Rate The Race: Pocono 1

2. If I could rate the race on just the winner it would have been a 10+ but the actual race was a dog, IMO.

I agree. It's like going to dinner, having the worst appetizer and entree, but finished with a good desert and saying it was a fantastic meal.
 
8 not bad for Pocono, Blaney will never forget that first win, it wasn't handed to him no doubt that win will define his career, he's hooked.
 
I agree. It's like going to dinner, having the worst appetizer and entree, but finished with a good desert and saying it was a fantastic meal.

Very well said and I don't begrudge anyone for giving the race high marks but what FS1 showed today is not going to attract new fans, IMO.
 
Tough day for the seat counters, maybe they can bottom feed with the ratings. Saw 4 races this weekend all of them were really good. Photo finish with the trucks, Oklahoma boy Bell pulled of another win. Last lap pass by Kez over Larson in Xfinity broke a long losing streak for the 22 car..freaking wild Indycar race at Texas, like 7 still running at the finish and I think some of them were wounded :) and this a win for the Woods brothers by young Blaney..great weekend for race fans.
 
5

Race winner/finish was great. The rest was meh. Not a huge fan of the racing at pocono.
 
I was reading the race thread and didn't expect such high ratings. Appears that the winner has a big impact when it comes to rating the race.
Apparently so. While the ending had some drama and the thrill of a first time winner, the race overall was a real turd. I give it a 3. Was going to give it a 2 until the ending.
 
10 great to see the 21 team back in victory lane and Blaney drove the wheels off of it keeping it ahead of Harvick.
 
Apparently so. While the ending had some drama and the thrill of a first time winner, the race overall was a real turd. I give it a 3. Was going to give it a 2 until the ending.
Just curious, let's say your watching an NFL game and the Patriots are down to the Falcons by... oh, I don't know, let's say 25 midway through the 3rd quarter. Man most of the game the Falcons really stunk up the show...but wait, the Patriots come back and win in OT...For me one of the greatest Super Bowls I ever watched. Does every lap need to be exciting or is is the overall finish that makes it great?
 
Just curious, let's say your watching an NFL game and the Patriots are down to the Falcons by... oh, I don't know, let's say 25 midway through the 3rd quarter. Man most of the game the Falcons really stunk up the show...but wait, the Patriots come back and win in OT...For me one of the greatest Super Bowls I ever watched. Does every lap need to be exciting or is is the overall finish that makes it great?

The reason this example is flawed is because the Falcons scored 28 points in 2+ quarters on the best team in the league. The better example would be if the game was 0-0 at the end of regulation and both teams had punted 10 times. Then the Patriots scored the winning TD in overtime. Exciting finish, horrible game. Last year's Super Bowl was the greatest ever because it had action from start to finish.

Today had nothing until the end. Busch had a 5+ second lead most of the race. There's was almost nothing, literally, happening for 350 miles.
 
Pocono is track that you either like, you appreciate but are neutral or hate it. I thought today was the perfect and rather typical Pocono race. There was the long green flag run to shake things out, strategy, key restarts and an interesting finish. One thing Pocono does more than nearly every non-restrictor plate tracks is have interesting ending. There's usually higher mechanical attrition too. Today it seemed to be brakes. There's also the element of danger/toughness about the track. Turn 1 is easily the most unforgiving turn in Nascar imo. I can't imagine hitting it in the days before softwalls. At least the old boiler plate walls of the 70's and 80's gave way (crazy when you think about it).

I was there and will say it wasn't as good as Kansas and Dover but better than the 600 imo. Overall solid race with a great finish. Honestly, the last 4 races has been all very good imo.

7.5
 
Just got home. Great day at the track. Blaney gave 18 his nudge right in front of us. Place went monkey nuts. Duel to the end was exciting and a nail-biter. Race had everything I wanted and nice weather and easy trip....a TEN.
 
Just got home. Great day at the track. Blaney gave 18 his nudge right in front of us. Place went monkey nuts. Duel to the end was exciting and a nail-biter. Race had everything I wanted and nice weather and easy trip....a TEN.
If there is one thing I have learned from actually attending a race in-person, it's that the broadcast can leave a lot to be desired. I'll be at the July Pocono race. Hopefully I will find it just as exciting as you found today's to be!
 
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If there is one thing I have learned from actually attending a race in-person, it's that the broadcast can leave a lot to be desired. I'll be at the July Pocono race. Hopefully I will find it just as exciting as you found today's to be!

Two things though, as I don't listen to the broadcast when I'm there, nor carry a phone. Didn't know what happened to Jr. till we were driving home and could have done without the half-hour red but that's the way it goes. Nothing much you can do. They all parked right in front of us during the red and had track guys bring them water out. Didn't know they did that. Then they chucked the empties out the window and they came back around and picked up the bottles.
 
Blaney just became a bona fide superstar. He's no fluke and he's showing it this year. Pretty boring race except for the finish and victory lane. Good Victory Lane reporting by BK. I give it a 7.
 
I was reading the race thread and didn't expect such high ratings. Appears that the winner has a big impact when it comes to rating the race.
The winner should not influence the rating of the race. Of course I'm excited if Kyle Busch wins but I will rate the race poorly if it was a snoozer. Now if the winner had such a dominant car (like Harvick at Dover in the fall two years ago, I still give the race a good rating due to the fact that I appreciate when a driver and his team put on a world class effort and are banging on all cylinders.
I didn't get to watch any of the race so I will abstain from rating the race.
 
My rating: 8.5. That includes extra credit for a really great final stint and 1st time winner. The 18 dominated much of the race but didn't win... proof the outcome was always in doubt. Bad strategy choice IMO. Hard to pass the leader, and clean air was a benefit. However, clean air wasn't everything. Had Keselowski gotten a better start in the final restart, clean air would not have protected him from Blaney and Harvick. The 2 wasn't fast enough to hold off the 21 and 4, I believe.

I liked the different strategies, and Mike Joy/Larry Mac did a good job of keeping me informed about who was doing what. I wish more cars had speed like the 18. Back in the 70's, 80's and 90's we often had a dominant car. I'm thankful that happens less often now than it did back then.

It is not uncommon for races to get good ratings even if they ain't very good.
The winner should not influence the rating of the race.
LOL. There has never been a consensus on here about what makes a good race, not even close to agreement on that. There is no right or wrong, just personal opinions, and they vary widely. Who is to say how someone else *should* rate a race?
 
I like Pocano, it is a unique track. I was wondering what was going on with the brakes. And I felt bad for Jr having to fess up on his shifting mistake. I suspect Johnson will be reflecting on his crash, I'm glad he is alright. I'm always happy to see a young driver get his first win. I think this year the young drivers will be challenging the old guard.
 
Good finish, but the rest was....
homer.gif
 
The reason this example is flawed is because the Falcons scored 28 points in 2+ quarters on the best team in the league. The better example would be if the game was 0-0 at the end of regulation and both teams had punted 10 times. Then the Patriots scored the winning TD in overtime. Exciting finish, horrible game. Last year's Super Bowl was the greatest ever because it had action from start to finish.

Today had nothing until the end. Busch had a 5+ second lead most of the race. There's was almost nothing, literally, happening for 350 miles.
^^This^^
 
LOL. There has never been a consensus on here about what makes a good race, not even close to agreement on that. There is no right or wrong, just personal opinions, and they vary widely. Who is to say how someone else *should* rate a race?
This ^^^ That's why it's called "Rate The Race". We each have a personal opinion.

In my opinion the few that come on here just to slam the race week in and week out should be ignored. Not put on ignore just ignored. That's what I do.
 
This ^^^ That's why it's called "Rate The Race". We each have a personal opinion.

In my opinion the few that come on here just to slam the race week in and week out should be ignored. Not put on ignore just ignored. That's what I do.

To your point, I noticed a lot of people here were ragging on the 24's paint scheme. Sitting there looking at it live, a lot of us in the stands thought it looked cool as can be, especially the metallic rims. Different strokes. Watching it on DVR now, the visual effect didn't really come across on tv.
 
What is funny as heck is that many of the some ones complaining about the race being boring will sit there and watch endless the quarters or periods of stick n ball whatever with no scoring. Whole stadiums of them singing, chanting, jumping up and down...cheerleaders doing flip flops and then come on here while the race is going and tell us talking about the race how great the "game" is and how boring the race is. man.. stick n ballers and they talk about racing fans.
 
What is funny as heck is that many of the some ones complaining about the race being boring will sit there and watch endless the quarters or periods of stick n ball whatever with no scoring. Whole stadiums of them singing, chanting, jumping up and down...cheerleaders doing flip flops and then come on here while the race is going and tell us talking about the race how great the "game" is and how boring the race is. man.. stick n ballers and they talk about racing fans.

Gobsmacked I am! Good play in stick and ball is not contingent upon scoring at all as you can have a pitcher or goalie putting on a clinic or marvelous plays by the defense in football. It is the same thing in racing as you can have a leader win by 10 seconds and it can still be a good race.
 
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