Why do a lot of you guys hate plate racing?

hendrickfreak said:
Why do alot of you hate plate racing? It's my favorite. The action, the wrecks, the excitement. I just don't get it.
(I'm new btw)
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I will read through the rest of this thread later, but a quick answer based on your post:

"the wrecks"

I grew up learning to love racing at my local short track. any wreck that occurred usually meant I knew the racer or extended family. and this is a dangerous sport. things don't always turn out okay. so the wrecks are not why I enjoy racing.

now give me two or more cars side by side lap after lap fighting for a spot while respecting each other, that is racing. most likely to be found at your local short tracks, not usually covered by mainstream media, unless a "star" is there.

restrictor plates weren't invented to provide great racing. they were introduced to keep the cars out of the stands. and this isn't about driver safety. a pack of 40 cars unable to speed away from less talented racers will always be more dangerous to the drivers than going 212.809.

I hate restrictor plate races. always have. always will. it isn't racing.

an annual event I can't stop. sorry for my rant.
 
I have been to Talladega and I don't hate plate racing. I just prefer most all of the other tracks.
I don't think they should be part of 10 elimination races either.
The idea that some of the best drivers have blatantly decided to run near the back for the first half of the race, says a lot of about the degradation.
Just not as excited about a track that allows for flat out acceleration. There is something sweet about watching the acceleration and brake work at a smaller track. I could watch and listen a long time to rhythm and cadence of a single car running at Martinsville, or working the egg shape and rim riding at Darlington. That gets lost on the RP tracks.

On a positive note loosing site of the cars off turn two at Talladega allowed me check out Kim Burton with the binoculars. Every lap was spectacular and hearing the cars approach turn 3 was the signal to start watching the cars again.
 
I don't like plate racing because I think it takes less skill to win a race with a restrictor plate. I like racing where skill matter more than luck. Daytona in particular has a long list of low skill drivers that won there and did nothing else.
 
These four races are barely a blip, and the haters act like they take up half the schedule.

Go do something else on Sunday, let the rest of us have enjoy watching 30 some cars dance. The vocal minority have at least 15 races of watching spread out, pedal mashing, aero drag boredom.
 
I think its ok to watch, part of the thing about nascar is they race on different tracks and do different things. some things about the cars on a plate track are the opposite of what you want on any other track. this year look how skewed to the left the cars are. they always had left screw just not this bad. you can tell they are very much running a way different package this time. I like seeing rules changes and how the cars change for it. the other thing is it seems to bring different cars in the mix than we normally see. In recent years however we have seen it tuff to pass easily in the front. I would like to see this somehow get easier. It also seems like once a guy gets everyone lined up going around the top its tuff to form anything down low. Dale jr was the first I saw do this. It was actually very smart to do. The cars are faster when running the top because the crappier handeling cars that are running say past 10 or 15th can still hang on to the draft and stay sucked up, they don't have to turn so much and need handeling to do it. While never showing on the lap timer, they are also running faster than MPH up top too but it will not show on the stop watch. so when a car cuts down to pass they are trying to pass cars that have more speed running in a pack running the top, even if both cars are crossing a line at the same time, the one running on the outside is very likely to be traveling faster because its longer to go around the top of the track. both factors keep cars running in a single file pack up top and keep them from forming up on the bottom.
 
hidesert cowboy said:
I think its ok to watch, part of the thing about nascar is they race on different tracks and do different things. some things about the cars on a plate track are the opposite of what you want on any other track. this year look how skewed to the left the cars are. they always had left screw just not this bad. you can tell they are very much running a way different package this time. I like seeing rules changes and how the cars change for it. the other thing is it seems to bring different cars in the mix than we normally see. In recent years however we have seen it tuff to pass easily in the front. I would like to see this somehow get easier. It also seems like once a guy gets everyone lined up going around the top its tuff to form anything down low. Dale jr was the first I saw do this. It was actually very smart to do. The cars are faster when running the top because the crappier handeling cars that are running say past 10 or 15th can still hang on to the draft and stay sucked up, they don't have to turn so much and need handeling to do it. While never showing on the lap timer, they are also running faster than MPH up top too but it will not show on the stop watch. so when a car cuts down to pass they are trying to pass cars that have more speed running in a pack running the top, even if both cars are crossing a line at the same time, the one running on the outside is very likely to be traveling faster because its longer to go around the top of the track. both factors keep cars running in a single file pack up top and keep them from forming up on the bottom.
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somebody who pays attention, so many of the rest are watching to prove their point. All kinds of strategy, a good handling car is one of the keys, one that can run high or low, go stable thru the tri oval has the best chance of winning
 
ChexOrWrex said:
I believe the higher chance for underdogs to succeed adds to the thrill for some.
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And I can understand how that would appeal to many. Still not for me. On Sunday, I'll tune it, watch the rain delay the start of the race, take a nap as they all go single file for 150 laps, then watch the end.
 
LewTheShoe said:
And as a viewer, the tension is riveting and compelling. You just can't look away.
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I appreciate your perspective. One more issue I forgot to highlight that this reminded me of:

I personally don't find it tense. Yes, I can see how the constant threat of imminent mass destruction could lead to this. For me, tension builds over the course of an event. In that regard, I find a battle for the lead on lap 25 of a plate race to be exponentially less meaningful than in other events. Or lap 50, 75, and so on. These moments have less impact because the nature of plate racing means they get erased by the next wild 'random' swing.

I am still not in favor of stage racing, but the best argument for them would be at plate races. The natural incentive to race up front throughout the event doesn't exist otherwise, which is another reason it's all kinds of messed up.

Disclaimer: Again, my intent isn't to argue. I'm not trying to change anyone's mind who already has a strong opinion. The subject of the thread was about why plate racing is hated, and as a person who does, I am giving my reasons as to why.
 
Mopardh9 said:
Dude are you serious, your opinion is the only one that counts? Wtf are you on?
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I'm on pure air and if you dont understand that my opinion is the only one that matters to me you I cant help you.
 
Mopardh9 said:
How do you know? All of us here will be watching most likely, myself included, it doesn't mean we have to like what we are watching.
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Thats usually what I do, watch stuff i dont Like. I totally befuddle the Nielsen ratings.
 
I'll be watching much for the same reason I would watch the evening news broadcast. Not because I enjoy very much of what I see, but just for the knowledge of what happened and why. My desire to know and understand what took place overrides my lack of desire to watch a plate race.
 
gnomesayin said:
I appreciate your perspective. One more issue I forgot to highlight that this reminded me of:

I personally don't find it tense. Yes, I can see how the constant threat of imminent mass destruction could lead to this. For me, tension builds over the course of an event. In that regard, I find a battle for the lead on lap 25 of a plate race to be exponentially less meaningful than in other events. Or lap 50, 75, and so on. These moments have less impact because the nature of plate racing means they get erased by the next wild 'random' swing.

I am still not in favor of stage racing, but the best argument for them would be at plate races. The natural incentive to race up front throughout the event doesn't exist otherwise, which is another reason it's all kinds of messed up.

Disclaimer: Again, my intent isn't to argue. I'm not trying to change anyone's mind who already has a strong opinion. The subject of the thread was about why plate racing is hated, and as a person who does, I am giving my reasons as to why.
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I gotta give you 2 thumbs up and say that I don't find plate racing tense in any way at all either. If a person likes plate racing that is fine and if they don't like it that is cool to.
 
Mopardh9 said:
Well it doesn't matter much to the rest of us when you put things in the tone and context of " I'm right everyone is wrong".
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Do what you want but I wouldn't waste my time with these guys as I think they love arguing more then there momma.
 
Mopardh9 said:
There you go again, I like Nascar, I don't like plate racing, is that so hard for you to fathom?
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You just said it again " I dont like plate racing" yet you will watch. Do you eat food you dont like, watch movies you dont like, go to stores you dont like, hate reading but by books? I find this fascinating.
 
Spotter22 said:
You just said it again " I dont like plate racing" yet you will watch. Do you eat food you dont like, watch movies you dont like, go to stores you dont like, hate reading but by books? I find this fascinating.
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I think youre being obtuse just for the sake of it.

Racing has different style tracks, those which appeal to some and not to others. Fans have favorite tracks and tracks they dislike. They watch because it’s apart of the sport they love.

For the record, I really dislike Pocono & Indy but I still watch the race for the love of racing and suspense of where my favorite driver will finish.
 
My personal opinion on plate racing has wavered through the years - I grew up going to Daytona every year, and then eventually the novelty of it wore off for me. Perhaps due to paying to watch Gordon get wrecked out every time towards the end of his career.

There is a lot I still don't like about it, but this year it seems like the package has made the cars more difficult to drive, and according to Brad, may have led to drivers being more conservative towards the end of the Clash as they lost confidence in their cars' handling ability. If this holds up it may at least be somewhat tolerable for me. We shall see.
 
FLRacingFan said:
My personal opinion on plate racing has wavered through the years - I grew up going to Daytona every year, and then eventually the novelty of it wore off for me. Perhaps due to paying to watch Gordon get wrecked out every time towards the end of his career.

There is a lot I still don't like about it, but this year it seems like the package has made the cars more difficult to drive, and according to Brad, may have led to drivers being more conservative towards the end of the Clash as they lost confidence in their cars' handling ability. If this holds up it may at least be somewhat tolerable for me. We shall see.
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I think the initial reaction to “unstable cars” meant more entertaining racing with risky moves and cars that bounce around.

After some testing it looks like the end result is ride single file safely and wait until the end to take a risk. Meh.

We’ll see.
 
ChexOrWrex said:
I think youre being obtuse just for the sake of it.

Racing has different style tracks, those which appeal to some and not to others. Fans have favorite tracks and tracks they dislike. They watch because it’s apart of the sport they love.

For the record, I really dislike Pocono & Indy but I still watch the race for the love of racing and suspense of where my favorite driver will finish.
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I actually find every race at every track to be enjoyable considering I grew up and during my early years and you only got 10 minuets of highlights on Wide World of Sports and radio coverage. I find reasons to like is more fun.
 
Spotter22 said:
I actually find every race at every track to be enjoyable considering I grew up and during my early years and you only got 10 minuets of highlights on Wide World of Sports and radio coverage. I find reasons to like is more fun.
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Again, they way you view the world is not the same as your neighbor’s. I find reasons not to berate people for their difference in opinion.

If that were not the case, we’d have the tower of babel rather than the Eiffel tower.
 
Spotter22 said:
You just said it again " I dont like plate racing" yet you will watch. Do you eat food you dont like, watch movies you dont like, go to stores you dont like, hate reading but by books? I find this fascinating.
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Sometimes you have to make sacrifices in life. It's like going to watch a chick flick with your girl. You don't care for the movie but you'll do it to make her happy. Or like going to a baseball game to watch a friend or family member play, even if you don't like baseball. I'm going to watch the Daytona 500 and all of this year's plate races even though I don't care for plate racing because it's NASCAR and I love NASCAR. There are also a few drivers in the field that I like to see do well. It's not that hard to understand.
 
ChexOrWrex said:
Again, they way you view the world is not the same as your neighbor’s. I find reasons not to berate people for their difference in opinion.

If that were not the case, we’d have the tower of babel rather than the Eiffel tower.
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I dont care how you view it, I prefer to find the good in my life. Its suited me quite well.
 
ChexOrWrex said:
I think youre being obtuse just for the sake of it.

Racing has different style tracks, those which appeal to some and not to others. Fans have favorite tracks and tracks they dislike. They watch because it’s apart of the sport they love.

For the record, I really dislike Pocono & Indy but I still watch the race for the love of racing and suspense of where my favorite driver will finish.
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Spotter can't understand that concept.
 
Looking forward to conversing about plate racing again.
 
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Spotter22 said:
You just said it again " I dont like plate racing" yet you will watch. Do you eat food you dont like, watch movies you dont like, go to stores you dont like, hate reading but by books? I find this fascinating.
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I don’t like plate racing. It’s a crapshoot.
I don’t watch.
 
Using the words Plate and racing together is just wrong. At what point is a driver racing? I have forced myself to watch each year and after the carnage and useless destruction of cars each year I have to admit I was being stupid. This year I will NOT be watching.
Nascar wants to brag about the speed but in reality a car was faster before the plates and they could race. They could even put themselves in a position to use the sling shot move for the victory.
How many people remember the HP of those engines back then? I think the number was about 650. Today they run 800, the engines very rarely blow up and NOBODY is racing.
 
Team Penske said:
Using the words Plate and racing together is just wrong. At what point is a driver racing? I have forced myself to watch each year and after the carnage and useless destruction of cars each year I have to admit I was being stupid. This year I will NOT be watching.
Nascar wants to brag about the speed but in reality a car was faster before the plates and they could race. They could even put themselves in a position to use the sling shot move for the victory.
How many people remember the HP of those engines back then? I think the number was about 650. Today they run 800, the engines very rarely blow up and NOBODY is racing.
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Really? Didnt you watch the Clash? Your boy is bad fast and will be again Sunday.
 
From the Unofficial Rules of Auto Racing I have written.

33. Daytona and Talladega are big clusterf***s of races that require the least driver talent to win at on the circuit. (See Michael Waltrip, Derrike Cope, Trevor Bayne, Bobby Hillin Jr., Jimmy Spencer, David Ragan, Greg Sacks, and Phil Parsons.)
34. 10 of Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s 26 career wins were at Daytona and Talladega.
35. Restrictor plates were brought in to stop cars from jumping the fence at Daytona or Talladega, going into the crowd, and NASCAR being sued out of existence from all the aggrieved family members. Restrictor plates now exist to tighten everyone up and create big crashes…which is the most likely future cause of aggrieved family members attempting to sue NASCAR out of existence.
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