Restricter plate mess was predicted by stockcar racing's 1st superstar 40+ yrs ago!

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mitchum

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In an interview about the difference between a professional racer and an amature driver, Fireball Roberts put forth this scenario.

"Take a sharp turn with a good escape road or runoff on the outside and there will be little difference between the professional and the amature in the way or speed they approach the turn.

Now, place that same turn in a location that has a rock wall or a 100 cliff on the outside and the professional's speed will vary only a small amount while the amature's will drop of markedly.

The reason for that is the professional knows his limits and runs right up to them everytime and the amature doesn't and relies on nerve or foolhardyness."

The trouble with today's racecars and speeds on restrictor plate tracks is that this limit can't be seen through all the Nomex, softer walls and cocoon-like driver's compartments until it's way to late and the rear end starts to lift.
 
I don't get how any of that has anything to do with the prediction of restrictor plate racing. It sounds more like the difference between the common man and the race car driver to me.
 
Because there seems to be a bunch of steering wheel holders out there today that think they are better than they are and maybe just a little invincible.
 
mitchum said:
Because there seems to be a bunch of steering wheel holders out there today that think they are better than they are and maybe just a little invincible.
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But who's fault is that? Don't you think that the technology of motorsports has made the driver just a little more sure of himself and his car? We've all heard that what a driver fears most is fire and though they have worked and worked on trying to prevent bad fires, we don't see cars getting totally engrossed in fire much these day. Still, it can happen. However, we see often wrecks that if they had happened 40, 30 or even 20 years ago might have ended in the death or at least serious injury to the driver. Just compare what happened to Bobby Allison at Taladega with what happened to Carl Edwards. Bobby almost didn't survive while Carl got out of his car and sprinted to the finish line. These guys know they can push the limit just that much more because they know that car is that much safer. Also, Carl said that he had never in his racing career been upside down in a car so he didn't have that knowledge of what it was like. Now he does, but will that slow him down or make him pull back any? I doubt it because he is confident that he is safe. Yes, these guys know the limit, but with technology, the limit is moved out a little bit at a time so where does it stop. That ragged edge as they have called it, is something that the real pros know about and some deal with it better than others.
 
mitchum said:
Because there seems to be a bunch of steering wheel holders out there today that think they are better than they are and maybe just a little invincible.
Click to expand...

You have that on every level with and without restrictor plates. That's nothing new.
 
I agree with a little of everyting posted so far. I have no doubt that the restrictor plates make drivers "braver" because they know that the speeds are limited and no one can get away from them, so theywill more than likelypush themselvesto see just how good they are. They are much more willing to test the "experienced" drivers in a restrictor plate race, than a race in Atlanta, wich is not restricted.

By the same token, today's drivers are much less experienced that those of 20-30 years ago. An 18 year old has no business being in a Cup series race. They simply do not have the experience. Having them race in Nationwide cars and trucks does not cut it. One or two years in racing is simply not enough to teach a driver how to drive. Carl Edwards is a perfect example. He has great equipment. He wins a lot of races. But he is young and green. Twice, at Talladega, he had made mistakes that have cost him the race. If he is that green, how bad are the young drivers who do not have the equipment that Edwards has?

So I agree with both sides here. The drivers do not compare to those of yesteryear. How long would today's drivers last without air conditioning? Without power steering? That is the way it was in the 60's and 70's. It took experience to overcome those adversities. Today's drivers simply do not have that many adversities to overcome, and do not gain the experience.
 
Everything that I've ever read or been told about Talladega stated that handling is a non-issue at that track. If the handling is a non-issue and you equalize the power of these cars by limiting the horsepower, outside of experience in restrictor plate racing, how are any of these guys driving above their ability? These guys are all good drivers. You probably don't like them all but that doesn't make them a bad driver. Also, the best of them make mistakes on this track. Use Carl and Brad as an example from the last lap. Who screwed up? Was it the rookie or the veteran?
 
Maybe this means nothing but I'll waste my time typing it anyway. I was looking over the last 29 years of racing just to see how bad the field of drivers is today compared to years gone by. If you simply look at the number of different drivers that one each of those individual years, things haven't changed all that much. I didn't look at each and every season for the sake of time. I simply looked at 2008, 2000, 1995, 1990, 1985, & 1980. Correct me, and I'm sure you will, if I am wrong.

2008 (11) different winners
2000 (13)
1995 (11)
1990 (14)
1985 (9)
1980 (10)

OK, so maybe it means absolutely nothing but what I see is that the number of different winners each year really hasn't changed that much over that period of time. It doesn't look like that are that many more 'steering wheel holders' out there today than over the past 30 years. So tell me, what's changed?
 
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