Xfinity RACE thread --- Portland

For the love of god, please add Iowa, IRP and another road course seperate of the Cup series along with Portland. It’s nice watching something different instead of the field junked at Talladega twice now
 
TommyGunn said:
Not sure slicks is a good idea. I am about 30 to 35 miles east of the track and it's raining pretty hard at my house. I know typically the rain goes west to east but this time of year it can be weird here and go north to south so it's hard to say if the rains over or not. I hope they made the right choice cuz that means I'll get some clearing here in a few minutes LOL!
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They should have listened to you ;)
 
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Is Snider’s pre-frontal cortex fully developed or will he turn Wallbanger?
 
I have no idea how AJ even got up into position there. Felt like he spent more time in the grass than anyone else.

I hope they find a way to get Cup into the PNW someday. PIR looked packed today.
 
Well if there is any question on who the best Road Course Driver in NASCAR is, you just saw it. I've seen a lot of races on a RC but that one tops them all. You gotta dig down deep to do what that man just did. I tip my cap.
 
Spotter22 said:
Well if there is any question on who the best Road Course Driver in NASCAR is, you just saw it. I've seen a lot of races on a RC but that one tops them all. You gotta dig down deep to do what that man just did. I tip my cap.
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I was at the race. I agree completely. What Dinger did, after all the trouble he had. He was truly special to watch today.
 
LewTheShoe said:
I agree with Noah about the track design, but he'll probably get roasted in the PNW media.
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I don't think there is that much PNW racing media that is engaged on that level. The circuit itself isn't beloved. It's just...what exists to use. Nobody is going to build a new one, there or anywhere else.

The track design could certainly be better, and the facilities themselves are quite primitive by NASCAR standards. Yet it wasn't really the layout itself that caused the wreckfest. It was the confusion of the partial wet / dry conditions during the final third of the race that turned it into a calamity. A dry racing groove with wet surroundings, two tire options that can each handle one but not the other, and a field of relatively inexperienced drivers who are encouraged to "go for it" in every corner is the recipe for that.

Of course, if you're going to race in the PNW anytime outside of about 8 weeks in July and August, you can expect rain more times than not. However, the race would have actually been cleaner if the rain was more steady.

Gragson's anger with Gibbs dumping him is warranted, but regarding his comments about the event itself, I don't find them perceptive. It costs a lot of money to haul to California too, and it cost a lot to haul to Montreal when they were doing that. A national racing series should attempt to reach as much of the nation (and beyond) as is reasonably possible, and the Xfinity Series is amidst a considerable growth pattern largely because it has been allowed to develop an identity apart from Cup lite.
 
gnomesayin said:
I don't think there is that much PNW racing media that is engaged on that level. The circuit itself isn't beloved. It's just...what exists to use. Nobody is going to build a new one, there or anywhere else.

The track design could certainly be better, and the facilities themselves are quite primitive by NASCAR standards. Yet it wasn't really the layout itself that caused the wreckfest. It was the confusion of the partial wet / dry conditions during the final third of the race that turned it into a calamity. A dry racing groove with wet surroundings, two tire options that can each handle one but not the other, and a field of relatively inexperienced drivers who are encouraged to "go for it" in every corner is the recipe for that.

Of course, if you're going to race in the PNW anytime outside of about 8 weeks in July and August, you can expect rain more times than not. However, the race would have actually been cleaner if the rain was more steady.

Gragson's anger with Gibbs dumping him is warranted, but regarding his comments about the event itself, I don't find them perceptive. It costs a lot of money to haul to California too, and it cost a lot to haul to Montreal when they were doing that. A national racing series should attempt to reach as much of the nation (and beyond) as is reasonably possible, and the Xfinity Series is amidst a considerable growth pattern largely because it has been allowed to develop an identity apart from Cup lite.
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10-4 Mr. Gnome, I agree with your analysis, but Turn 1 has been a perpetual yellow flag machine at every race I've seen there, wet or dry, development series or veteran series (IndyCar).
 
LewTheShoe said:
Turn 1 has been a perpetual yellow flag machine
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I understand the need for a chicane to safely reduce speeds at the end of a long straightaway. Unfortunately, there doesn't appear to be much room to lay it out differently. Its design appears to have accommodated the surrounding wet areas, and getting permission to make environmental / wetlands changes will be a nightmare. There doesn't appear to be room to push it closer to the right-hander (turn 4?), and moving it the other way gets into pit exit. The place is surrounded by economically immovable objects - golf course, interstate, riverfront industry, main drainage channel; there aren't many options to redesign (if there was money). I'm guessing it also doubles as a turn-around at the end of the drag strip; @Nitro Dude ?

And I'm sure there's an economic reason why there are more grandstands in that area than other portions of the track.

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Charlie Spencer said:
I understand the need for a chicane to safely reduce speeds at the end of a long straightaway. Unfortunately, there doesn't appear to be much room to lay it out differently. Its design appears to have accommodated the surrounding wet areas, and getting permission to make environmental / wetlands changes will be a nightmare. There doesn't appear to be room to push it closer to the right-hander (turn 4?), and moving it the other way gets into pit exit. The place is surrounded by economically immovable objects - golf course, interstate, riverfront industry, main drainage channel; there aren't many options to redesign (if there was money). I'm guessing it also doubles as a turn-around at the end of the drag strip; @Nitro Dude ?

And I'm sure there's an economic reason why there are more grandstands in that area than other portions of the track.

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It's an accident of history that it exists as it does. The site was developed during WWII as a massive public housing project for warehouse workers called Vanport. Built on Columbia River floodplain, sure enough it flooded not long after in 1948, and a city of tens of thousands was destroyed overnight forever. When the city of Portland expanded and acquired the land in the 1960s, little remained except the old street system. The course mostly consists of these streets, which are still considered legal roads to this day.

Anyway, you're correct, serious reconfiguration would face major hurdles of the environmental and economic variety. Not that ecological concerns don't get brushed aside if there is enough upside. Only the lure of a Cup race could possibly produce that incentive though.
 
Watched the video of Noah Gragson and it's too bad because I'm a fan of his. All forms of racing have been here and Indycar has a long history coming here so just don't agree with his opinion and not because this is my home track. Many tracks have challenges to overcome and you just need to figure it out.

AJ Allmendinger figured it out twice in two different types of cars!
 
gnomesayin said:
Gragson's anger with Gibbs dumping him is warranted, but regarding his comments about the event itself, I don't find them perceptive. It costs a lot of money to haul to California too, and it cost a lot to haul to Montreal when they were doing that. A national racing series should attempt to reach as much of the nation (and beyond) as is reasonably possible, and the Xfinity Series is amidst a considerable growth pattern largely because it has been allowed to develop an identity apart from Cup lite.
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The negativity towards Portland is strange.
 
LewTheShoe said:
I agree with Noah about the track design, but he'll probably get roasted in the PNW media.

Ty Gibbs drives like a punk, but he's surrounded by enablers... so it will take a while for him to grow up. Just my dos centavos.
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A few thoughts here....Track design doesn't force the drivers to run into each other....talent and ethics (and rain) enter into that. 2) Noah ate the wall on his own going straight--nobody else did....maybe the issue is him and not the track, 3) I get his comment on the track, but that had to have stung the racer hungry fans of the PNW. I was there on Friday. Tons of people at 10 in the morning for Practice....and they stayed all day--and more kept coming after practice and before qualifying--with 0 on track activity. I mean it was so cool....people just wanting to be there. Refreshing as hell after listening to the bull**** from the industry about how nobody wants to see practice and qualifying anymore.

More about being there....not trying to derail the thread.....Friday was the perfect PNW day to watch. The rain was consistent, but not heavy....and the temperature was warmish. I watched them try to put the power down at Turn 7 and it was awesome. Sideways the whole session--just incredible. So proud of the fans....they made a statement......I had not been to the facility in 20+ years.....it has been maintained, but I was shocked to see that little had been done to improve the facilities. Cup in the early 2000's would never come here. It is a new day, however, and NASCAR is making bold moves.....but again, IMO, the place needs a ton of help. The all important bathrooms and concession areas are not up to big time standard IMO.

I will throw this in about Noah's comments about coming all the way to Portland to tear stuff up. I am completely done with the industry bitching about coming west. It even exists in Fontana....and to a certain extent at Phoenix as well....Sonoma a bit too. We had a thread about NASCAR expanding outside of the North American market. How the hell would this ever happen if the industry can't handle going across country? I am sick and tired of it really.

...As for Mr. Gibbs.....He is aggressive as hell--even in practice. When he was working on his stuff in Practice, he would harass lesser drivers for his line...squeezing them on exit of 7 and down the backstretch. I won't argue feelings about Ty--no use in that...people think what they thing....but he is extremely talented and entertaining....reminds me of the driver of the M&M's car in so many ways...and I get what people think about him. The kid is so good. So good. I might argue with @Spotter22 about the best road course racer, honestly. Loved watching him work this weekend.
 
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