Current things in racing that make you feel old or old school, even if you are young

[Greg]

Current things in racing that make you feel old or old school, even if you are young

It is all subjective and one opinion is as good as another, please feel free to share your own quirks

Here's mine


-Generic Cars

-Wrap arounds or whatever the full body stickers are called. To many cosmic colors that rivals the ones of a 60s hippie VW van. Give me the solid paint jobs like the the old petty blue, the k&k dodge, the black 3, the classic Woods Maroon and White (and it worked the name Purlator isnt forgotten).

-Fans that don't get Lynard Skynard and country music. Hip Hopping tallgaiters WTF?

-Aero push talk

-Less old coot ugly drivers. There just getting too pretty, just enunciate too well, and they even talk pretty words. We have more media coverage now, but you are less likely to know who really hates who now.


Less Bobby Allison types. He hopped a lot of rides, there was suit case Jake (Elder) and Bobby without a nickname for doing the same. He did things his way, he had few bosses, he was his own man. When he went to Penske he schooled him on running a regular schedule competitively in a clunker called a Matador. Yes Penske won at Riverside prior with Mark Donahue but that more about Donahue on a road course than the Captain figuring out Nascar. The Drivers were more in charge then.


-Pit stops with no speed limits, there was a time when you could overcome a quick unscheduled pit stop without no lucky dogs or wave arounds.


-No more ASA and less great regional heroes

 

[TexasRaceLady]

No squealing bias-ply tires or the smoke from said tires going hard into a corner. *sigh*

Just call me older than dirt.

 

[Thegroundpounder99]

-Racing back to the yellow. It's worth it so we don't have to hear the phrase "lucky dog" ever again.
-Manufacturer loyalty/rivalry. Seems there's not a lot of it anymore. Loved when DW and Sr would talk about the Fords. Seemed like every race.
-Teammates.- Used to be every man for him himself. Now it's like open wheel everybody is buddies or doing something for teammates . Could you imagine Dale Sr, Bobby Allison or Richard Petty pushing someone to victory. These guys would wreck there mothers to get to the line first.
-Tires that wore. Seems like they get harder and harder every race. If you can't tell from my other post I can't stand Goodyear. If they'd get a tire that wears we'd see some racing.
-We get our stock looking cars back in 2013. I can't wait. I love the evolution of the racecars. I know a lot of people don't but I do.
-Just one more! Carburetors. I loved we were going to fuel injection, but I hate seeing those laptops connected to the car. I hope NASCAR draws the line there. We don't need to look like Formula 1 or Indycar. These are drivers racecars and we should stay that way.
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[HoneyBadger]

Things that no longer exist that make me feel old:
Racing back to the yellow.
Single-file restarts.
Hearing Bill Weber say "Double File Restart SHOOTOUT STYLE" during every single restart.
No Green/White/Checker finishes.
Hearing Bill Weber explain how a Green/White/Checker finish works every single race.
Seeing the black #3 on the track.
No Jimmie Johnson

Hate to say it but racing is nothing like it was in the 90s in any way, except for Jeff Gordon being in the #24 car.

 

[Jameswnh]

No squealing bias-ply tires or the smoke from said tires going hard into a corner. *sigh*

When you say bias ply tires, I immediately think of Dale Earnhardt and Tim Richmond lighting them up around an asphalt Bristol. Those two seemed to do it the most.

Hmm, there's another thing that makes me feel old. Asphalt paved, Bristol International Raceway.

 

[robbybee]

Carburetors? (it ain't the 60's anymore)
150 MPH on pit road? (Death sentences for pit crew members)
Racing back to the line under caution? (Death sentences for disabled drivers)
Single-file restarts? (With lap-down cars in front of the leader? Really?)
Toothless hillbilly drivers? (I like guys who can at least speak proper English.)

Why not do away with SAFER Barriers, Full-face helmets, HANS devices, fuel cells, window nets, on-board fire suppression systems, NOMEX fire suits, helmets on pit road, sponsors, and REALLY go Old School?

Y'all really don't want to go back there, do ya?

I would like to see the elimination of the Splitter and maybe even the spoiler. Get rid of bump stops and gear rules. Eliminate the Top 35 and the Champion's Provisional.

 

[Greg]

Carburetors? (it ain't the 60's anymore)
150 MPH on pit road? (Death sentences for pit crew members)
Racing back to the line under caution? (Death sentences for disabled drivers)
Single-file restarts? (With lap-down cars in front of the leader? Really?)
Toothless hillbilly drivers? (I like guys who can at least speak proper English.)

Why not do away with SAFER Barriers, Full-face helmets, HANS devices, fuel cells, window nets, on-board fire suppression systems, NOMEX fire suits, helmets on pit road, sponsors, and REALLY go Old School?

Y'all really don't want to go back there, do ya?

Is this a joke? of course I would have things like the current pit road speed limits, hans etc. if I made the rules. But duh... it does not mean that watching the old pit stops was not fun. If that means that some people will think I was happy to see Elliott's crew member killed in the 90s, they can have fun with it, because it I have better things to do than explaining the obvious. Especially when I ran a full face helmet myself while the open faces were still legal, and I always made sure all of my safety gear like the belts were in the best condition possible, it was the first priority.

Crap you can't post old good memories without the snark these days, guess we gotta just only make love to the present moments , "oh it is better is than ever now", and try to sound like a knee padded politically correct Confucius chanting "it's all wonderful, wonderful, wonderful now" like some old Lawerence Welk would have.


I like being a sentimental fool and I have no plans to change or draw out flow charts for stating some of my favorite memories. I also feel like I invested a lot of my life into those moments.

 

[Greg]

I liked
Short track racing better when the Hillibillies were ruling in the old BGN days, the best races I have ever seen. I would take a scheduled Hickory BGN race over any cup race from any era.

I am not sure of the first car in the picture maybe Tommie Ellis or LD Ottinger, I think the 16 is Butch Lindley, that's his most used number but he didnt use it much in the BGN and he usually drove for other owners, almost postive the double 00 is Sam Ard in the Thomas Brothers country Ham car.


It was less developmental and it had a lot of great seasoned short track drivers competing.

 

[#17D500winner]

Carburetors? (it ain't the 60's anymore)
150 MPH on pit road? (Death sentences for pit crew members)
Racing back to the line under caution? (Death sentences for disabled drivers)
Single-file restarts? (With lap-down cars in front of the leader? Really?)
Toothless hillbilly drivers? (I like guys who can at least speak proper English.)

Why not do away with SAFER Barriers, Full-face helmets, HANS devices, fuel cells, window nets, on-board fire suppression systems, NOMEX fire suits, helmets on pit road, sponsors, and REALLY go Old School?

Y'all really don't want to go back there, do ya?

I would like to see the elimination of the Splitter and maybe even the spoiler. Get rid of bump stops and gear rules. Eliminate the Top 35 and the Champion's Provisional.

You'd like to see the removal of the safety innovations or are you just joking around like everyone else.

 

[Greg]

Sometimes the journey is more fun than the destination. In other words I understand the need for Hans, Full Face helmets etc, things we learned painfully and we will always be evolving.

But we can still enjoy some of the past. I didnt create the thread to create another Brian sucks soapbox, just to remember the good times.

 

[ted@economy]

How about speeches at the awards banquet that weren't written by a pr thingy and read off a teleprompter .

 

[ted@economy]

Drivers more than 5 ft tall . Big ol boys like Buddy Baker . I thought they weighed the cars with the drivers in , if not , they should . Talk about fans not relating to the cars today , who can relate to those midgets driving them?

 

[dpkimmel2001]

What in racing makes me feel old? The constant call for change. What it was it what made this sport great.

 

[Thegroundpounder99]

Carburetors? (it ain't the 60's anymore)
150 MPH on pit road? (Death sentences for pit crew members)
Racing back to the line under caution? (Death sentences for disabled drivers)
Single-file restarts? (With lap-down cars in front of the leader? Really?)
Toothless hillbilly drivers? (I like guys who can at least speak proper English.)

Why not do away with SAFER Barriers, Full-face helmets, HANS devices, fuel cells, window nets, on-board fire suppression
systems, NOMEX fire suits, helmets on pit road, sponsors, and REALLY go Old School?



Y'all really don't want to go back there, do ya?

I would like to see the elimination of the Splitter and maybe even the spoiler. Get rid of bump stops and gear rules. Eliminate the Top 35 and the Champion's Provisional.

Comical, at best. Elimination of spoilers- Death sentence to fans sitting in the stands.

 

[Greg]

What in racing makes me feel old? The constant call for change. What it was it what made this sport great.

This is too easy.

Petty Blue and trophy queens


Really Fast Cars. Hot Women, and Rock and Roll the essence of life (children, dogs, and Coca Cola too, but the first three have the most thread posting zing)

 

[Greg]

What in racing makes me feel old? The constant call for change. What it was it what made this sport great.

But aint we just like the drivers in this regard. I mean even before we could race scan them they were established whiners, usually with the exception of the winner and champion.

If they had just gave me the right gear, if GoodYear had given us the right tire etc... I would have beat them.
I loved ole Earnhardt but let him loose a few and he would be pushing for a rules change.
There are a few exceptions like Petty, Harry Gant, but almost any post race quote section is going to have the not happy stuff.


Sometimes I think us men have the women beat in the B skills.

 

[FenderBumper]

Why not do away with SAFER Barriers, Full-face helmets, HANS devices, fuel cells, window nets, on-board fire suppression systems, NOMEX fire suits, helmets on pit road, sponsors, and REALLY go Old School?

How on Earth do you come up with that? Me thinks the little bee has been pollinating too many rocks.

 

[FlFlash]

I liked
Short track racing better when the Hillibillies were ruling in the old BGN days, the best races I have ever seen. I would take a scheduled Hickory BGN race over any cup race from any era.

I am not sure of the first car in the picture maybe Tommie Ellis or LD Ottinger, I think the 16 is Butch Lindley, that's his most used number but he didnt use it much in the BGN and he usually drove for other owners, almost postive the double 00 is Sam Ard in the Thomas Brothers country Ham car.


It was less developmental and it had a lot of great seasoned short track drivers competing.

Thats Tommy Ellis in the 4 car leading the group Butch Lindley in the 16 and Sam Ard in the 00, with the yellow curb and turn radius that could be Martinsville before the concrete corners. I Loved the Sportsmen cars back in the 80's they looked So Cool and with the short wheelbase and lighter weight they drove like nothing else Fun times!

 

[Greg]

-Racing back to the yellow. It's worth it so we don't have to hear the phrase "lucky dog" ever again.
-Manufacturer loyalty/rivalry. Seems there's not a lot of it anymore. Loved when DW and Sr would talk about the Fords. Seemed like every race.
-Teammates.- Used to be every man for him himself. Now it's like open wheel everybody is buddies or doing something for teammates . Could you imagine Dale Sr, Bobby Allison or Richard Petty pushing someone to victory. These guys would wreck there mothers to get to the line first.
-Tires that wore. Seems like they get harder and harder every race. If you can't tell from my other post I can't stand Goodyear. If they'd get a tire that wears we'd see some racing.
-We get our stock looking cars back in 2013. I can't wait. I love the evolution of the racecars. I know a lot of people don't but I do.
-Just one more! Carburetors. I loved we were going to fuel injection, but I hate seeing those laptops connected to the car. I hope NASCAR draws the line there. We don't need to look like Formula 1 or Indycar. These are drivers racecars and we should stay that way.
-
-

Manufacturer loyalty-Checked
Teammates- Checked
Tires that wear-checked
-Stock appearing cars- checked

Excellent points, and I will credit Nascar for trying to get the brand loyalty and stock appearing cars back, racing is always changing I am sure doing all of this is easier said then done.

 

[Greg]

Thats Tommy Ellis in the 4 car leading the group Butch Lindley in the 16 and Sam Ard in the 00, with the yellow curb and turn radius that could be Martinsville before the concrete corners. I Loved the Sportsmen cars back in the 80's they looked So Cool and with the short wheelbase and lighter weight they drove like nothing else Fun times!

Thanks FlFlash I loved them cars too. I loved the ways the tires stuck out past the fenders, semi open wheelers. Old Chevy IIs and Falcons, looked good that way too.

The V6s were just ok with me, but they blew up more often. They had a sound like no others, sometimes I wonder if they would have helped on some of todays faster tracks. But the engine builders would probably have figured out to get out almost as much power, with just a huge new cost to owners.

 

[FlFlash]

Those buzzing lil V-6's where only 100 HP less than the V-8's and with the short wheelbase and weight break they where a blast to drive. I always liked the identity they Latemodel Sportsmen cars had, you audibly and visually tell what was on the track. Todays NW cars are basicly clones of the Cup cars and hard for the casual fan to differentiate from the Cup cars.

 

[Greg]

I would have loved to seen an Oxford 250 in those little V6s

 

[Johali]

My first real honest to goodness big time race, after years of short trackin it, was on the sand at daytona with my dad. My first Daytona 500 was 1967 and after the race watching some guys fight because a furriner ( foreigner) won the race.. My first hero was Fireball then Lee Petty and Ned Jarrett then Richard Petty and others. For the past bunch of years I am mostly just a race fan of the serious kind. Cant stand the, I'll run over you in a race car but run and hide when it's butt whippin time, type of drivers. I went to Nascar races before they were named Nascar races. I saw all of the big names, the Pettys, the Alabama gang, Fireball and all the rest race at the small tracks like Mobile, Pensacola and a hundred other small town tracks. They would walk up to just about anybody and ask for help with setting up the car or pits. They would not for the most part fight for the sake of fighting but try to push one at the risk of a seriouis butt kicking. They were tough rugged men that lived on adrenaline and fun. I think that probably makes me feel a little oldish when I look at Nascar today.

 

[ted@economy]

If any of these new body styles give one brand an aero advantage , there won't be any whining right ? We are past that aren't we ? It is what we wanted , isn't it ?

 

[#17D500winner]

If any of these new body styles give one brand an aero advantage , there won't be any whining right ? We are past that aren't we ? It is what we wanted , isn't it ?

Sounds good.

However, the rest must be allowed to do what they can to negate that advantage and maybe even gain the upper hand.

 

[robbybee]

Is this a joke? .

Yes. Partly anyway. There were things about the good old days that were much more appealing to many. And admittedly there are things about today's NA$$CAR that are infuriating to many - including me.

I have been a race fan since I was 4 or 5. My Dad and his brother owned an auto wrecking yard directly across the street from the late ASCOT Raceway. I had lots of interaction and an early immersion into the lives of drivers and the culture of racing. I think that my opinion is more than just Bee polinating rocks as FB said. But whatever...

I am 60 years old. I drove a 1/4 midget as a kid but Mom said "No More" after another kid was nearly killed in a pile-up. So be it.

I just have grown weary of people saying that things were so much better back in the day when it was normal for at least one driver to be maimed or killed every weekend. That was my point. Y'all can't have it two ways!

 

[FenderBumper]

Y'all can't have it two ways!

Are you quoting hookers again?

I don't read Gregs post as one era is better than another, I read it as simply a tip of the hat to changes that mark the passage of time when watching a race today.

Maybe I missed something.

 

[robbybee]

This is too easy.

Petty Blue and trophy queens


Really Fast Cars. Hot Women, and Rock and Roll the essence of life (children, dogs, and Coca Cola too, but the first three have the most thread posting zing)

I LIKE THIS!

 

[robbybee]

Are you quoting hookers again?

I don't read Gregs post as one era is better than another, I read it as simply a tip of the hat to changes that mark the passage of time when watching a race today.

Maybe I missed something.

Nah, you're right, FB.
Sorry, Greg.
Sorry, everybody.
see y'all around...

 

[FenderBumper]

Nah, you're right, FB.
Sorry, Greg.
Sorry, everybody.
see y'all around...

why the hell are you apologizing and running off?

 

[Mopardh9]

If any of these new body styles give one brand an aero advantage , there won't be any whining right ? We are past that aren't we ? It is what we wanted , isn't it ?

Just the opposite, I miss that whining over the advantage one Make had over another, that was racing at its' best IMO. You could tell the difference, really tell the difference between different manufacturers. I doubt that the cars of 2013 will have that many differences make to make, the differences will be small. I certainly miss the griping about a "Chevy having a bigger advantage than a Dodge or a Ford or yes a Buick". I feel that with all the safety innovations this sport has become better in that respect, but the face of Nascar, the Car, has not. We need that brand distinction back in the sport so we can cheer and be "really loyal" to our favorite make. Give me Nascar with cars that look very much like the cars we can buy. Less spoiler, very little splitter, and give the crew chiefs more to work with as far as what gears, spring and shocks, that type of stuff they can "play around with". I think by really bringing back cars that fans can identify with coupled with all the safety innovations, the racing will be better. I'm old school for sure, I love racing, and I hope that Nascar doesn't make a half hearted attempt at brand distinction. I know this is an issue that has been debated to death, but that is what I miss the most about Nascar at its' highest level.

 

[Greg]

If any of these new body styles give one brand an aero advantage , there won't be any whining right ? We are past that aren't we ? It is what we wanted , isn't it ?

If there is not a past future (whine) tense then we will make up one and the crying game will be on at least by speedweeeks 2013, and I would say earlier if we get any speed numbers prior to compare.

If that doesnt satisfy the need, then all we need is for somebody to accuse or speculate on some point that just has enough cred to get folks carping. Once we get at least three people doing the waterworks, more will get involved then it is like the rule of 72 or compound interest.

It will happen and that's the truth, but it doesn't have to be the truth as long as we have the believers.

Some good angles to work are:

Chevy- If there strong then Nascar loves Obama to much, if there weak it is Obama's fault (lots of emphasis on the Government Motors thing, if it's good or of it's bad just as long and one sez it with some attitude)

Dodge if there strong then we can cry about Nascar boosting there appeal to lure other teams, if there weak then its Nascar kicking them in the teeth while there down.

Ford- If there strong then whine about Jack getting his way, if there weak then just use the usual Nascar hates Ford, and keep showing them scars. My people tell me that they even approached Nashville to write the perfect country and western song about getting done wrong, and Nashville told them they was just to depressing for any of their song writers.

Toyota - Either Nascar wants them to have a title, or they are making sure they will never get one.

So again please no worries and they will save the legacy of the COT (the hate them while there living and love them after there gone, rule applies here) you can't stop the complainers. I wish this was just sarcasm cause if there one thing I hate is all them complainers a ruining my life.....(fading out into infinity never stopping) to be cont.....

 

[Greg]

Nah, you're right, FB.
Sorry, Greg.
Sorry, everybody.
see y'all around...

No need Robby and please dont go anywhere, I like the way you post. It takes two to tango, yesterday it was raining and I just had to much internet time, and over the top attitude.

 

[Greg]

Yes. Partly anyway. There were things about the good old days that were much more appealing to many. And admittedly there are things about today's NA$$CAR that are infuriating to many - including me.

I have been a race fan since I was 4 or 5. My Dad and his brother owned an auto wrecking yard directly across the street from the late ASCOT Raceway. I had lots of interaction and an early immersion into the lives of drivers and the culture of racing. I think that my opinion is more than just Bee polinating rocks as FB said. But whatever...

I am 60 years old. I drove a 1/4 midget as a kid but Mom said "No More" after another kid was nearly killed in a pile-up. So be it.

I just have grown weary of people saying that things were so much better back in the day when it was normal for at least one driver to be maimed or killed every weekend. That was my point. Y'all can't have it two ways!

I would really like to here some of your ASCOT stories, I do only remember reading about the demise through the old Stock Car Racing Magazines. Didn't they run Late Models as well?

Your point about folks getting killed or maimed weekly is worthy. I am very thankful to have never been present during a racing fatality.