NASCAR

[RocketCityGator]

If it's such a physically demanding sport that requires elite athleticism, then explain Danica being competitive. She's doesn't appear to be very physically intimidating to me.

Who say Danica is competitive?

 

[Zambo]

If it's such a physically demanding sport that requires elite athleticism, then explain Danica being competitive. She's doesn't appear to be very physically intimidating to me.

Um, she's not competitive. But she has one thing going for her...she's light. Her body weighs less so the car goes faster. Yes, its that competitive out there. But also, when you weigh less you have less inertia. An 8 pound head being flung outboard at 3 Gs "weighs" 24 lbs. A 6 lb head in the same turn weighs 18 lbs. If you look at drivers across motorsports, like jockeys, they are generally small, thin guys. Danica's advantage was much more pronounced in Indy racing where they spend millions to shave off ounces. Not so much in NASCAR where she hasn't done jack squat.

 

[MJMGator]

Who say Danica is competitive?

Does she come in last every week? I really don't know, because I don't follow it.

 

[gatormandan]

If it's such a physically demanding sport that requires elite athleticism, then explain Danica being competitive. She's doesn't appear to be very physically intimidating to me.

Uh, lets see a pic of you and her side by side....

 

[Zambo]

Its the same guys winning almost every week. Millions of people would love to be the guy who wins those races, but only a few dozen are ever good enough at racing to even get on the track and most of them have no shot at beating the top drivers.

Now don't get me wrong I don't watch NASCAR hardly at all, I'm just laughing at the notion that it isn't physical. I guess motocross isn't physical either because the bike is doing all the work.

 

[RocketCityGator]

Does she come in last every week? I really don't know, because I don't follow it.

I don't watch it every week anymore but most of what I seem to hear about her is that she wrecks.

 

[MJMGator]

I don't watch it every week anymore but most of what I seem to hear about her is that she wrecks.

Typical woman driver.

 

[Concrete Helmet]

Its the same guys winning almost every week. Millions of people would love to be the guy who wins those races, but only a few dozen are ever good enough at racing to even get on the track and most of them have no shot at beating the top drivers.

Now don't get me wrong I don't watch NASCAR hardly at all, I'm just laughing at the notion that it isn't physical. I guess motocross isn't physical either because the bike is doing all the work.

I rode motocross for about 10 years. Never raced in organized events but the top level guys have been shown to be in the top 3 of ALL athletes in conditioning. I would bet 90% on here couldn't hold on to my 500cc 2 stroke bike for more than 5 minutes....

 

[Zambo]

Yeah racing moto was one of the most physically demanding things I have ever done. Right up there with wrestling. Desert racing on a motorcycle is even a whole Nother level.

 

[Concrete Helmet]

The drivers aren't running...the car is. They're made as comfortable as possible in the quarters they're confined to and they have A/C being pumped into their high dollars uniforms. I'm not saying it doesn't require skill, but so does chess. Jockeys exhibit more athleticism by riding a horse than NASCAR drivers.

Zambo, I'm sorry you get butthurt over the subject, but it is what it is.

You do realize a lot of the top drivers like Jimmy Johnson, Carl Edwards and Kasey Kahne frequently train and compete in triathlon's?

 

[bradgator2]

Was a big tradition in our family to go to the 4th of July race in Daytona (still the Firecracker 400 to me). Same 10 guys for many years and the back stretch was the only block we could afford. The whole back stretch has been closed for years (9 years?). Now the sides of the front stretch are empty. It stopped being interesting about 6 years ago. But it was still a fun day of drinking with the guys. Last year, none of us went and I dont think I've watched more than 2 minutes on tv over the last 2 years. I dont why the races lost interest for me. I never stopped for 10 seconds to ponder about it.

 

[Concrete Helmet]

Yeah racing moto was one of the most physically demanding things I have ever done. Right up there with wrestling. Desert racing on a motorcycle is even a whole Nother level.

I couldn't image doing the Baja or similar on a bike or a truck...no thank you sir, I like my thrills about 15-20 minutes max. If I'm still in one piece after that I'll take a ten minute breather and go back for another run. The concentration to stay on course and on throttle for longer than that is balls to the wall seriousness.

 

[Zambo]

Lol I spent 18 hours behind the wheel of a race truck in the 1000 a couple years ago. Most of it soaked to the bone and near hypothermia. I nearly swore the whole thing off! Heading down on Saturday to start another 1300 mile odyssey to Cabo.

 

[rogdochar]

I watched that "awhile-back" TV show where they took athletes from different sports and gave
great prize moneys. They had competitors from ice hockey, champion touring bike racers,
Olympic marathoners, MLB stars, NFL stars, NBA stars etc. etc. But I never saw a competitor
that was a race car driver or a Pro bowling champ. Heck, they'd probably invite a badmitten
champ before they'd invite a NASCar champ. As can see, I think NASCar is spelled wrong.

Don't ask why but I watched a "sports" documentary on those pit-stop guys. Rapidly
wielding those huge tires and slosh-out-of-balance fuel cans at breakneck speeds ... well
those guys deserve respect just like gridiron gladiators too. So there's more to it than people
like me care to investigate. For me I think it's like watching a football game where the offense
ran the same play every round and round. After you seen the first play, it's all the same -- repetitive.
... then there's the carbon footprint...

 

[stephenPE]

There was a NASCAR legend from Tavares, Florida who was a Gator. He attended UF and was studying mechanical engineering but did not graduate because racing was in his heart and he left school for the race tracks of Darlington, Martinsville, Bristol, and Daytona. He died in fiery crash at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. He was the epitome of the young, aggressive, petal to the metal NASCAR driver. He had a fitting name: Fireball Roberts.

That was real racing and the cars were not all cookie cutter corporate billboards. I did not know he went to UF. My dad and brother still eat it up.

 

[Zambo]

Don't ask why but I watched a "sports" documentary on those pit-stop guys. Rapidly
wielding those huge tires and slosh-out-of-balance fuel cans at breakneck speeds ... well
those guys deserve respect just like gridiron gladiators too. So there's more to it than people
like me care to investigate. For me I think it's like watching a football game where the offense
ran the same play every round and round. After you seen the first play, it's all the same -- repetitive.
... then there's the carbon footprint...

A lot of the guys on the pit crews are actually football players and other athletes who couldn't make pro rosters.

 

[Ray Finkle]

I was a distance runner into college. I respect the hell out of elite marathon runners. You know what I won't do? Watch a marathon. It's boring and there are a million other things I can think of to fill that time slot.

Most popular sports these days are changing rules to create more excitement and action. Basketball has reduced the shot clock, football rules favor the offense, etc. Hell, twitter and vine are social media outlets focused on the short attention span of the everyday person. This is why soccer has struggled to become a huge deal in America, Nascar is on the decline, and the likes of UFC were able to able quickly gain a massive audience.

Bottom line is if you demand attention from your audience for several hours at a time, repetition and the lack of consistent excitement will greatly reduce your following.

 

[MJMGator]

I drove a Jeep without A/C for about 5 years.

 

[Zambo]

I drove a Jeep without A/C for about 5 years.

 

[Concrete Helmet]

I was a distance runner into college. I respect the hell out of elite marathon runners. You know what I won't do? Watch a marathon. It's boring and there are a million other things I can think of to fill that time slot.

Most popular sports these days are changing rules to create more excitement and action. Basketball has reduced the shot clock, football rules favor the offense, etc. Hell, twitter and vine are social media outlets focused on the short attention span of the everyday person. This is why soccer has struggled to become a huge deal in America, Nascar is on the decline, and the likes of UFC were able to able quickly gain a massive audience.

Bottom line is if you demand attention from your audience for several hours at a time, repetition and the lack of consistent excitement will greatly reduce your following.

I've often felt that NASCAR would do well to throw in a few more road courses on their schedule, like maybe 6-8 during the season. It makes for a more entertaining form of racing for me personally. The super speedway's like Daytona and Talladega are sleepfest anymore. They should actually slow the cars down a little to stop all of the single and double filing racing, I think they're trying a little this year but I haven't watched a single minute so I don't know for sure.