when it happens.
It isnt good racing either.
 
You see some of the most insane blocking on restarts these days. Kez's block was minor, despite Harvick's stirring the pot comments.
 
Blocking is fine by me.. not necessarily in situations like Tony at Dega but on most other tracks I dont care.. in fact I enjoy it.. If someone decides to block you.. either run em over.. or lose... if u cant find another way around em that is.. name of the game.
 
You are mistaken about blocking in NASCAR being wrong as it is in Indycar. blocking is a conversational as aero push, Side skirt wrangling, twisted sisters, and the newest and oldest and all in between chase formats. To block or not to block..that is the question.
 
Anything goes on the last lap.

For the most part I think racers use their heads. Not many people block on lap 1. But if you are P1, and the guy behind you trying to take your win wants your spot...you race. Thats what we want to see. We do not want to see a bunch of guys and gals merging into oncoming traffic like the interstate.
 
Tumbleweed said:
I guess Tony Stewart is the only one in NASCAR who really gets worked up about it even though he does it himself:

http://espn.go.com/racing/nascar/cup/story/_/id/9105495/nascar-blocking-nascar-here-stay

>>"I can tell you there are not any conversations internally inside of NASCAR to look at blocking as a violation or a penalty type situation that some other forms of motorsports do," Cup series director John Darby said. "& As good as the racing has been and as exciting as it's been, I don't think we need to jump in the middle of any of that and screw it up."

In other words, Stewart needs to accept that blocking is here to stay.

No driver has been more vocal against blocking the past few years than Stewart. In 2011, he tried to wreck Brian Vickers in retaliation for a block at Sonoma.

"If they block, they are going to get dumped," Stewart said at the time. "It is real simple. I mean, I don't blame him for dumping us back. But I don't race guys that way; I never have. If guys want to block, then they are going to be wrecked every time.

"Until NASCAR makes a rule against it, I am going to dump them every time for it."

His comments were just as pointed on Sunday.

"He has the choice to do that," Stewart said of Logano's block. "He's in control of his car. But if he ever turns down across in front of me again, I don't care what lap it is, he won't make it through the other end of it."

rpm_g_stewart_d1_576.jpg


Tony Stewart (14) triggered a 25-car pileup in the October Talladega race when he tried to block Michael Waltrip on the final lap.<<
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Kettle meet pot. Funny thing is Newman who was in Tony's organization for a number of years, might have been the worst blocker in the entire field, never heard a peep about him from Tony.

Tony cried about Vickers, Logano, Stenhouse blocking him but he threw a block on Waltrip that took out half the field, in the Chase no less.

Dale Sr never had a problem with blocking, if he was faster and you tried to block him, he'd dump you. Drivers ought to get back to that rather than b*tching about blocking.
 
3wideinturn1 said:
Kettle meet pot. Funny thing is Newman who was in Tony's organization for a number of years, might have been the worst blocker in the entire field, never heard a peep about him from Tony.

Tony cried about Vickers, Logano, Stenhouse blocking him but he threw a block on Waltrip that took out half the field, in the Chase no less.

Dale Sr never had a problem with blocking, if he was faster and you tried to block him, he'd dump you. Drivers ought to get back to that rather than b*tching about blocking.
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Drive with fear or drive angry. Block at your risk
 
I can see where blocking becomes a necessity when going for a win at a crucial point of the race, possibly during the last ten laps. It's not illegal but NASCAR does and has warned drivers during the race to concede their position or take a ride down pit road. IDK the full context of Smokes comment in full nor have I heard him give and in depth narration on this topic. I do know the Big E'hardt was well adept with this very maneuver in making it a pure art form, it is also speculated to be cause of his much to early demise.

I'll leave further speculation of this topic to the fine members of this very message board as opinions are like poop chutes everybody has one.
 
I think in Indycar or F1 you are allowed one move to protect your position, a second move gets you a penalty. In NASCAR if you block too much you'll be spun out. I think that's the basis for "have at it".
 
3wideinturn1 said:
Kettle meet pot. Funny thing is Newman who was in Tony's organization for a number of years, might have been the worst blocker in the entire field, never heard a peep about him from Tony.

Dale Sr never had a problem with blocking, if he was faster and you tried to block him, he'd dump you.
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Newman's not a blocker, he doesn't jump lanes to break another driver's momentum. he runs his lane and doesn't ease up for another car to go around him, and that is not blocking. Newman races hard every lap and if your car is faster go around, he's just not gonna slow down and let you go, he's gonna race you, and if you get by, good for you. and the reason Sr didn't have a problem with it was, because he did it, did it a lot up, until the day he lost his life.
 
3wideinturn1 said:
Dale Sr never had a problem with blocking, if he was faster and you tried to block him, he'd dump you. Drivers ought to get back to that rather than b*tching about blocking.
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I agree 100%, but Keselowski tried that path and almost died for his trouble. I wish he had some balls and got back to his old hard nosed style instead of pandering to the Tony Stewart hover craft gang.
 
pudge said:
Newman's not a blocker, he doesn't jump lanes to break another driver's momentum. he runs his lane and doesn't ease up for another car to go around him, and that is not blocking. Newman races hard every lap and if your car is faster go around, he's just not gonna slow down and let you go, he's gonna race you, and if you get by, good for you. and the reason Sr didn't have a problem with it was, because he did it, did it a lot up, until the day he lost his life.
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We disagree in what a block is then. I'm not saying he jumps lanes to get in front of guys, but on a week to week basis there isint a driver out there that makes it harder to pass than Newman does.

When you are slower than the guy behind you and you're both running the same lane, then you're blocking especially on one groove tracks like Martinsville or Darlington. Most guys will concede the spot, knowing that at another juncture in the race the favour will likely be returned. Newman doesn't subscribe to this ideology.

Don't take my word for it though, ask any Cup driver who's been running in the sport for the past 10 years. Newman's earned his reputation.
 
3wideinturn1 said:
We disagree in what a block is then. I'm not saying he jumps lanes to get in front of guys, but on a week to week basis there isint a driver out there that makes it harder to pass than Newman does.

When you are slower than the guy behind you and you're both running the same lane, then you're blocking especially on one groove tracks like Martinsville or Darlington. Most guys will concede the spot, knowing that at another juncture in the race the favour will likely be returned. Newman doesn't subscribe to this ideology.

Don't take my word for it though, ask any Cup driver who's been running in the sport for the past 10 years. Newman's earned his reputation.
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Problem is , there are an equal number of fans who would hate for Newman to not race hard for every spot on every lap. In the past , there have been gentlemen drivers like Ned Jarrett , and they have been equally respected for moving over . There is no right way to drive . It seems that fans decide who is blocking and who isn't , based on which driver they like and which one they don't.
 
3wideinturn1 said:
We disagree in what a block is then. I'm not saying he jumps lanes to get in front of guys, but on a week to week basis there isint a driver out there that makes it harder to pass than Newman does.

When you are slower than the guy behind you and you're both running the same lane, then you're blocking especially on one groove tracks like Martinsville or Darlington. Most guys will concede the spot, knowing that at another juncture in the race the favour will likely be returned. Newman doesn't subscribe to this ideology.

Don't take my word for it though, ask any Cup driver who's been running in the sport for the past 10 years. Newman's earned his reputation.
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i understand what you are saying 3wide, but i've never heard another driver say Newman blocks, now i have heard drivers say he's the hardest car to pass. he still races them clean and he doesn't whine when another driver races him hard. so if that's his only fault, that doesn't seem like a bad one to have IMO. how many cars did Sr ever let go by that were faster than him? running hard has him in 4th and in a good position to move on to the next bracket.
 
pudge said:
i understand what you are saying 3wide, but i've never heard another driver say Newman blocks, now i have heard drivers say he's the hardest car to pass. he still races them clean and he doesn't whine when another driver races him hard. so if that's his only fault, that doesn't seem like a bad one to have IMO. how many cars did Sr ever let go by that were faster than him? running hard has him in 4th and in a good position to move on to the next bracket.
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Jimmie has accused him of blocking on multiple occasions. Your points are fair enough though Pudge, and I'm not bashing him. He's carved out a reputation for himself as a hard racer, and that's certainly an admirable one to have.

My point is that when you're a slower car, even by just maintaining the same line it can be a block. Newman seems to do that a lot, he'll make guys go to other lines to try and pass him but at certain tracks that's just not feasible to do.

Believe it or not, Sr did show a lot courtesy for faster drivers. On occasion he would let guys by him, it was just so infrequent because he was often one of the fastest cars.
 
ted@economy said:
Problem is , there are an equal number of fans who would hate for Newman to not race hard for every spot on every lap. In the past , there have been gentlemen drivers like Ned Jarrett , and they have been equally respected for moving over . There is no right way to drive . It seems that fans decide who is blocking and who isn't , based on which driver they like and which one they don't.
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Absolutely, and I'm not hating on him for how he drives. I appreciate his competitiveness and hard nose driving. I'm just pointing out that often he has blocked cars because of his unwillingness to move over, which is his right. If no one is willing to move him out of the way, then so be it. Over the years I've heard many drivers lament his style, and I'm just echoing those thoughts.

I think part of the problem is the aero dependency of the cars these days. Drivers are afraid to move a guy with the bumper because if they screw up the nose, then they'll have no chance at contending for a good finish.
 
Blocking is part of racing, some folks take it too far ........................ no names will be mentioned but 14 and 20 come to mind
 
Kyle18fan said:
Blocking is part of racing, some folks take it too far ........................ no names will be mentioned but 14 and 20 come to mind
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Y'know, I don't recall Kenseth doing much blocking until he went to JGR. I think your boy and Denny must have gotten to him. ;)
 
If drivers would look at the monetary aspect of blocking they might not do it. At Dega in May the $$$$$$$ difference between 1st place and 2nd place was a whopping $38k...2nd place to 3rd place was $50k...CHUMP CHANGE for a diva driver making millions over the course of the entire season...Egos and Testosterone will get someone killed this weekend...................
 
MELROSEMAFIA said:
If drivers would look at the monetary aspect of blocking they might not do it. At Dega in May the $$$$$$$ difference between 1st place and 2nd place was a whopping $38k...2nd place to 3rd place was $50k...CHUMP CHANGE for a diva driver making millions over the course of the entire season...Egos and Testosterone will get someone killed this weekend...................
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So ...when did Dale Sr . ever settle for second place in a race because the money was ok. Racers race .
 
Kyle18fan said:
Both but the Kenseth fans usually dont agree, Tony wrecked the whole field blocking so no need to argue that one LOL
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You're are talking about one instance of blocking in a race where there were probably a thousand instances of blocking . Stuff happens .
 
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