Should NASCAR Penalize Blocking The Way Open Wheel Does?

Tumbleweed

Tumbleweed

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IRL and F1 both penalize blocking. Should NASCAR penalize it too? At least at plate tracks? I’m just wondering. I admit to being on the fence about it but I don't like having any more penalties than are absolutely necessary. After this past week's events at Daytona, I can see a stronger case being made for it, at least at plate tracks however.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/spor...logano-dale-earnhardt-jr-ryan-newman/2047033/

http://sports.usatoday.com/2015/08/...er-reay-will-power-tony-kanaan-pocono-432849/
 
Tumbleweed said:
IRL and F1 both penalize blocking. Should NASCAR penalize it too? At least at plate tracks? I’m just wondering. I admit to being on the fence about it but I don't like having any more penalties than are absolutely necessary. After this past week's events at Daytona, I can see a stronger case being made for it, at least at plate tracks however.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/spor...logano-dale-earnhardt-jr-ryan-newman/2047033/

http://sports.usatoday.com/2015/08/...er-reay-will-power-tony-kanaan-pocono-432849/
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I thought the same thing today. F-1 and Indycar both have rules against blocking. Not sure what the answer might be, but blocking was just out of hand today.
 
The problem is I think you would have to penalize 90% of the field at some point. Look, you guys seem to WANT restrictor plate racing. Fine, but understand all of this crap goes with it. Bump drafting, blocking, running right through people to win the race. The whole format puts the drivers in an absurd situation, and then we want to run around and police it like it was normal situation. If any situation would qualify for the ends justify the means, it would be restrictor plate racing.
 
Formerjackman said:
The problem is I think you would have to penalize 90% of the field at some point. Look, you guys seem to WANT restrictor plate racing. Fine, but understand all of this crap goes with it. Bump drafting, blocking, running right through people to win the race. The whole format puts the drivers in an absurd situation, and then we want to run around and police it like it was normal situation. If any situation would qualify for the ends justify the means, it would be restrictor plate racing.
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Lol have you ever watched a short track race?
 
Ohh goody, starting the new season off with a blocking debate( I am pretty sure this happens every year )

I dont know if I would say an all out ban on blocking is needed, but maybe some limits imposed, or something, I dunno, the leader has the right to defend his position , but to what extent?
 
Good grief. How bout we take the fenders off and the engines out, and just run go karts every Sunday.

What is it people wanna see? When they race hard, we complain. When they run single file, we complain. I don’t wanna see a demolition derby, but come the **** on. This is stock car racing people. Beating, banging and sometimes wrecking.

Blocking has been part of the game since the beginning. Was it out of hand thing weekend? For sure. Banning it outright is a ridiculous overcorrection.
 
StandOnIt said:
heads explode over the yellow line. I can only imagine how it would be with "race control" No need to go backwards.
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Exactly. Just one more thing to put in the feeble hands of race control. I look forward to the consistently inconsistent enforcement of yet another frivolous rule for restrictor plate racing.

I’m sure everyone will love it when their favorite driver gets a win taken away for trying to protect the lead on the last lap.
 
Formerjackman said:
Hundreds and hundreds of them. The thing is, that stuff is considered bad form on a short track. In many places, it WILL get you penalized. At a plate race, it's standard operating procedure.
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Your post made me think of the move over flag. I think it is in retirement.
 
Nascar drivers will always find a way to self-police this issue. When it goes over the line to the point of becoming egregious, drivers will react and 'correct' others' bad behavior. When it's viewed as understandable or tolerable, they'll begrudgingly accept it.
 
Nope, let the drivers enforce it themselves. Some drivers you can get away with blocking, some you can't. It's the way of the beast. I use to have a problem with it but meh it's what happens so I just grew to accept it.
 
Honestly, blocking really isn't punished much anywhere anymore. Some guys (Helio) have made a career out of darting and weaving across the track. Restrictor plate racing just exacerbates it. Maybe they'll learn if enough guys stop giving them the benefit of the doubt and lifting or dropping below the yellow line.
 
Blocking is literally your only defense machanism on plate tracks to try and keep position. If you want to watch 2 lanes teeter-totter back and forth all day then I guess take it away, but it's currently your only way of keeping the lead that you work to obtain.
 
Formerjackman said:
The problem is I think you would have to penalize 90% of the field at some point. Look, you guys seem to WANT restrictor plate racing. Fine, but understand all of this crap goes with it. Bump drafting, blocking, running right through people to win the race. The whole format puts the drivers in an absurd situation, and then we want to run around and police it like it was normal situation. If any situation would qualify for the ends justify the means, it would be restrictor plate racing.
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Totally agree, if Nascar wants to keep the plates or keep running at Daytona and Dega, then this is what happens. It's not the drivers fault, it's Nascars' for not fixing the problem, all they do is put a bandage over the wound and have been doing so since 1988.
 
jws926 said:
Ohh goody, starting the new season off with a blocking debate( I am pretty sure this happens every year )

I dont know if I would say an all out ban on blocking is needed, but maybe some limits imposed, or something, I dunno, the leader has the right to defend his position , but to what extent?
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How about each driver gets 10 "push to block" per restrictor plate race. Each block you lose 5 HP.
 
AdoubleU24 said:
Blocking is literally your only defense machanism on plate tracks to try and keep position. If you want to watch 2 lanes teeter-totter back and forth all day then I guess take it away, but it's currently your only way of keeping the lead that you work to obtain.
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Exactly. Its pretty obvious the problem is plates. Having to rely on others to go fast is not racing. Get rid of them. Lower the banking or whatever, but these wreckfests are horrible to watch IMHO.
 
No, who wants to watch a race where you have to allow someone to pass you? Is that even a race?
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
No. More drivers just need to do what Austin Dillon did yesterday.

Eventually, drivers will realize they're pushing their luck.
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I think even Denny is starting to get the message. The bullying that went on by senior drivers in the past isn't going to fly this year. A lot of new young drivers and they are friends so Hamlin and Harvick will not get away with their crap anymore.
 
you have clean drivers on one side and you have dirty drivers on the other end of the scale and most fall in the middle. Race control would only make it worse trying to be the moral high ground. It cheats the fans on both ends of the scale IMO
 
NASCAR fans: WE HAVE TOO NANY DAMN RULES. THIS IS WHY FANS ARE LEAVING.

Also NASCAR fans: DAMMIT WE NEED MORE RULES


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
NASCAR fans: a large group of people with different opinions and preferences.

NASCAR fans: not a monolith sharing a hive mind.
 
I don’t think what Dillon did was awful. To me awful was Hamlin on Elliott, got right up on his bumper and pushed him around. That was uncalled for, this wasn’t too bad
 
sdj said:
NO!
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I agree however there comes a time when some of these drivers need to be black flagged.
Blocking is one thing but some drivers need to know when and how. We saw a few attempts
that were ridiculous and the driver should have known it wouldn't work. That includes the #10 on his desperate attempt.
 
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