Lou LaRosa doesn't like NASCAR anymore

buckaroo

buckaroo

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Great article over at scenedaily.com about the opinion of former engine builder, Lou LaRosa. Lou doesn't hold back on his opinions of today's NASCAR and what it is. He doesn't like the racing, doesn't like the racers, and says that it's not racing at all. To anyone who is a newby to the sport, meaning if you didn't know what was going on before 1990, see what one of the real good old boys (a Brooklyn native) thinks of NASCAR today.

Though I don't totally agree with him on everything, I do believe he has hit the nail square on the head. Man how I miss those days.

Here's the article... http://www.scenedaily.com/news/arti...dress_Racing_says_sport_no_longer_exists.html
 
buckaroo said:
Great article over at scenedaily.com about the opinion of former engine builder, Lou LaRosa. Lou doesn't hold back on his opinions of today's NASCAR and what it is. He doesn't like the racing, doesn't like the racers, and says that it's not racing at all. To anyone who is a newby to the sport, meaning if you didn't know what was going on before 1990, see what one of the real good old boys (a Brooklyn native) thinks of NASCAR today.

Though I don't totally agree with him on everything, I do believe he has hit the nail square on the head. Man how I miss those days.
Here's the article... http://www.scenedaily.com/news/arti...dress_Racing_says_sport_no_longer_exists.html
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Thanks, and I also miss the good ole days
 
wow......... thats about all I can say..... wow....... Wonder what NASCAR thinks when someone of his stature and creditentials say that?? Then again, they haven't paid much attention to the ones who pay the bills (fans) as we been sayin the same things for years now.
 
They’re not racers. They’re just show-boaters, they’re show-business celebrities.”
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Isn't this the truth.... After all, NASCAR is now in the entertainment business, not the business of racing.

And, speedway, as long as the dollars come in, why should NASCAR care what we think.
 
Anyone that expects time to stand still for nostalgia's sake is going to be severely disappointed.
 
I agree with every word that he said. The COT is a joke. I remember a few years ago when we had exciting racing at tracks like Bristol and Atlanta. Now we get someone out in front that drives away from everyone else, and laps half the field. Remember the 2001 Harvick finish at Atlanta? Or Earnhardt and Labonte going at each other at Bristol?

As for the drivers today, it seems like NA$CAR picks a driver that's going to win as many races as they can get away with. We're what, 5 races in, and have had two drivers win twice already, and the third is related to one of them. What do you expect when you have teams that have 20 cars, and 900 people to work on them? Then NA$CAR comes along and says they're going to investigate start and park teams? What choice does a one car team have anymore? They can't get engineering support because they're not going to win half the races in the season, and they don't have a teammate to practice with, so they almost HAVE to start and park, just to be able to compete.

I also agree totally about these new drivers. Give just about anyone enough money, and enough team support and you can get a good driver. Yes, you have to have talent too, but how many of these drivers are getting by on their family name anymore. I'm sorry, I like Jr, but what the heck has he done lately? He's a decent driver, but so many people like him because of his father.

Don't even get me started on some of the commentary....

I used to watch races religiously, now I watch them occasionally, and if my driver isn't running, or gets knocked out early, I don't even finish watching the race.
 
I was chatting with my friend from Australia about racing and I mentioned to him that any more, there are fans that will stop watching a race when their favorite drops out. What a shame.

As a fan of racing, I will watch any racing that involves motor racing, as long as the competition is good. I don't even mind a driver being totally dominant as long as I can watch him either come to the front from the back, or as we saw today, trying to lap the field. What I don't care for is long line racing. Not much excitment there and that is why I love those restrictor plate races. If watching a bunch of cars, three and four abreast at close to 200 mph doesn't get you on the edge of your seat, nothing will.

But NASCAR, as it is today, isn't anything like it was even just ten short years ago. But even though I don't like the direction the series is heading doesn't mean that I don't watch it. The same can go for the Nationwide series. I wish that the big teams with the top Cup drivers didn't participate in that series, but they do and I still will watch those races when I can.

Ultimately, I want to see racing. I don't care if the car is a COT or a piece of crap. I don't care if there is a dominant driver, whether he's popular or the most hated. I don't care if it's a short track or a 2 1/2 mile oval. As long as the competition is good, I'm going to watch it.
 
Well stated and two thumbs up. :)

Some of the best racing I have ever watched was at my local tracks. Man I love those super modifieds....

buckaroo said:
I was chatting with my friend from Australia about racing and I mentioned to him that any more, there are fans that will stop watching a race when their favorite drops out. What a shame.

As a fan of racing, I will watch any racing that involves motor racing, as long as the competition is good. I don't even mind a driver being totally dominant as long as I can watch him either come to the front from the back, or as we saw today, trying to lap the field. What I don't care for is long line racing. Not much excitment there and that is why I love those restrictor plate races. If watching a bunch of cars, three and four abreast at close to 200 mph doesn't get you on the edge of your seat, nothing will.

But NASCAR, as it is today, isn't anything like it was even just ten short years ago. But even though I don't like the direction the series is heading doesn't mean that I don't watch it. The same can go for the Nationwide series. I wish that the big teams with the top Cup drivers didn't participate in that series, but they do and I still will watch those races when I can.

Ultimately, I want to see racing. I don't care if the car is a COT or a piece of crap. I don't care if there is a dominant driver, whether he's popular or the most hated. I don't care if it's a short track or a 2 1/2 mile oval. As long as the competition is good, I'm going to watch it.
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Smoke14 said:
Well stated and two thumbs up. :)

Some of the best racing I have ever watched was at my local tracks. Man I love those super modifieds....
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Have yet to see the super mods race. They've been racing at Concord Speedway in November and a couple of years ago they made an appearance at a parade in Martinsville for the annual modified race there. I'll bet they are fast.
 
Zaphod58 said:
I agree with every word that he said. The COT is a joke. I remember a few years ago when we had exciting racing at tracks like Bristol and Atlanta. Now we get someone out in front that drives away from everyone else, and laps half the field. Remember the 2001 Harvick finish at Atlanta? Or Earnhardt and Labonte going at each other at Bristol?

As for the drivers today, it seems like NA$CAR picks a driver that's going to win as many races as they can get away with. We're what, 5 races in, and have had two drivers win twice already, and the third is related to one of them. What do you expect when you have teams that have 20 cars, and 900 people to work on them? Then NA$CAR comes along and says they're going to investigate start and park teams? What choice does a one car team have anymore? They can't get engineering support because they're not going to win half the races in the season, and they don't have a teammate to practice with, so they almost HAVE to start and park, just to be able to compete.

I also agree totally about these new drivers. Give just about anyone enough money, and enough team support and you can get a good driver. Yes, you have to have talent too, but how many of these drivers are getting by on their family name anymore. I'm sorry, I like Jr, but what the heck has he done lately? He's a decent driver, but so many people like him because of his father.

Don't even get me started on some of the commentary....

I used to watch races religiously, now I watch them occasionally, and if my driver isn't running, or gets knocked out early, I don't even finish watching the race.
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I have to disagree.There have been all of the things that you mention before in NASCAR history, with dominant performances , whiz kids, and, yes, thrillingly close finishes. Would NASCAR survive a repeat of Richard Petty's 1967 27 win, ten in a row performance today? Probably. Would people get over something like Ned Jarrett winning a race by 10 laps over second place? I know I would. As far as the COT goes, I'd like to see distinctive individual nameplates return, but I feel that teams made their own bed with their constant complaining about alleged advantages that one make had over another. NASCAR finally had to throw up their hands and gave everyone the same thing in the name of "parity".
 
PettyBlue said:
I have to disagree.There have been all of the things that you mention before in NASCAR history, with dominant performances , whiz kids, and, yes, thrillingly close finishes. Would NASCAR survive a repeat of Richard Petty's 1967 27 win, ten in a row performance today? Probably. Would people get over something like Ned Jarrett winning a race by 10 laps over second place? I know I would. As far as the COT goes, I'd like to see distinctive individual nameplates return, but I feel that teams made their own bed with their constant complaining about alleged advantages that one make had over another. NASCAR finally had to throw up their hands and gave everyone the same thing in the name of "parity".
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Yeah, there have been before, but with the COT it's happening a lot more than I remember it happening in the past. Just about EVERY COT race has been nose to tail, or total runaway.
 
buckaroo said:
Have yet to see the super mods race. They've been racing at Concord Speedway in November and a couple of years ago they made an appearance at a parade in Martinsville for the annual modified race there. I'll bet they are fast.
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Fast and very manuverable,with the big wide slicks and the wings they can go into a corner and come out of a corner like they where a slot car. I haven't seen them since 04 when i was out in Colorado Springs, but they do race around here, occassionally they will make an appearance at Thompson, but they haven't been there in quite some time. They are cool that is for sure, if you ever get the chance to watch them I suggest you check them out.
 
Unbelievably fast! They hit three tracks within 150 mile of me and I seldom miss a race.

Mopardh9 said:
Fast and very manuverable,with the big wide slicks and the wings they can go into a corner and come out of a corner like they where a slot car. I haven't seen them since 04 when i was out in Colorado Springs, but they do race around here, occassionally they will make an appearance at Thompson, but they haven't been there in quite some time. They are cool that is for sure, if you ever get the chance to watch them I suggest you check them out.
Click to expand...
 
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