anybody else find daytona... well... BORING?

[fsstnotch]

It just seemed very boring to me. Up until the last 20 or so laps, it was ranking up with one of the most boring races I've ever watched. At the 20 lap mark, at least people really started moving for position and spinning people out. It's entirely too boring to watch a bunch of cars go around in a circle for a couple hours single file!

[Joe Wicked]

No, I found it better than past races. I thought that the car really did improve the racing. There were over 35 lead changes and many position changes throughout the race. Only 2 caution flags for the first 160 laps, so a lot of drivers did get into a ride along mode, but there was still racing going on. The Gibbs cars were definitely the class of the field and the other teams figured out that they needed to line up just to keep up with the 20 and 18. The end of the race was just a display of impatience. Drivers trying to force a position instead of racing clean for it/blocking when there is no chance for the other driver to avoid hitting you. That to me drags the race on needlessly. The end was a great finish IMO.

Edit: Keep in mind that I went into this race thinking it would be boring, but what I saw was a lot of passing, some side by side racing and overall a good race. You must also keep in mind that anytime you put the restricter plate into play, the cars will end up running faster in a line, so unless they get rid of restricter plates at the super speedways, there will always be the line up.

[Greg Curtis]

Superspeedway races are generally boring for Nascar. 2 ribbons of cars parading around the track for 500 miles waiting for someone to get impatient and spin out taking 4 or 5 other cars with him. Restrictor plate racing keeps them bunched up waiting for an accident to happen. They're getting to be spec cars. Give me the racing back in the seventies when you didn't need someone elses help to win the race.

[Ron61]

For the most part I thought it was boring. Of course they took off most of the first half here for some unknown reason. They showed it up until lap 13 I think it was then cut it of with a sign, Sorry for the Interruption, this station is temporarily not available. When they finally put it back on it was at lap 84 or 85. All the ranting about the many lead changes, they never bothered to mention that 95% of them were between 5 cars. However I was happy with the ending. But all in all, I thought it was an improvement over last year. But still not really racing as no car could pass unless they had drafting help.

Ron

[rdorman]

I thought the new cars worked very well and enjoyed the race more then in previous years.

[Joe Wicked]

The Gibbs cars were able to pass without help as long as it was only 2 that they were passing.

[Bill Bess]

Love It! ...but hard to stay awake!

I love Nascar, the more you know about the details of Nascar racing..the more the interest and excitement there is. But, restrictor plate racing is very boring until the last few laps...kinda like pro basketball.
Anyway, with all the effort to make the Daytona 500 a big deal, it was an enjoyable, but boring event.

Hopefully next week at Fontana (Calif.) will be better, I'll be there with my son and grand kids.

Have a great day, Bill

[Joe Wicked]

Yes I am looking forward to Fontana. I won't be there, but will be watching in HD. I agree that the more you understand about the specifics the better it is. I am glad that they opened up the restricter plates, but wish they would have went further. I enjoy seeing a better car/driver pull away from the field.

[Silverback51]

I had the race on while I was in the garage working on the car, and I personally found it more interesting. It wasn't a 40 car parade going around waiting for the "Big One".

I'm afraid that to many fans have come to feel disappointed (boring?) if there are not enough crashes.

While the safety of the cars has improved considerably over the last 10 years, the chances of a career ending injury, or death are still present in any crash. I don't watch racing for crashes. I watch for the competition.

[Joe Wicked]

Originally Posted by Silverback51

I had the race on while I was in the garage working on the car, and I personally found it more interesting. It wasn't a 40 car parade going around waiting for the "Big One".

I'm afraid that to many fans have come to feel disappointed (boring?) if there are not enough crashes.

While the safety of the cars has improved considerably over the last 10 years, the chances of a career ending injury, or death are still present in any crash. I don't watch racing for crashes. I watch for the competition.

I feel the same. Crashes are spectacular, but the actual racing is more exciting to me. Anyone can loose control of a car, but it takes someone with some serious skill to not wreck.

[Excaliber]

I thought it was interesting in that the GM, Dodge and Ford guys seemed to work together to keep the Toyota guys from getting to the front.

[VRM]

As far as I am concerned the racing season does not start until the first GT car rolls off at Sebring.

Steve

[Ron61]

One thing that I did notice was that these cars don't seem to spin out as easily as the old ones did. I saw a lot of them get the rear end loose and not lose it. The total lead changes was misleading because most of them were between the same 5 or 6 cars. Also less caution flags. A great improvement.
However, and they never did give an explanation of why, they cut the race off here at lap 12 or 13 and put a sign up that said Sorry For The Interruption, Don't Call Us, This station is temporarily unavailable. Then at lap 84 they came back on. I do believe as they learn more about these cars the racing will be better than it has been the past few years.

Ron

[Joe Wicked]

Originally Posted by Ron61

One thing that I did notice was that these cars don't seem to spin out as easily as the old ones did. I saw a lot of them get the rear end loose and not lose it. The total lead changes was misleading because most of them were between the same 5 or 6 cars. Also less caution flags. A great improvement.
However, and they never did give an explanation of why, they cut the race off here at lap 12 or 13 and put a sign up that said Sorry For The Interruption, Don't Call Us, This station is temporarily unavailable. Then at lap 84 they came back on. I do believe as they learn more about these cars the racing will be better than it has been the past few years.

Ron

We didn't have the cut off problem here. We got to see the whole race. The lead changes were mostly between just a few cars, but it was not a follow the leader race. They were passing each other back and forth.

[rdorman]

[quote=Ron61;816358]One thing that I did notice was that these cars don't seem to spin out as easily as the old ones did. I saw a lot of them get the rear end loose and not lose it. [quote]

Bingo. Some of the changes where safety minded, some competition. Look at the front and rear (heck even sides) of new versus old. Notice that the area where the cars contact each other are all perpendicular to the ground and the same height? The front splitter/wing arrangement helps out with this. Also the rear wing creates a less turbulent allowing the trailing car to manuver better (read 'pass'). There are many, many more changes in the cars.


Most Different Leaders, Single Race....................... (18) (2006)
Fewest Different Leaders, Single Race....................... (3) (1972)
Most Lead Changes, Single Race....................... (60) (1974)

This year, 42 lead changes among 16 drivers. Remember, they only count the leader, and hence the change as they go over the line. Some laps seemed like a dozen lead changes in one lap. This is the second highest since 18 in 2006 and 49 in 2001. I was inpressed by the low number of cautions and laps, the ability to maintain control of the cars once they where out of shape and the increased ability to do some serious rubbing.

With that said, I did not watch the first half. Generally don't. To long for my tastes. I prefer the short sprint races/qualifying. But, I think Nascar is on the right track with this car. Not really record shattering but a nice change.

[Ron61]

I also like the foam and other padding they put in the sides. It not only absorbs impact, but when they scrape the wall the side of the car stays straight. And the making the front and rear so when you bump anyone from behind they are the same height was a good idea too. That keeps the car that is being hit from having the rear wheels lifted off the track, hence they can maintain more control. A lot of good things about the new car, and some minor things that will show up and can and will be improved on.
Now if they would do away with that top 35 in points rule and just let the fastest 43 qualifiers race, I think that would make it better.

Ron

[rdorman]

I liked the foam idea as well. There are many other changes to, taller and wider cage, left suspension moved out, driveshaft totally encased in the case (a tube) so it stays with the car, smaller tanks, etc, etc. Like any sport, it is a work in progress but sitting in the stands, I like what I see so far. Not my personal favorite form of racing but I did enough watching the last part of the race.

[wtm442]

There was a race yesterday?

Winston Cup? Or Nextel Cup? Or Busch 'n Sprint Cup? Indy League with CART on the side? Maybe Hooters Cup?

I went for a ride. Too bad it wasn't in a Cobra.

[Ron61]

I agree with you about the work in progress and they have done some darn good things. Actually my favorite type of racing is road racing or the old Trans Am series. I also like the Le Mans series racing.
It is also nice that these cars don't just fly all to pieces every time they get bumped and litter the track half way around. I saw some take some pretty good shots and not even a piece fell off. It is amazing at what that small end piece on the wing does to stabilize the cars from spinning.

Ron

[fsstnotch]

Ok, but how many of those lead changed were int eh first 20 laps and hte last 20 laps? Why don't they just do everyone a favor and make hte race 150 miles so people actually race throughout the whole thing?

I like the new car... although it does resemble somehting more out of a fast and the furious series than a STOCK car. Hey maybe at my local dirt track we'll be allowed to put those big aluminum airplane wings on soon!!!! To call that a STOCK car is a joke.

Kyle Busch led 86 of 200 laps... or basically the entire middle of the race. After the first 20-25 laps.. it became the.. follow the leader race until the end. That's just not fun for me. I was edgy and excited for the last 20-25 though! THat was exciting! Stewart should have stayed oin the top and he'd have won. Just made the wrong decision thinking his teamate was going to have a run and push him through.