OT: Racing 2009 (Spoiler Alert)

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Sun Feb 15, 2009 7:50 pm

Who do you guys put the blame between Vickers and Earnhardt? I tend to think Vickers really had no business trying to block Jr. with 75 laps left. And if i'm not mistaken Jr. was a lap down so he wasn't fighting for position, he was trying to get his lap back.

It's official: Matt Kenseth wins as the race is called off due to rain.

fletcher21 · Post by **fletcher21** » Sun Feb 15, 2009 7:55 pm

Vickers and Jr were both 1 lap down, and they were both trying to be in position to get the free pass at the next caution. I don't think anyone is to blame. Racing is racing. But I do think this 500 was a snooze fest. I turned away from the race several times. When an f1 race is on, I watch from start to finish. Maybe I'm getting jaded with Neck-car now that I know about other, more enjoyable forms of racing. The Daytona500 is the "superbowl" of Nascar, and to me this race was boring. I was watching with some hardcore Nascar fans, and even they were kinda bored and dis-interested after a while. The only must-see Nascar races to me are the races at Martinsville, Richmond and Bristol. ZzZzZZzzZz

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Sun Feb 15, 2009 7:56 pm

So, who was at fault in the "Big One" today at Daytona, Vickers or Junior?

I hate to plant my balls on the fence, but Vickers never should have thrown that aggressive of a block at that point in the race, even if he and Junior were battling for the Lucky Dog. But Junior also should have backed off a bit and didn't need to dump Vickers.

You see blocks like that pretty often. But you don't see guys get blatantly dumped like that very often, so I lean toward placing blame on Junior.

Ironically, Jason Leffler was parked for five laps in the Nationwide race yesterday for dumping Steven Wallace in a similar fashion. But the "Junior Rules" apply here. There's no way NASCAR would have penalized its most popular driver with a five-lap penalty. A riot possibly could have ensued. At the very least, fans would have pelted the racetrack with beer cans and garbage like at Talladega a few years ago.

Race over. Pretty anti-climactic, which is a shame because the approaching rain made these guys run their balls off for a long time today. Very good fun to watch.

Take care,
PK

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Sun Feb 15, 2009 8:03 pm

In his interview Junior questioned why Vickers had blocked him that low and I agree. Junior also said that he tried to get back on track without losing position or momentum and as a result accidentally tapped the back of Vickers car. I kind of buy that.

IMO both share the blame but I lean more towards Vickers in that incident.

GB_Simo · Post by **GB_Simo** » Sun Feb 15, 2009 8:08 pm

It was a pretty aggressive block from Vickers, but I'm yet to see the area of the rulebook that dictates you must instantly turn back up the racetrack once you're under the yellow line, and it didn't seem as if it was something Junior needed to do to maintain control of the car. The move from Vickers might have set the ball rolling, but Junior had more than enough opportunity to avoid a wreck, so if you're placing blame anywhere, it goes on him.

Having spent ample amounts of time in central Florida these past few years (Reasons I'm narked about not moving to the USA, #2: tonight's race would have taken place 20 minutes drive from my house instead of a 9-hour flight), I was hoping it would really lash with rain, because that weather always seemed to clear much faster while I was there than a horrible drizzle like tonight's. An anti-climax, and a shame for those who had a car underneath them and no time left to use it, but that was good entertainment.

GB_Simo · Post by **GB_Simo** » Sun Feb 15, 2009 8:12 pm

Rodster wrote:In his interview Junior questioned why Vickers had blocked him that low and I agree. Junior also said that he tried to get back on track without losing position or momentum and as a result accidentally tapped the back of Vickers car. I kind of buy that.

Fine, but at that point Dale Jr had what looked like a very good car, the time and the capability to race his way back through and, being a lap down with only a handful of others, hardly any position left to lose. Add in that Dale didn't seem to know when questioned that he was racing Vickers for the lucky dog, and I can't help but wonder.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Sun Feb 15, 2009 8:16 pm

Rodster wrote:In his interview Junior questioned why Vickers had blocked him that low and I agree. Junior also said that he tried to get back on track without losing position or momentum and as a result accidentally tapped the back of Vickers car. I kind of buy that.

I don't. Junior should have known it wasn't the last lap, there wasn't rain on the windshield and that Vickers' block -- dubious or not -- had repulsed his big run. A driver with his skill at drafting is more than crafty enough to pull the car back in line with no problem.

Junior dumped Vickers due to a heavy case of the red mist. He already was pissed due to his two miscues on pit road, and he became enraged when Vickers blocked him.

But hey, it will be the topic of conversation among race fans at water coolers around America tomorrow morning, so NASCAR is happy!

Take care,
PK

johnvon314 · Post by **johnvon314** » Sun Feb 15, 2009 8:25 pm

Definitely blame this on Junior as Vickers made a perfectly legal if aggressive block. Junior has also been known to create cautions if he thinks they will benefit him. Because of his name, he knows there will be no penalty from NASCAR. He was already having a bad day with some bone headed moves (missing your pit box?!). I was disappointed that both Waltrip and Hammonds on the Fox coverage did not put any blame on him either. Kudos to Mike Joy though for speaking up.

John

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Sun Feb 15, 2009 8:28 pm

I could see some blame to both with the majority going to jr. They were both a lap down...65/35

Pretty selfish stuff by both.

DChaps · Post by **DChaps** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 6:40 pm

I wonder if Junior would have thought twice about it if he knew his iRating and Safety Rating would take a significant hit.

http://www.virtualr.net/iracingcom-earn ... interview/

GB_Simo · Post by **GB_Simo** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 6:00 pm

It occurs to me, reading this news of one of Honda's current suitors and considering the prospect of Button crashing at Monaco and so stuffing a Virgin against the barriers, that no other team in history could ever have provided such a window for innuendo. Supposing this happens, surely the cars won't be called that? How would Hobbs keep a straight face at the prospect of a driver under braking going in deep and taking a Virgin?

Smurfy · Post by **Smurfy** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 2:12 am

GB_Simo wrote:It occurs to me, reading this news of one of Honda's current suitors and considering the prospect of Button crashing at Monaco and so stuffing a Virgin against the barriers, that no other team in history could ever have provided such a window for innuendo. Supposing this happens, surely the cars won't be called that? How would Hobbs keep a straight face at the prospect of a driver under braking going in deep and taking a Virgin?

Wouldn't that make a broadcast interesting?

I'm having trouble imagining all the Virgin team supporters showing up to a race weekend sporting their brand new "Virgin Racing" shirts.

Plus I can't wait for a Virgin to get rear-ended for the first by an F1 driver - Though I can't believe that hasn't been done already.

fletcher21 · Post by **fletcher21** » Mon Feb 23, 2009 9:28 pm

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Ne ... =141847#19

Danica Patrick in the SI swimsuit issue... Face is kinda blah to me, but nice body!

GB_Simo · Post by **GB_Simo** » Mon Feb 23, 2009 10:01 pm

I've slept with worse, certainly, but since she's married I fear that not even your legendary charm will be quite enough, Fletch.

While we wait for the single seaters to get going in earnest - yes, I know there's A1GP but when was the last time it had enough viewers to start a discussion? - I thought I'd share this. The FOM copyright police are eating up all of the more recent uploads, but it seems the older races stand a better chance of slipping through untroubled (this user, for example, has had parts 8 and 9 of his Silverstone 1992 upload taken down and all of his other content left alone) and so I've spent the last little while taking in the most exhilarating, improbable charge to dramatic victory of the turbo era, if not of all time:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPfg0DpT ... A2&index=0

fletcher21 · Post by **fletcher21** » Mon Feb 23, 2009 10:04 pm

GB_Simo wrote:I've slept with worse, certainly, but since she's married I fear that not even your legendary charm will be quite enough, Fletch.

LOL that's a good one man

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Mon Feb 23, 2009 10:11 pm

Good stuff mate. Love to see those classic cars. When did Formula 1 remove the spark plates from the cars? I would love to see them again.

fletcher21 · Post by **fletcher21** » Mon Feb 23, 2009 10:23 pm

Murray Walker is great

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Mon Feb 23, 2009 11:04 pm

fletcher21 wrote:Murray Walker is great

He's also as genuine and nice in person as he seems on TV. I had the distinct honor and pleasure of meeting and hanging with Murray during the first two USGP's at Indy, in 2000 and 2001.

A wonderful man. Such joy, such unabated passion for the things and people he truly loves, even at 80-plus years old.

Take care,
PK

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 10:19 pm

Watching the 1987 British GP shows how bloated the sport has become while the safety has increased. I counted like 8 guys in the Williams pit box and today you have what 150 (sarcasm alert) in the pit box and still they manage to screw it up at times. Are you listening Ferrari?

I'm also taken back by how leisurely their outfits were back then with the ever present danger of a fire during a pit stop.

GB_Simo · Post by **GB_Simo** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 10:25 pm

Rodster wrote:I'm also taken back by how leisurely their outfits were back then with the ever present danger of a fire during a pit stop.

No refuelling at that time, though, so not anything like the same scope for a blaze that there is today.

Gordon Murray, the ex-Brabham and McLaren designer, has said that when Brabham briefly reintroduced refuelling to Formula One in 1982, he had some of the mechanics wearing fireproofs but he was stood right by the car in his team shirt and trousers, all ready to go up like a Roman candle at the first sign of a spark. He finds it a remarkably daft thing to have done looking back but apparently thought nothing of it at the time.

Edit: 7:40 or so into this video (taken from the 1982 season review video, and there's a good chance I've linked to this before because I think it's great) you'll see what he meant:

<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/LJ0Hq_WIRAQ&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed>

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 11:36 pm

American Ben Spies on pole for his World Superbike debut tomorrow at Phillip Island. GO BEN!

Take care,
PK

GB_Simo · Post by **GB_Simo** » Mon Mar 02, 2009 8:34 pm

pk500 wrote:American Ben Spies on pole for his World Superbike debut tomorrow at Phillip Island. GO BEN!

And a race winner too. Not a bad start to life in SBK, and the same goes for Sykes, Rea and the returning Haslam from my side of the ocean. I'm finding it difficult to look past Nitro Nori Haga for the title, though.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Mon Mar 02, 2009 8:59 pm

GB_Simo wrote:
pk500 wrote:American Ben Spies on pole for his World Superbike debut tomorrow at Phillip Island. GO BEN!
And a race winner too. Not a bad start to life in SBK, and the same goes for Sykes, Rea and the returning Haslam from my side of the ocean. I'm finding it difficult to look past Nitro Nori Haga for the title, though.

Yep. Haga looked really good in both races. That battle in the first race with Neukirchner was epic. Really good racing.

Spies could be a dark horse. He'll need to learn many circuits, but the boy never had raced at Phillip Island before and did pretty damn well.

Hey, I'm happy if the Raging Roman, Max Biaggi, is nowhere near the front.

Take care,
PK

fletcher21 · Post by **fletcher21** » Mon Mar 02, 2009 9:42 pm

Is that one guy who dominated moto gp still in it? He was an Italian guy but I forget his name. In Moto Gp for Xbox he was unstoppable

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Mon Mar 02, 2009 10:58 pm

fletcher21 wrote:Is that one guy who dominated moto gp still in it? He was an Italian guy but I forget his name. In Moto Gp for Xbox he was unstoppable

Valentino Rossi.

Yes, he's still in MotoGP, won his sixth MotoGP World Championship last season on a Yamaha. Is an eight-time World Champion overall, including his 125cc and 250cc world titles.

Rossi is among the top two riders in history. The only other rider who can compare is the legendary zillion-time world champion Giacomo Agostini.

Take care,
PK