OT: Racing 2009 (Spoiler Alert)

DChaps · Post by **DChaps** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 10:58 pm

pk500 wrote:Somehow, I think this is the voice of God, brought to Earth at Indianapolis:

I cannot even think of one without the other (Tom Carnegie/Indy 500). I have not been back to Indy since his retirement, but I can only imagine it will not just not feel the same. I will never forget hearing that voice announce some of the most exciting, dissappointing, and terrifying moments that I personally experienced at Indy. His voice over work on the 60s, 70s, 80s, & 90s DVD compilations is fantastic. Love these videos Paul, thanks for providing the links.

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 11:50 pm

pk500 wrote:Somehow, I think this is the voice of God, brought to Earth at Indianapolis

Another chills-inducing clip, PK. Thanks for posting, I really need to check more of these out at the IMS site.

There was nothing quite like pole day at Indy for me as a kid; between the first "aaaand he's onnn it" and Tom belting out "And it's a neeeewwww track record!" the guy sure left his mark.

The excitement he still has for Sneva's first 200+ run is awesome and I agree with Davidson--Carnegie made pole day what it is/was.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 8:45 am

USF1 project sets date for launch

The group behind the new USF1 team are set to officially launch the project on 24 February.

The announcement of their full plans is expected to take place on American television channel SPEED. USF1 founding partner Peter Windsor currently works for the broadcaster's Formula One coverage as a pit lane reporter.

In an interview with SPEED's website earlier this week, Windsor confirmed that 24 February was the likely date for an official announcement, and a countdown clock has now appeared on the team's website indicating that it will happen at 8am Eastern time (the time zone for USF1's likely North Carolina base) in ten days' time.

"Ken Anderson and I have been looking at the possibility of designing and building an F1 car in the USA for the past four years," Windsor told speedtv.com.

"So I guess the real surprise is that we were able to keep it quiet for so long.

"The news broke this week but the real announcement is going to be live on SPEED, potentially on February 24."

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/73282

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 12:41 pm

Let's see: Peter Windsor uses his leverage as a longtime F1 pit reporter with Speed to cojole Speed into airing the team's announcement live.

Big whoop.

Windsor is a 30-plus year member of the F1 media/marketing community and he knows media inside and out, so his reputation as a royal member of the F1 Fourth Estate helps him whip the media into a frenzy simply by opening his mouth.

This project is motor racing vaporware until I see a factory producing a Formula One car. It's a carnival fun house -- lots of smoke, lots of mirrors.

Take care,
PK

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 4:54 pm

Reasons why I hate Nascar.

Why does Nascar still let the Sprint guys run in the Busch series? Nascar the "Yellow Flag" series didn't drop a yellow when a car lost it's tire with 6 laps left. How ironic they'll drop a yellow whenever they want to bunch the cars up. Gotta love manufactured competition.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 5:14 pm

Another possible sh*tstorm brewing with Goodyear for tomorrow's Daytona 500.

Drivers reported excessive tire wear during the 150s Thursday, and a blown tire caused Ryan Newman to wreck during final practice today and destroy his car and the car of his boss, Tony Stewart, for the race Sunday. Newman and Stewart must start from the rear in backup cars.

One silver lining: It will be WILD to watch Smoke drive to the front from the back row.

Great finish in the Nationwide race today. Smoke taught that cheap f*ck Kyle Busch a lesson about driving.

Take care,
PK

DChaps · Post by **DChaps** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 5:18 pm

Rodster wrote:Why does Nascar still let the Sprint guys run in the Busch series?

From a pure competition/feeder series standpoint, I have always thought the Cup guys should not be in the lower series, but that has really never been what the Nationwide/Busch series is about. It's just really another series to keep the fans interested on Sat. or on the off weeks of the Cup series. Let's be honest, if the Cup drivers were not in the Nationwide series the last several years, it would have probably died by now.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 5:31 pm

DChaps wrote:Let's be honest, if the Cup drivers were not in the Nationwide series the last several years, it would have probably died by now.

That's possible but I think it would be better to grow Nascar's driver talent pool. Didn't Jr., Harvick and Biffle come from the BGN? One other option I would suggest is to cap the amount of Cup drivers in the lower tier series.

Also does anyone know how Tony Stewart got the nickname "Smoke"?

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 5:44 pm

DChaps wrote:
Rodster wrote:Why does Nascar still let the Sprint guys run in the Busch series?

From a pure competition/feeder series standpoint, I have always thought the Cup guys should not be in the lower series, but that has really never been what the Nationwide/Busch series is about. It's just really another series to keep the fans interested on Sat. or on the off weeks of the Cup series. Let's be honest, if the Cup drivers were not in the Nationwide series the last several years, it would have probably died by now.

Spot on. Well said, Don.

Take care,
PK

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 5:48 pm

Rodster wrote:That's possible but I think it would be better to grow Nascar's driver talent pool. Didn't Jr., Harvick and Biffle come from the BGN? One other option I would suggest is to cap the amount of Cup drivers in the lower tier series.

Biffle made his name in the Truck series and then one season in Busch, I believe. Same with Harvick. Junior won two Busch titles.

But there were far too many "Buschwhackers," Cup guys who run full time in the Nationwide Series. I think that number has decreased this year, which will help Busch-only guys contend for a championship and provide more exposure for their sponsors.

Still, if you're a Nationwide-only driver, it sure gives you a hell of a good education and seasoning to race half of the season's shows against top Cup drivers.

Rodster wrote:Also does anyone know how Tony Stewart got the nickname "Smoke"?

A lot of different lineage. Stewart used to run his right-side tires to the cords in USAC races, burning up the right rears with massive slides to find extra speed and win.

The Menard engines that powered his IRL cars were very powerful yet very fragile, and many of his starts ended up in smoke.

Finally, the dude has a hell of a temper. Where there's smoke, there's fire ...

Take care,
PK

johnvon314 · Post by **johnvon314** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 7:25 pm

DChaps wrote:From a pure competition/feeder series standpoint, I have always thought the Cup guys should not be in the lower series, but that has really never been what the Nationwide/Busch series is about. It's just really another series to keep the fans interested on Sat. or on the off weeks of the Cup series. Let's be honest, if the Cup drivers were not in the Nationwide series the last several years, it would have probably died by now.

These guys really do love racing to the point that many are at some other form of racing on off weekends. It only makes sense if they're allowed to run in a division that is at the same track as the Sprint Cup, they will do so.

Busch Series was a lot more fun when they went to more different locations than the main series. The tracks and fans appreciate them more so than the regular Sprint tracks.

John

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 7:42 pm

I agree with that--when the Trucks started that series went to a lot of smaller tracks that the top two series no longer visited. The trucks still hit a few unique places, like Mansfield and Memphis, but they now are mostly in tow with the Cup series and occasionally the IRL (at Cup tracks).

I'd prefer fewer Cup drivers in the Nationwide events, but it is what it is at this point. A good Nationwide-only driver will still probably get noticed and signed to a Cup ride. Hell, Gilliland got a Yates ride from winning one race.

I'm more concerned about how much of the (now very limited) sponsorship $$$ the cup drivers and teams soak up from the dedicated Nationwide teams.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 7:50 pm

pk500 wrote: Finally, the dude has a hell of a temper. Where there's smoke, there's fire ...

Take care,
PK

I can't blame him for taking out his frustrations to stupid questions out on the media. I actually like him for that.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 8:41 pm

Trivia question: The very first NASCAR Truck race took place at one of those little bullrings that the series no longer visits. Name it!

Take care,
PK

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 8:46 pm

Darlington?

GB_Simo · Post by **GB_Simo** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 9:41 pm

pk500 wrote:Trivia question: The very first NASCAR Truck race took place at one of those little bullrings that the series no longer visits. Name it!

If it's either of the two tracks I'm torn between, the series couldn't visit if it wanted to because neither of them still exist. Am I way off?

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 11:00 pm

Not going to look it up, but it was out west, I think. Mesa Marin?

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Sun Feb 15, 2009 1:04 am

Dave wrote:Not going to look it up, but it was out west, I think. Mesa Marin?

Ding-ding. WINNER!

The very first exhibition race for the series, then known as the NASCAR SuperTruck Series, was in 1994 at Mesa Marin.

The first official series race was in 1995 at Phoenix.

Take care,
PK

fletcher21 · Post by **fletcher21** » Sun Feb 15, 2009 11:02 am

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YK1vzco1 ... re=related

F1 car vs Moto Gp bike drag race.. Pretty cool

GB_Simo · Post by **GB_Simo** » Sun Feb 15, 2009 4:54 pm

Help out a guy who doesn't always fully grasp the technicalities of oval racing: is this Daytona competition caution due on lap 25 really a weather based thing or is it more likely related to the Goodyear issues PK was on about? I know the morning rain will affect the track, same as it would on a road course, but would it really do so to such an extent that the yellow would go out after 25 laps to let everyone check out their chassis settings?

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Sun Feb 15, 2009 4:58 pm

It is a combination of both, in my opinion. The rain cleaned the track, so it is going to be even more abrasive on the sh*tty tires Goodyear has brought to Daytona. But they might have had the "competition caution" with or without rain.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Sun Feb 15, 2009 5:28 pm

PK doesn't want to see this

Patrick eyed for new American F1 team

http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/racing/f1 ... id=3909107

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Sun Feb 15, 2009 5:55 pm

Rodster wrote:PK doesn't want to see this

Patrick eyed for new American F1 team

http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/racing/f1 ... id=3909107

That would be a joke of epic proportions.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Sun Feb 15, 2009 7:41 pm

GB_Simo wrote:Help out a guy who doesn't always fully grasp the technicalities of oval racing: is this Daytona competition caution due on lap 25 really a weather based thing or is it more likely related to the Goodyear issues PK was on about? I know the morning rain will affect the track, same as it would on a road course, but would it really do so to such an extent that the yellow would go out after 25 laps to let everyone check out their chassis settings?

It's definitely the tire issue masked as weather-related for PR spin. Absolutely.

There have been numerous NASCAR races with overnight or morning rain before the race, with no competition caution ever called.

Take care,
PK

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Sun Feb 15, 2009 7:42 pm

Dave wrote:
Rodster wrote:PK doesn't want to see this

Patrick eyed for new American F1 team

http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/racing/f1 ... id=3909107
That would be a joke of epic proportions.

Agreed.

Plus the other candidates that were named -- Conor Daly, Josef Newgarden and Scott Speed -- indicate this team is little more than a gimmick wrapped in Stars and Stripes. You can't have a serious F1 racing team with that caliber of driver.

Take care,
PK