falling out of love with nascar

ToyYoda said:
They had the good sense to go back to old Coke instead of sticking with new Coke and declaring it a success.
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Glad you remembered, I had forgotten, I'm not a coke drinker despite some drivers slobbering all over the bottle before they can do an interview.:)
 
StandOnIt said:
Glad you remembered, I had forgotten, I'm not a coke drinker despite some drivers slobbering all over the bottle before they can do an interview.:)
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I think they actually sold New Coke and Old Coke simultaneously for a few years, the Old Coke was sold as "Coke Classic". When everybody was buying the Classic, the New Coke faded away.
 
Skoalbandit33 said:
Where people of my generation used to take an old Valiant and "soup it up" today's generation does their thing with tuner cars. It is easy to mock them but there are some very sharp minds at work and they can get a 4 banger moving.

Even in the 80's the cars that raced in Nascar bore a very similar appearance to what could be purchased off the showroom floor. When that Coors-Melling #9 or the Goodwrench #3 were circling the track there was no question about what make it was. I think initially many fans were turned off when 4 door front wheel drive cars were used by teams but now I doubt very many if any care.
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Funny you mention the old modification vs new modification.

I'll say this, the young folks modifying four-bangers(the majority of car guys these days IMO--and yes, many are extremely talented) don't care about circle track racing, or 'american muscle'. They care about touge, drag racing, drifting, and track days. Also a lot of these people have the mentality of "V8?! No forced induction? Get the fuggoutahere"

The car culture in America has changed and that has definitely impacted NASCAR's fanbase. Throwing a Toyota emblem on these cars isn't gonna make a difference.
 
That's a long list of grievances and I agree with most of them. I miss all that because it was there when I fell in love with racing. What I think I miss the most is the CC having more control over the car. I've been upset about that ever since the COT. As Junior said back then, we spent 30 years developing this car, Nascar can't do it in a matter of months. Or something like that. Yes, I liked the twisted sister so sue me.

Anywho, I figure now it is me that has to change. I am changed. I am less passionate about it but I'm not going anywhere. It is entertaining. I look forward to every weekend and to die for during the off season.

Oh, and the danger is still there. Ask Kyle Busch, ask Jeff Gordon about his back problems, ask Dale Jr about his concussion to name a few who have been injured.
 
DUN24 said:
Funny you mention the old modification vs new modification.

I'll say this, the young folks modifying four-bangers(the majority of car guys these days IMO--and yes, many are extremely talented) don't care about circle track racing, or 'american muscle'. They care about touge, drag racing, drifting, and track days. Also a lot of these people have the mentality of "V8?! No forced induction? Get the fuggoutahere"

The car culture in America has changed and that has definitely impacted NASCAR's fanbase. Throwing a Toyota emblem on these cars isn't gonna make a difference.
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This place is going to howl worse than when the new Chase was announced once they get rid of V8s. Already seen it last year when V8 Supercars decided to open up engine options come 2017.
 
FLRacingFan said:
This place is going to howl worse than when the new Chase was announced once they get rid of V8s. Already seen it last year when V8 Supercars decided to open up engine options come 2017.
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True. I personally like keeping it 8 cylinders for NASCAR.


Buuuut it's not 1975 anymore, and it's amazing what kind of power is attainable these days with less displacement, also at about half the weight. The noise difference would suck, but the racing could still be plenty good.
 
Skoalbandit33 said:
I am not sure how many people regularly attend local Saturday night short track races but it is a wonderful addition or replacement for Nascar sanctioned events.
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Great point. Without the Saturday night bullrings, we wouldn't have a lot of the drivers in Nascar today. Nothing like seeing the next up and coming drivers.

By the way love the Harry Gant avatar.
 
DUN24 said:
True. I personally like keeping it 8 cylinders for NASCAR.
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Same, but I don't think manufacturers or NASCAR are going to want to market V8s forever.
DUN24 said:
Buuuut it's not 1975 anymore, and it's amazing what kind of power is attainable these days with less displacement, also at about half the weight. The noise difference would suck, but the racing could still be plenty good.
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Agreed.
 
There aint nothin that sounds like a true V8 at full song. I really wouldn't like to hear a buncha sewing machine's going down the front stretch.
 
FLRacingFan said:
This place is going to howl worse than when the new Chase was announced once they get rid of V8s. Already seen it last year when V8 Supercars decided to open up engine options come 2017.
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I won't miss them, as long as everyone is running the same type of engine. With my headset on or the earplugs in, I don't hear them anyway.
 
DUN24 said:
Funny you mention the old modification vs new modification.

I'll say this, the young folks modifying four-bangers(the majority of car guys these days IMO--and yes, many are extremely talented) don't care about circle track racing, or 'american muscle'. They care about touge, drag racing, drifting, and track days. Also a lot of these people have the mentality of "V8?! No forced induction? Get the fuggoutahere"

The car culture in America has changed and that has definitely impacted NASCAR's fanbase. Throwing a Toyota emblem on these cars isn't gonna make a difference.
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Your points are well taken as the car guys of today have no interest in Nascar and Nascar has no interest in them. JMO but I think the decals for exhuast pipes and headlights and such look just plain goofy.
 
FLRacingFan said:
This place is going to howl worse than when the new Chase was announced once they get rid of V8s. Already seen it last year when V8 Supercars decided to open up engine options come 2017.
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I would guess that the V8's will be gone from Nascar in the next 5-7 years and a lot more of the old guard will have died off or someone will be wiping drool from their chins by that time. As long as they don't use a V6 with the annoying exhaust note like the Busch cars used to I don't care what engine they use.

Back when I was coming up most male Nascar fans knew the basics of of how an automobile worked. It was common and enjoyable to do the brakes on your car or change a radiator or even more advanced things. I suspect many of today's fans, especially the uber driver variety, wouldn't know a rocker panel from a rocker arm. That is OK as there is no need for them to know but it illustrates another difference from the past.
 
Skoalbandit33 said:
Your points are well taken as the car guys of today have no interest in Nascar and Nascar has no interest in them. JMO but I think the decals for exhuast pipes and headlights and such look just plain goofy.
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The aesthetic gimmicks have always been ****** dumb. Such a peeve of mine.
 
DUN24 said:
True. I personally like keeping it 8 cylinders for NASCAR.


Buuuut it's not 1975 anymore, and it's amazing what kind of power is attainable these days with less displacement, also at about half the weight. The noise difference would suck, but the racing could still be plenty good.
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Ford has done well with the V6 EcoBoost engine power wise in the F Series but the fuel mileage is nothing like they hoped for. Friends and others I have spoken to love the engine though. As new CAFE standards come into play I think only a very limited amount of V8's will be available to the average consumer in the years ahead.
 
dirtmod15 said:
Great point. Without the Saturday night bullrings, we wouldn't have a lot of the drivers in Nascar today. Nothing like seeing the next up and coming drivers.

By the way love the Harry Gant avatar.
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Thanks as I was a die hard fan of Harry's. You make a good point about seeing tomorrow's drivers as I have seen Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, John Andretti, Ryan Newman, David Stremme and Tony Raines run at short tracks or other series in Indiana before they became famous. I used to watch David Stremme's parents, Lou and Cindy, race when David was a very young pup. Cindy Stremme always drove a pink car and she was good.
 
Skoalbandit33 said:
I would guess that the V8's will be gone from Nascar in the next 5-7 years and a lot more of the old guard will have died off or someone will be wiping drool from their chins by that time. As long as they don't use a V6 with the annoying exhaust note like the Busch cars used to I don't care what engine they use.

Back when I was coming up most male Nascar fans knew the basics of of how an automobile worked. It was common and enjoyable to do the brakes on your car or change a radiator or even more advanced things. I suspect many of today's fans, especially the uber driver variety, wouldn't know a rocker panel from a rocker arm. That is OK as there is no need for them to know but it illustrates another difference from the past.
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Part of this is because you need an advanced computer science degree to figure out what's going on under there. Another factor is there isn't any room under the hood anymore to work without banging your knuckles beyond the norm. An old Valient was my first car. A skinny kid like me could practically stand between the block and the fender. On my wife's Hyundai recently, I had to remove the battery before I could replace one of the headlight bulbs. Don't get me started on trying to get to an oil filter.

I'd never heard of 'touge' before DUN24 mentioned it earlier. I had to Google it but I'm still not quit sure I understand it or how it differs from time trials or old-fashioned street racing. I don't 'get' drifting; it just seems like a waste of rubber to me. Maybe if someone knowledgeable would explain it to me. I assume it's competitive, but how do you 'win'? First guy to wear through his tread?
 
Charlie Spencer said:
I think that's what's killing baseball.
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I used to love going to a double header in the afternoon for a couple of bucks and take in the games but that was a lifetime ago. I heard MLB is going to speed up the game this year which can't hurt, IMO.
 
Charlie Spencer said:
Part of this is because you need an advanced computer science degree to figure out what's going on under there. Another factor is there isn't any room under the hood anymore to work without banging your knuckles beyond the norm. An old Valient was my first car. A skinny kid like me could practically stand between the block and the fender. On my wife's Hyundai recently, I had to remove the battery before I could replace one of the headlight bulbs. Don't get me started on trying to get to an oil filter.

I'd never heard of 'touge' before DUN24 mentioned it earlier. I had to Google it but I'm still not quit sure I understand it or how it differs from time trials or old-fashioned street racing. I don't 'get' drifting; it just seems like a waste of rubber to me. Maybe if someone knowledgeable would explain it to me. I assume it's competitive, but how do you 'win'? First guy to wear through his tread?
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A technician friend of mine just had to drop close to 10K on a scanner for today's vehicles so even if a person has the knowledge the cost of the needed tools alone could break you. I feel your pain about your battery switch and with some cars you have to pull the front fascia off to change a headlight bulb. Ugh!
 
I had a friend who had a small garage with his dad back when the tech was picking up speed.Between the constant schooling and the cost,they ended up shutting down.Sad state of affairs.
 
Free1220 said:
I had a friend who had a small garage with his dad back when the tech was picking up speed.Between the constant schooling and the cost,they ended up shutting down.Sad state of affairs.
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Welcome to the forum Free1220 . Great picture of Mark.
 
When Gordon announced his retirement earlier this year I didn't know what to think. I mean that rainbow car was a life calling for me when I saw it on tv for the first time, I've been NASCAR ever since. Week in week out. Got an apprenticeship early just so I could have an income to pay for PayTV. Recorded every race Monday morning live, watched when I got home from work. My whole morale for those years were solely based on Jeff Gordon's performance. If he won a race, to hell with the working week, I was on top of the world. Lose a race and I'd be a mess for a week.

At the retirement announcement I thought I don't have any other drivers I really follow. I had my up and comers with Chase and Larson but I always loved that #24.

Now I'm excited to see Chase run the #24. I just hope it's a long term thing like Jeff had, I don't want to see a bunch of random guys run that car.

That's where I stand now anyway, I think. I haven't fallen out of love with the sports, even the boring races have their entertainment value and like others have said, beats whatever else is airing on the idiot box.
 
DUN24 said:
True. I personally like keeping it 8 cylinders for NASCAR.


Buuuut it's not 1975 anymore, and it's amazing what kind of power is attainable these days with less displacement, also at about half the weight. The noise difference would suck, but the racing could still be plenty good.
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The last straw would be if they put fart cans on em.
 
be9ak7ts16 said:
The last straw would be if they put fart cans on em.
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They could always put speakers were the exhaust stickers are, they could even make it come out of a real pipe, complete with small torches to imitate a raw unspent fuel flame. Vibrating bleachers would even make it feel like the earth was shaking.

Brian would love it.
 
I wish different header and pipe configurations were allowed. Remember the Morgan McClure Sterling Marlin Daytona sound of the early 90s.
Some late model guys used to run crossover headers in the late 70s, I still remember the sound it was sweet.
 
Skoalbandit33 said:
I would guess that the V8's will be gone from Nascar in the next 5-7 years and a lot more of the old guard will have died off or someone will be wiping drool from their chins by that time. As long as they don't use a V6 with the annoying exhaust note like the Busch cars used to I don't care what engine they use.

Back when I was coming up most male Nascar fans knew the basics of of how an automobile worked. It was common and enjoyable to do the brakes on your car or change a radiator or even more advanced things. I suspect many of today's fans, especially the uber driver variety, wouldn't know a rocker panel from a rocker arm. That is OK as there is no need for them to know but it illustrates another difference from the past.
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I'm sure it won't be long. Ford is really pumping up their EcoBoost V6 Turbo in their DP and (next year) GTE programs, GM took their V8-powered Cadillac CTS-V.R out of World Challenge this year for a new twin-turbo V6 ATS-V.R, and the V8 doesn't really fit Toyota either. I'm sure people will miss the V8s but I doubt whatever platform they come up with will sound like the old Busch Series bumblebees.
 
Reck said:
This is what I hear my friends say all the time about football. :D
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I miss football so much.....boo hoo for me. My team has been making wild roster moves in the last week and I have the draft next month.....and then I have to wait until September......Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
 
Greg said:
I wish different header and pipe configurations were allowed. Remember the Morgan McClure Sterling Marlin Daytona sound of the early 90s.
Some late model guys used to run crossover headers in the late 70s, I still remember the sound it was sweet.
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Oh yeah...Sterling Marlin, the Kodak 4 and those Runt Pittman engines with the funky exhaust note. At the RP track Sterling could pull out by himself and drive away. Those are the kind of things I miss about Nascar.
 
jasn88cubs said:
I've been a fan for 27 years. This is the first year I just don't care

I watched daytona but skipped last two races

these are some things I miss about the sport I loved

1)Season long sponsors. I miss the fact that companies would sponsor a guy for a whole year. Nowyou got 4-5 companies sponsoring. yes i understand because its expensive, but i just miss the fact that when you thought of your driver you instantly thought of the sponsor to

examples--gordon- dupont/ bobby labonte-interstate, rusty wallace-mille,r earnhardt-goodwrench, mark martin-valvoline, harry gant-skoal, kenny schrader-kodak, ernie irvan-kodiak, davey allison-havoline

2)i miss alcohol and tobacco being a huge part of nascar. i know the government and their tobacco regulations but it went so well with the sport

like most races had alcohol as a sponsor or something car related that made sense for nascar

heres some races from 1993

gm goodwrench 500, pontiac excitement 400,motorcraft quality parts 500,winston 500,budweiser 500,champion spark plug 500,miller 400, slick 50 300, die hard 300,bud at the glen,goodys 500,ac delco 500, hooters 400

i mean those names just scream nascar and racing and a good time compared to names like this

the profit on cnbc 500,duck commander 500,camping world rv sales 400, go bowling.com 400,oral-b usa 500, bank of america 500

3) i miss the season long points. yea this new playoff is sort of exciting but points no matter anymore. it use to be a huge deal to finish in the top 10 but does anyone care now?

4) i miss bob jenkins, benny parsons, ned jarrett

no one could compare to them. they talked ot the fans like they were actual fans and knew the sport. they weren;t talking down to us like larry mac explaining what loose or tight is for the 500th time. they werent coming up with stupid catchphrases like dw. they didnt have these stupid graphics or pre race shows

5) i miss nascar not caring if they were accepted by mainstream america or if it was considered cool. oh so you think nascar is full of hicks who get drunk every night? thats fine

6) i miss the drivers that looked like a mans man, guys that looked like they would get under the car and help the crew. guys who didnt always wear sunglasses and a hat. guys who would wreck the car and hop out and get right to work. guys that looked like after the race theyd go to the local bar drink some beer and shoot the bull

7) i miss the danger of the sport. i dont want anyone to die, but the great thing about nascar was the danger. the fact that these guys were hitting the wall at 180 plus. guys racing in the summertime in the south getting out of the car looking like they just went through the toughest battle ever. now we get competition cautions, all this fancy in car cooling stuff and all that

8) i miss the nicknames. "the intimidator" "handsome harry" "the ice man" the wonder boy" "swervin irvan (yes thats mean)" "mr. excitement" "the silver fox" "the king"...sure theres still some "smoke" "the outlaw" "wild thing" "rowdy" "the closer"

but then you get ones like "cousin carl" which is blah

i m sure i have more if i could think of it but tahts just some
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try 2 viagra.....instead of just 1 ! :D
 
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