Road America Race Thread

FLRacingFan said:
Good to finally see a car with donuts all along the side in Victory Lane again.
Click to expand...
Yeah...it's funny because cars at Road America today were much more banged up then cars at Bristol earlier this season.

I mean Klingman's hood was pushed up, Larson had some tape on the front, Kelley had his bumper hanging down and the front pushed in...

Did I mention all of those driver finished in the top 10? ;)
 
Captain Coyfish said:
He aint a bad driver. If they had road ringer championships, he may win a couple titles...
Click to expand...

He was really good the years he raced for Rahal in CART (IndyCar). But, he was Mad Max afterall, and had a tendency to wreck cars and even wrecked his teammate (Kenny Brack) like three times in a season if I recall and Rahal fired him. I always thought Papis had a chance to win an open-wheel title if he stayed in a top-tier ride, which he never was again after that. I also had the chance to speak with him very briefly at two autograph sessions during CART races at Milwaukee, and he was cool and nice, which isn't always the case with these driver autograph sessions.
 
FLRacingFan said:
NASCAR has little excuse to continue avoiding Road America and road courses in general in the Cup Series.
Click to expand...

I have a theory, which, when I explain it to people, they think I'm crazy. Well, I probably have many theories that fall under that category, but this one is related to Winston Cup and Road America.

Road America is a long road course, over 4 miles around.

Every road course that Cup has raced on, including Riverside, Watkins Glen and Sears Point, has been shorter than Talladega (2.66 miles, obviously).

Talladega was Bill France's baby, and I think the powers that be don't want Cup racing at a track that's longer than Talladega, even if it's a road course. I think there's a pride thing for NASCAR when TV says "Talladega is the longest track on the circuit."
 
KevinWI said:
I have a theory, which, when I explain it to people, they think I'm crazy. Well, I probably have many theories that fall under that category, but this one is related to Winston Cup and Road America.

Road America is a long road course, over 4 miles around.

Every road course that Cup has raced on, including Riverside, Watkins Glen and Sears Point, has been shorter than Talladega (2.66 miles, obviously).

Talladega was Bill France's baby, and I think the powers that be don't want Cup racing at a track that's longer than Talladega, even if it's a road course. I think there's a pride thing for NASCAR when TV says "Talladega is the longest track on the circuit."
Click to expand...
That could be it.

They could always say, though, that Talledega is the longest oval track on the circuit.
 
Captain Coyfish said:
Yeah...it's funny because cars at Road America today were much more banged up then cars at Bristol earlier this season.

I mean Klingman's hood was pushed up, Larson had some tape on the front, Kelley had his bumper hanging down and the front pushed in...

Did I mention all of those driver finished in the top 10? ;)
Click to expand...

It looked like more of an old short track race than most actual short track races now. Funny.
 
KevinWI said:
I have a theory, which, when I explain it to people, they think I'm crazy. Well, I probably have many theories that fall under that category, but this one is related to Winston Cup and Road America.

Road America is a long road course, over 4 miles around.

Every road course that Cup has raced on, including Riverside, Watkins Glen and Sears Point, has been shorter than Talladega (2.66 miles, obviously).

Talladega was Bill France's baby, and I think the powers that be don't want Cup racing at a track that's longer than Talladega, even if it's a road course. I think there's a pride thing for NASCAR when TV says "Talladega is the longest track on the circuit."
Click to expand...

That actually makes sense. Big Bill wanted to build the biggest and fastest track around, and with the restrictor plates it can only claim to be one now.
 
FLRacingFan said:
NASCAR has little excuse to continue avoiding Road America and road courses in general in the Cup Series.
Click to expand...
The quality of the racing isnt paramount, the $ shareholders or tracks owned only by France, or Bruton Smith matter.
An exception could be made for a circut on the streets of NYC were the exposure would be undeniable, but promoting race dates simply on track quality will not work.

Sad but true. Nascar also has a ton of Lackies to rebuke this silly notion that events should be awarded to the tracks that would produce the best races.

God bless the shareholders, and France.
 
StewartHaas-Gibbs Racing said:
I never liked or hated AJ but after that interview he did with Marty Smith right after the drug incident last year he came across as a lying idiot so I can't find any reason to ever root for the guy.
Click to expand...



This. I don't really dislike the guy, I just don't think fans need to put him up on a pedestal just yet. Saying things like he deserves the win. Don't get me wrong, he earned that win today, but he didn't deserve it. As of right now I don't even think he deserves the 22 ride. The boy almost threw away his career for something so stupid. Who knows if he will ever get back to where he was. I am not saying he shouldn't be given the chance to get his career back, but I think there are other drivers who work their asses off who deserve the chance more right now than him.
 
Jeffrey00 said:
This. I don't really dislike the guy, I just don't think fans need to put him up on a pedestal just yet. Saying things like he deserves the win. Don't get me wrong, he earned that win today, but he didn't deserve it. As of right now I don't even think he deserves the 22 ride. The boy almost threw away his career for something so stupid. Who knows if he will ever get back to where he was. I am not saying he shouldn't be given the chance to get his career back, but I think there are other drivers who work their asses off who deserve the chance more right now than him.
Click to expand...

He did the crime and he served his time. Unlike Jeremy Mayfield or these baseball players that bitch and moan when caught and fight it endlessly, AJ admitted what he did and took his suspension like a man. I wish him all the luck in the world in rebuilding his career. With this win, plus him running up front at Indy for much of the race, I fully expect him to be driving full time somewhere next year. Whether the cars have fenders or not.
 
I really enjoyed the race at Road America yesterday. The only thing I didn't like about it, and maybe it was just me, but due to the length of the track the caution periods seemed incredibly long. Other than that though, I loved it. And that Max Papis over the helmet slap and subsequent interview afterwards had to be one of the most bizarre things I've ever seen.
 
Greg said:
An exception could be made for a circut on the streets of NYC were the exposure would be undeniable, but promoting race dates simply on track quality will not work.
Click to expand...

As someone who lives in NYC I would be in heaven if this ever happened. Sadly I think it will never ever happen. Formula one tried and had to settle for a race in Jersey with NYC in the background and that race is still up in the air as well.
 
Jeffrey00 said:
This. I don't really dislike the guy, I just don't think fans need to put him up on a pedestal just yet. Saying things like he deserves the win. Don't get me wrong, he earned that win today, but he didn't deserve it. As of right now I don't even think he deserves the 22 ride. The boy almost threw away his career for something so stupid. Who knows if he will ever get back to where he was. I am not saying he shouldn't be given the chance to get his career back, but I think there are other drivers who work their asses off who deserve the chance more right now than him.
Click to expand...


penske thought he deserved another chance. an he knows 1st hand what "really" happened w/ dinger last year. that's good enuff by me.
he deserved win....an earned it.....by givin billy a little a' his own bump-n-go medicine ta retake lead !
an keep it !
 
Congratulations AJ Allmendinger, well done and welcome back.
 
I just got done watching it. NASCAR needs to take some lessons about local yellows, especially on a 4 mile road course as the length and number of cautions was killing the show. Race was good though, I liked seeing AJ win. He messed up but he did work hard to come back and he's taking advantage of every opportunity he gets.
 
Thegroundpounder99 said:
I just got done watching it. NASCAR needs to take some lessons about local yellows, especially on a 4 mile road course as the length and number of cautions was killing the show. Race was good though, I liked seeing AJ win. He messed up but he did work hard to come back and he's taking advantage of every opportunity he gets.
Click to expand...


I agree.. I think the only reason they don't do local yellows is because they know the restarts are really entertaining cause lets be fair, the field got pretty spread out on a long green flag run.

Still, some of those full length cautions were ridiclous for a little debris or a car stalled.
 
You guys should have watched the LeMans race, they had hours of cautions. really unsafe and pretty stupid to have track workers and towing equipment on the track with a local yellow considering blind corners, other cars blocking drivers view and drivers like Pastrimi who managed to rear end another car and took himself out of a top ten during a caution, a back marker managed to take out a banner and would have taken out the flag stand if it wasn't behind a wall on a restart. Get them all slowed down and bunched up before any safety worker or equipment goes out on the track. this ain't dodge ball.
 
Man! I love Road America! What a track! What a race! Would love to see the Sprint Cup Series go there! Congrats to Almendinger for a well deserved win.
 
They can enforce caution speed limits on road courses with gps, and local yellows wouldn't be needed, that would be pure without b/s cautions changing outcomes.

But Nascar loves cautions like a junkie loves his dope, and they will keep the bs flags a waving to hype close finishes.
 
Obviously what Papis should have done was deck Johnson right in the visor...you know, the manly way to show frustration :D
 
Pave over at least some of the kitty litter like they did at The Glen so cars don't get stuck anymore, and create more run-off areas and exits for cars that run out of fuel or have mechanical failures.
 
FLRacingFan said:
Pave over at least some of the kitty litter like they did at The Glen so cars don't get stuck anymore, and create more run-off areas and exits for cars that run out of fuel or have mechanical failures.
Click to expand...
They are not going to get off the track with body damage or out of fuel, with the lucky dog and wave arounds, they will wait on the wrecker to take them to the pits. Even if they blow up and get off the track there are fluids that they will stop the race for. More pavement would help when they push each other off the track. Nascar is pretty unique, they hardly ever penalize a rough driver in a road race like all of the other series that do for rough driving or even touching another car. So it isn't that much of an issue until Nascar races there. I can't stand kitty litter either, good for golf courses, I don't know who or where the idea came from, might be a solution for temporary street courses, but permanent race courses, they need to go away.
 
StandOnIt said:
and drivers like Pastrimi who managed to rear end another car and took himself out of a top ten during a caution,
Click to expand...
Pastrami's spotter didn't tell him the caution was out.
FLRacingFan said:
Pave over at least some of the kitty litter like they did at The Glen so cars don't get stuck anymore, and create more run-off areas and exits for cars that run out of fuel or have mechanical failures.
Click to expand...
I don't recall anyone having to be pulled out of the gravel yesterday. There were more cautions for stalled cars (electronics, distributor, out of gas, etc.) than anything else.
StandOnIt said:
They are not going to get off the track with body damage or out of fuel, with the lucky dog and wave arounds, they will wait on the wrecker to take them to the pits.
Click to expand...
The car that brings out the caution isn't eligible for lucky dog or the wave around.
 
Thegroundpounder99 said:
I just got done watching it. NASCAR needs to take some lessons about local yellows, especially on a 4 mile road course as the length and number of cautions was killing the show. Race was good though, I liked seeing AJ win. He messed up but he did work hard to come back and he's taking advantage of every opportunity he gets.
Click to expand...


I believe NASCAR has outlawed local yellows after a track worker was killed during a sports car race at the Daytona road course under local yellow conditions.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom