Awesome Winston Cup race. And da man wins it... #8

 

and yes those are my real ny lic plates,# is just
blocked out.

 

Jr. is starting the season off right, oh yeah..

I think that as the years go by, he will get to be just like his dad was at racing. I would like for Mark Martin to win the championship, but if anybody else gets it, I think that it will be Jr.

The only thing about Jr. is that he drives a CHEVY!!

 

Thats ok. You should see the guys at the dealership when ever I take my truck in. They ask about the number 3 on the rear window. They ask "don't you know he drove a chevy and so does his son" I say duh, yes. Its called a loyal fan, and personally it dont matter what they drive on the truck because none of the cars are stock. One thing is they all use Ford rear-ends.

 

ahhhhhhhhhhhh

 

Sorry #8 fans, I don't like him. I used to like to watch his dad race, but didn't want him to win. There's just something about Jr...his personality I guess, that I can't get passed. DEI cars are good at plate tracks, let's see how he does the rest of the year. Plus, you say what you want, but I'm brand-loyal to Ford.

 

MROLDV8:

I hear what your saying. I was a Dale SR. fan (#3) I like watching Jr. race but still don't have anyone in particular I cheer for. I also like a few of the newer guys from just the past few years. I guess in time I may end up having someone I can cheer for. I started watching Winston Cup when Dale SR. started which was is 79 I believe, his rookie year.

It's great to be brand loyal which I basically consider myself with Ford but as far as Winston cup there really is no brand out there racing, not even the body which has the name Ford, Chevy, Dodge etc represents the brand, except some of the templates which I believe is the hood, roof and trunk lid other then that its all custom and nothing you could get at your local dealer.

 

01 XLT Sport

I have enjoyed NASCAR since the 60's. I know what you're saying about the similarity of 'brands' on the track today. When I look at what's going on with the 'areo equal' templates and all today, it makes me sick. Hey...If the shape of the Dodge body (for instance) gives them an aerodynamic advantage, than so be it! Looks like Dodge will be winning a lot this year. Maybe I'm just getting too old, but I liked it the way it was years ago when the only aero mods you could make were to remove the windshield wipers and door handles. That was a true test of the drivers and engine builders to play the hand they were delt.

Don't get me wrong...I'd rather watch NASCAR than anything else on TV, but it seems like they're turning into a gigantic version of IROC. Big $ are the driving force here, plus who wants to see FWD sedans on the tri-oval? It's just too bad, but it seems like PC and the way schools are run today have trickled down to racing. When one brand comes out with a new design, and it happens to have an advantage, all the others **** and moan until there are changes made to equal the playing field.

At least the Tauruses have Ford engines...for now anyway. When that changes, and all that's left is the 'N.A.S.-CAR', I'm done watching. Until then, if there's a Blue oval on the hood, I'm brand-loyal. Cut me and I bleed Ford blue.

One last Jr. comment. At least he didn't have his hat turned around backwards and act like a kid last night. Maybe he's finally growing up.

 

MROLDV8:

I hear you again. I don't like the fact they try to equal all the cars out either. I liked it back in 79 actually like around 74 when I first started watching some of the races on TV and a few local like the Riverside road course in Calif. That was only 20 mins from my house.

Correct me if I am wrong but didn't the Dodge templates have alot to do with the Ford Tauruses areo package? I may be thinking of something else.

Remember when alot of guys had fits when Petty brought out his dodge with the tall wing on the back (dont recall when). I believe that is when the areo research began. Any way I don't believe Nascar allowed him to run it the whole season, or not the next season.

Anyway, I still love Nascar just not as much without Earnhardt Sr. in it. He was really the last old dog from TRUE Nascar racing days.
The left overs like Martin just are not racers, basically out there for the ride, no heart in it, no hard racing like Earnhardt.

 

01 XLT Sport

You might be right about the Dodge/Ford aero thing. I don't know. I can't keep it straight. Doesn't Ford have the 'oldest' body on the circuit now? If so, they probably 'Dodged it up' lately. But that's exactly what I was talking about.

When Chrysler brought out the Superbird and Daytona, NASCAR had fits. After a while they were forbidden to race. Ford had a droop-nosed Torino that (as I remember) never raced. It was really ugly! It was a '70 or '71 torino with a long, tapered, drooping nose on it. I guess it was an evolution of the '69 Torino Talledega.

I like Martin. I hope he takes the cup this year. True, he's not as agressive as Dale Sr. was, but he's a good driver none the less.

I can't figure out what has happened to Jarret. Seems like he just kinda peetered-out lataly.

The guys I miss most are Kuhlwicki, and Davey Allison. They were good drivers. RIP.

 

Dale Junior will win the points standing this year. Watch and see.

 

I have always been a Earnhardt fan. I liked #3 and I also like #8. But for some reason, I always enjoy watching the guys that are always in the middle. I hate to watch the same person win every race, or finish near the top five every single race and there is someone that can never even get into the top 10. Whats the deal with that? Don't all these cars have the same horsepower? If so, then why do the same people keep winning? It seems that the people who are always on the middle seem to try that much harder to win, but these other guys are holding them back, because they have the programs and engine builders to make their cars better. Nascar has strict guidelines that every car has to meet, yet some cars cannot keep up to the people who have the cars that always win.

By the way, I like the FORD racers, but I like just about every driver out there, except #24. I just have never liked him.

 

paulv107:

Here is my take and my own opinion on why some of the same people always seem to run up front. You are correct that Nascar has strict guidelines and rules. I believe the diffenence comes from sponsership money and team owners. In other words there are teams that have much more cash then others and the ones with the most money can spend that much more on R&D which usally results in a "little" bit more horsepower. If you take two cars and drivers who are equal but one has say 5 - 10 hp more, then the higher hp car is going to win.

It's not just hp either, body, frame, shock packages etc. Alot of that has to do with testing. Again the team with more money and more cars has the advantage over the teams with not as much money or cars.

I personal feel there should be no teams. If there has to be teams then no more then 2 cars per team. It is an unfair advantage to other teams that can not afford to do so. Maybe if there is going to be more then 2 cars per team then you only get the same amount of testing as one team would. In other words say if Nascar allows a team 4 practice sessions per year then a 1 car team gets 4 per year and a team of 6 cars gets only 4 per year period, not per car but per team regardless how many cars they have.

I think myself the sport has been hurt by muti-team cars. You will never make it equal for the teams as far as money but at least you could help make it more compeative with 1 or 2 car max. teams.

Other then that it has a lot to do with driver ability and skills. Some have more ability to drive the car on the edge without going over the edge thus having something left for the end. There are others that drive over the edge and use the car up before the end of the race. Then you have others that just can not or will not drive to the edge so you could have two equal cars but not equal drivers and the better driver will run towards the front more consistant.

 

Yeah, you are right about that. It is like that everywhere though. Lets say that both of us do the same job at the same company, but worked at different facilities. Your location makes more money than mine, you are gonna have more money, therefore allowing you to have more things. Infact, this is how it is with any company, sport or anything else for that matter. Racing is no different. Teams that do have the money and sponsorship will always be upfront, because they can afford to do the things that are necessary to win, whereas the lower teams can't do these things and fall behind.

I agree that there should be a maximum of 2 drivers on a team. This would also help competiton a little better. If you have a team of 3 or 4 drivers, they always try to get together on the track so that 1 of their drivers will win. Also they have the same owner so they probably are running close to the same setup, therefore allowing them to fininsh closer to the front. You are right about some drivers being better than others. These drivers always end up on the team that has the money, the better car, therefore allowing them to stay up front more often. Like I said earlier, I don't like Gordon. But his team has always had the money to invest in his car and he is a good driver, that is why he always stays near the front.

I like your idea about the testing. Allow all teams the same amount of testing time, regardless of how many people are on the team. Because if you have a 4 car team and everyone gets 4 practice sessions a year, then that is a total of 16 practices, whereas a single car team would only get the benefit of 4 practice sessions. That then gives benefit to the bigger teams. More practice equals more wins right?

 

I was never a fan of Earnhart to begin with, and then Jr. inherited all of his daddy's fans. He showed up the the restrictor plate tracks last year, and that was about it.

I'm a Stewart fan. I was a fan of his when he was racing IRL, and I followed him over to NASCAR.