Nascar sucks!!!!

[vex]

Anyone in agreement?!?!

[bbor]

Yes

[GrantDawg]

No. I enjoy NASCAR and it is the one sport I can get my wife to watch. As a matter of fact, we'll be at the qualifying a week from Friday in Atlanta.

[JeeberD]

Sure nuff. Boring as hell in my opinion...

[EagleFan]

I like it, but that's just my opinion. You have every right to feel that way. Hell, there are a lot of stereotypes that I find very funny, especially with how true they tend to be when you see the beer guzzling portion trailor park portion of the fans.

But I will watch a race when I can, but not go out of my way to see it. Not sure if I've seen more than a couple actual green flag laps this season so far.

But yes, I like it. You may begin the stereotyping now. :D

[vex]

Hey now, I didn't ask who was in opposition:)

[sooner333]

As much as I'd like to start watching it, I can't. I don't really understand racing, and the announcers don't explain things to me (yes, basically i'm like the woman who wants madden to tell me what a first down is, and if the yellow line is *really* on the field). I want to root for drivers (Tony Stewart), but I know its the car that wins the race, not the driver. It doesn't work for me that well.

[ISiddiqui]

I know its the car that wins the race, not the driver.

I've been told that this apparantly isn't always the case. It depends on how 'banked' the track is. If the track is relatively flat, then it is 50/50 driver/car, if it is super high banked, then it is 10/90 driver/car. Or something :D.

[Kodos]

Driving 500 miles in circles does not impress me!

Thank you, George Carlin!

[Qwikshot]

I know that it's not a sport, I know that it's extremely dangerous.
I'm not against it, I believe everyone has the right to enjoy watching it, or hating it.


Curiously the only time I ever watched the sport was the race that Earnhart senior died in...I know it takes skill to keep the car from careening into a wall but I don't see why I should sit down, grab some snacks and watch it...

[vex]

I mean what do you say to your friends during it? "Dude, my car made it around the circle again."

[astralhaze]

To quote Eminem, "I just don't give a fuck"

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

I think we just need to cool our heads and not say this and that sucks . I mean what's important to you might not be to him and vise versa. We all need to respect each ones opinions and not fight because of our hatred for something or another . We all have to get along and IF YOU DONT LIKE THE SUBJECT DONT POST THERE .
Simple enough .

[JeeberD]

Geez, just cause you like Jeff Gordon doesn't mean you have to yell at us...

[vex]

LOL :D

[DeToxRox]

I too am not a NASCAR fan.

I mean, I can go down to the state fair in my Geo-Metro and drive around the ferris wheel while guys with mullets and the mix of cabbage/hi-karate egg me on.

[sabotai]

*sigh*...keep feeding the flames...keep feeding the flames...

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

I personally thing that Nascar doesnt suck because philosophically it doesnt have the ability to suck therefore it cant .
Now is my opinion better than another's ?
No ...its just what I though ...some people might thing Im the wittiest man in the world after reading this . Some might not .
and some will have no opinions or will never ever see it ....

Anyway what Im trying to get at is that ...I like Nascar and think its a sport .
2 valid reasons :


1 . Drivers have to race against 42 other cars in an oval with limited room at 150 mph . Takes discipline to drive that way .
2 .Temperatures get real high in a race car especially in summer times . Drivers have to be on a strict regimen of diets and weight training and cardio work . Just like all athletes .

[vex]

I've seen the commercials, I know they have TVs in there!

[TLK]

Originally posted by Kodos
Driving 500 miles in circles does not impress me!

Thank you, George Carlin!

That's the problem with NASCarp and the IRL. Everyone do yourself a favor and watch a CART Champ Car race. It's refreshing to see drivers turn left and right. Just my opinion.

TLK

[Tarkus]

Originally posted by TheLionKing
That's the problem with NASCarp and the IRL. Everyone do yourself a favor and watch a CART Champ Car race. It's refreshing to see drivers turn left and right. Just my opinion.

TLK
:D

Tarkus

[ice4277]

Formula One is the only one to watch. And even then not very often.

[Honolulu_Blue]

It sucks. It's boring. I hate it. Same goes for all car racing. The only way it'd be cool if it was like in the "Cannon Ball Run" movies. You have a bunch of crazy characters in a bunch of crazy vehincles all trying to get from New York to LA as fast as possibles. Madcap Hijinks ensue... That would be cool.

Going around and around in circles or even with swerves and bends is just lame.

[Fritz]

My friends always said "but you have to GO to a race to really appreciate it." So I went. It was an evening of boredom and permanent hearing loss. The cars are not even all that interesting.

zzzzzz

[JPhillips]

I had a friend that would listen to NASCAR on the radio. I really thought nothing could be more dull. Then I saw him listen to NASCAR qualifying on the radio. One car at a time for three laps. Possibly the worst radio in the history of that medium.

[Dutch]

Auto Racing can be fun, but you have to understand the depth of it in order to appreciate the visual of it.

In that regard, it's much like another sport, really.

[TLK]

Originally posted by ice4277
Formula One is the only one to watch. And even then not very often.

When was the last pass in Formula One? I'm 22 and I've never seen one. (a slight exaggeration) Seriously, as I mentioned earlier, give CART a chance. I'll be going to the Cleveland race this year and am looking forward to it. They moved the race to an 8 pm start, so it'll be under the lights. They're also packageing it with a concert and fireworks. Plus it gives me and my buddies a good excuse to hit the Flats. General admission tickets are only $20. (End of shill)

TLK

[GrantDawg]

Originally posted by TheLionKing
When was the last pass in Formula One? I'm 22 and I've never seen one. (a slight exaggeration) Seriously, as I mentioned earlier, give CART a chance. I'll be going to the Cleveland race this year and am looking forward to it. They moved the race to an 8 pm start, so it'll be under the lights. They're also packageing it with a concert and fireworks. Plus it gives me and my buddies a good excuse to hit the Flats. General admission tickets are only $20. (End of shill)

TLK

I have watched CART. Well at least the 30 minutes before I fell asleep. NASCAR is much better. Once you learn what is going on you would know there is much more to it than left hand turns.

[cmp]

The people who don't like NASCAR and say it's "boring" just do not understand it. These people don't give it enough time to try and understand. It is probably my favorite sport to watch.

[rkmsuf]

You have to at least acknowledge that sans accidents a viewing of 200-500 laps can be a bit boring...

Maybe non-Nascar junkies don't appreciate the sport but I'd submit that watching drafting is similar to watching Deep Junior contemplate it's next move...

[KWhit]

Originally posted by gold101
The people who don't like NASCAR and say it's "boring" just do not understand it. These people don't give it enough time to try and understand. It is probably my favorite sport to watch.


Please explain to me what there is to understand. I really can't stand Nascar. It's like torture when I've tried to watch. But I'm willing to admit that maybe there is more to it than I am aware. So what am I missing?

[cmp]

Originally posted by rkmsuf
Maybe non-Nascar junkies don't appreciate the sport but I'd submit that watching drafting is similar to watching Deep Junior contemplate it's next move...

Have you actually watched a race at Daytona or Talledega? If so, you wouldn't have the same opinion.

[rkmsuf]

I haven't been to Daytona or Talledega but I've been to Louden and watched on TV and yes I have this opinion.

I'll echo KWhit and ask you to educate us...

[rkmsuf]

Dola, I'd also say the superspeedways offer the most dull racing of them all. Races at Rockingham and the like are far more strategic and driver centric...

[Airhog]

I enjoy nascar pretty much. Some of the races are boring, especially on those cookie cutter tracks and the superspeedways. My favorite track is Bristol. Any of those short tracks are really fun to watch.

[cmp]

NASCAR is more than cars going around in circles. There is plenty of strategy involved. This is a team sport, without a great team a driver can't win.

The best tracks in my opinion are Daytona, Talledega, Bristol and Richmond.

[rkmsuf]

That pretty much clears it up for me...

[dawgfan]

Originally posted by Honolulu_Blue
It sucks. It's boring. I hate it. Same goes for all car racing. The only way it'd be cool if it was like in the "Cannon Ball Run" movies. You have a bunch of crazy characters in a bunch of crazy vehincles all trying to get from New York to LA as fast as possibles. Madcap Hijinks ensue... That would be cool.


The Cannonball Run movies were inspired by the real life Gumball Rally, which happens every year. A couple friends of mine entered 2 years ago with a new Austin Mini-Cooper and were sponsored by Xbox. They sent out updates along the way - it was indeed a pretty crazy event. Playboy entered a car driven by playmates, and at the end of the race in LA they had a party at the Playboy Mansion. Lots of wealthy people with fast car fetishes, and the parties each night at the various checkpoints were apparently very wild.

They said in Arkansas they were speeding along a country highway and noticed a bunch of people on an overpass ahead, including the local sheriff with his radar gun pointed towards them. They were freaked out until they realized the sheriff was just giving all the bystanders a play-by-play of the speeds the competitors were going and wasn't interested in chasing them and pulling them over.

Most of the time though, the troopers were on the tails of the entrants, and a lot of the drivers got thrown in jail.

My friends did pretty well in the Mini, partly because they slid under the radar a bit (partly because they're both semi-professional racers). They were able to push the Mini to 100MPH, but there were people in Lamborghini Diablos and various other 'supercars' that were going a lot faster than that.

[GrantDawg]

There are strategies for every race track, going from when to pass, to when to pit, what to change in the pit, how many tires, can you get help when drafting or are you going to be left out in the cold and lose several places, is it safe to bump draft, is it safe to go 4 wide, are you willing to take a gas-and-go to try and win the race or are you going to lose your tires, etc etc etc etc...

There is so much going on in a race. All of that above is just a sample on a super-speedway where there could be as many as 28-30 lead changes. The cars are closely tuned so that a minor adjustment or a single driver error could take you from winning to 30th place. Then there is the fact that even if your driver doesn't win, he needs to lead a lap for points and finish as well as he can. NASCAR is a war of attrition both on the track and over the season toward the point’s championship.

Then there is the personality of the drivers, the camaraderie and the animosity, which many times flare up during races and after. These guys are good ol' boys with blue collar backgrounds and grease under there fingers (except for boys who had it all handed to them like Jr).

It is not as great a sport as say football, but I enjoy it much more now than I do baseball.

[Buzzbee]

I think one of the main factors in whether you like NASCAR or not is if you have a particlar driver or drivers that you pull for. I grew up in Georgia and since Bill Elliot is from Georgia, he is one of my favorite drivers. As a result, the races are a lot more exciting for me. I find myself pulling for Bill to do well and keep track of what position he is in. If you don't have anyone in particular that you are cheering for, then yes, it would definitely come across as a bunch of cars going around in a circle.

Another thing that intrigues me is the technical aspect. For those who don't know, NASCAR is no longer just a bunch of drunk good ole boys fixin' up cars to make them go faster. There is a tremendous amount of physics and engineering that goes into making those cars go fast. Developing engines that can withstand anywhere from 5,000 to 9,000 RPM's for 3 and 4 hours at a time is no small acheivement. Building a car that can hit a wall at 100 mph, flip and roll 3 and 4 times and have a driver walk away without a scratch is pretty incredible to me (see Ryan Newman's Daytona crash, or Rusty Wallace rolling down the backstretch).

And there is strategy. Take last week at Rockingham. Tire wear was an issue. Some drivers chose to stop for gas get four fresh tires late in the race. Others didn't hoping for a caution. Not getting tires and gas was a gamble that didn't pay off. There was no caution and those drivers had to come in for a splash of gas in order to finish the race. As a result, they went from a strong finish to a middle of the pack finish.

I've rambled enough. Like I said, I think a large part of it comes down to having a favorite driver, but there is so much more to NASCAR than cars going around in circles. Baseball could be simplified down to "men hitting a ball and running around a square", but I think we all know there is much more to it than that.

[mrushh]

I didn't read all these posts cuz it's boring, so if anyone said my thought, well, here it is again...

I think NASCAR is just like Soccer. Tons of people think it is the most boring thing in the history of man.
I, however, LOVE Soccer, played it, coached it in high school for 11 years. I understand the game and what it takes to play. I know the strategy involved and I love the beauty of the flow in a game with good teams, and so forth.
I do not understand car racing, going around and around, so it is boring to me, but like my love for soccer, I appreciate anothers love for NASCAR and don't hold it against them, as I hope they do not hold soccer against me if they hate it.

[Fonzie]

Give me Deathrace 2000. Now that's a race worth watching. ;)

[Phoenix]

Too many rednecks for my taste. Do NASCAR fans wear shoes? Do they have teeth?

[Gwalyn]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Qwikshot
[B]I know that it's not a sport.

Just try racing a go-cart at 40mps for an hour and see how tired you are, then you might change your mind.

[illinifan999]

Here is a thing for all the NASCAR haters to try. Next time it gets to be 100+ F outside, get into you car, turn up the heat a litte, find a circle, and drive for 2 hours as fast as you can. Then tell me it isn't a sport. But since you ahve your opiion, I can respect it. Is Tennis a sport? I don't think Tennis is a sport. ;)

[McSweeny]

just because the drivers are miserable it's a sport? wooohoo washing the dishes is the newest sport and I am the champion! Next i've got my sights set on the lawn mowing championship closely followed by the laundry championships!! If i'm miserable while i'm doing it, it must be a sport

[EagleFan]

illinifan999, you also forgot to mention that you have to find a place where 42 other cars are doing the same thing, many times inches from your car.

Now for NASCAR on the radio, that makes no sense to me at all. The little radios they have where you can listen to team conversation is one thing, but turning on the radios station in you r car to listen to the announcers try to tell you what is going on with 43 cars going 150 mph is just rediculous. He turned left, okay going straight, left again, now straight, wow did you see that left turn by the 40, unbelievable. (Of course that really needs to be done in the tone of the Spanish soccer announcer on that Simpsons episode)

[RonnieDobbs]

Originally posted by Fonzie
Give me Deathrace 2000. Now that's a race worth watching. ;)

I suggest trying the DR2000 drinking game, a drink for every instance of vehicular manslaughter. A great way to ruin your next day. :D

[RendeR]

having driven late model Stocks for a year, and being around the sport for many, I of course have it in my blood and couldn't think of another that rivals it with the exception of perhaps the NFL.

Is it a sport? I personally define a sport where you are in direct competition with another person at the same time. Golf is NOT a sport by this, as you are ONLY competing with yourself at any given time. Football is a sport because it is a direct confrontation. I think Auto racing IS a sport because you are competing as a team for the best overall time per lap, while others are doing their best to beat you by getting in your way =)

Are the drivers athletes? There is NOT another sport where the competitors are full on concentrating for 3-5 hours straight at a time. In conditions that are at best exhausting and at worst life threatening. Hands down, there are few truer athletes in any sport.

Is NASCAR entertaining? for many, no, its a tedious repetition of the same action. I can certainly see why people find it boring.

Is there more to it than just driving around in circles for 500 miles? Absolutely. how many of you have ever taken your car past 100 MPH? IF you have you know just how out of control it can become. Now take the car to 160+ mph, and put yourself bumper to bumper with 42 other people, on a lane of asphalt that rarely allows you to fit more than 2-3 cars door to door. Do that, and manage to make that turn 180 degrees in the opposite direction. And thats just the drivers job. Try spending 100+ hours organizing the team to build each car. touching every piece of the vehicle. and getting all the proper team mebers to the track on time. Once at the track the driver, crew chief and pit crew all have to work together to find that tenth of a second that means the difference betwen running up front, and pasting your ass to the concrete wall. There are over 50 items in each race car that can be adjusted, tweaked and modified in some way to affect how the car handles on teh track. How many other sports have so many variables?

Now add the fear factor. For example, at Indianapolis, the speeds average about 175-180 mph, as the cars roll through the turns, if someone reached out a hand and pushed with ONE finger on the rear quarterpanel, the car would spin out and wreck. just that light a push. Think about the skill and concentration it takes to keep that car level and smooth doing that 4 times a lap for 200 laps....

its a challenge I seriously doubt any other sport can offer.

Its the greatest constant action sport there is.

And I won't even bring up the entertainment of the wrecks =) this was all about thoe boring lap after lap excercises =) add wrecks and restarts with lapped cars in the way??? Booyah, instant excitement!


Ren

[couriers]

Originally posted by RendeR
I personally define a sport where you are in direct competition with another person at the same time. Golf is NOT a sport by this, as you are ONLY competing with yourself at any given time.

A couple of thoughts come to mind. One is that although it may be true that a golfer is competing against themselves or even the course at any given time this can be said about any competitor. Drivers are always competing against themselves to get the best time that they can get. Despite all of this golfers are really playing against other golfers. Even if a golfer scores their lowest score ever on a particular course it does not necessarily mean that they will win the competition. This is determined just like in any other sport by comparing their score to the other competitors, thus golf is a sport.

Also, under the definition above you would have to classify such things as professional pool and poker as being sports. Not saying one way or the other whether they are or are not however a definition that would leave more room for clarity might be a better suggestion. Such a definition might include that a sport consists of athletes, in which case golf would once again be considered a sport.

Now I am not a golfer so this is not all that important to me but it seemed like something worth mentioning as a defense for the true athletes that golfers are. :)

[RendeR]

You are correct and I should clarify myself a bit, when I say that players of non-sports such as golf are playing against themselves I am also stating that the other players have no direct effect on their play. Tiger woods game is in no way affected by the other golfers, its his strokes and his puts and his shots, no-one else can stop him from having a great day but himself. As for the athlete part, I'm on the fence here. Any schmuck with a beer gut and a hangover can play golf, they may not play WELL, but they can play. and I've seen many pro golfers who held no real athletic ability beyond the energy to walk a mile or so in a day. So on this point, I'm not really convinced. As an example, I am not in athletic shape at all, being far over weight, however I could with some practice, become talented at Golf. I am not an athlete.

By comparison, in Auto racing, there are upwards of 42 other guys out there that have a very real and direct affect on how you perform every week.

This would then accept billiards as a sport, as the other players shots have a direct bearing on your own, I'm not sure biliards players qualify as athletes, but since it requires some physical skill/ability to hit the shots, I can accept the althetic part of the game. Poker, however, is not IMO since it is not an athletic event, it is an intellectual one. And also is not effected by your opponent directly, as you must play your cards as you see fit, the other player does the same, and your mental slights of hand determine the outcome.

It was a very good point you brought up, thank you for helping me clear up the fogginess of my statement!

Ren

[couriers]

Actually there are hundreds of other professional golfers who have a direct affect on Tiger Woods game dependant on the type of tournament that is being played. Just like in gymnastics, which is a sport, there may not be a true link between competitors but how one person performs at any given moment can determine how another competitor may play out their next shot. This type of direct correlation among golfers plays a large roll in the strategies they use and how they go about implementing them through out their entire game. One example would be if a golfer decided to lay up on a particular shot instead of chancing the water hazard simply because of the fact that their closest competitor just hit the ball in the water and will most likely lose the hole. As well, one golfer can force another golfer to have a bad day if they put enough pressure on them by using an aggressive strategy. This has been used in many match play events to force golfers to make bad shots.

As far as the athleticism involved with golfing I will only assume that walking an 18 hole course in the direct sun is something any smuck with a beer gut and a hangover can do for four days straight with the stress of winning looming over their heads. Actually, any smuck with a beer gut and a hangover can drive a car in circles really fast. However, I was not speaking about just anyone but rather about professional golfers. Since we were originally discussing professional racers I figured it went without saying that the level of play would transfer over without further clarification. In this respect just as with professional racing not just anyone could achieve such a high level of play, which is just another reason why they among racers could be considered as athletes. Following your lines of thought about concentration as being a determining factor it can be argued that professional golfers have a devoted mind set for four days from the moment they wake up to the moment they fall asleep each and every one of those days, maybe even during their dreams. The focus required to win a professional golf tournament could easily match that of a NASCAR champion.

Also, I have seen many professional drivers that fit your description of, “no real athletic ability beyond the energy to walk a mile or so in a day.” The physical aspect of athleticism was not mentioned when describing professional drivers so why would it necessarily be required when considering professional golfers? You admit to not being in any athletic shape but consider yourself a driver of a sport filled with athletes. This seems to suggest that athletic shape doesn’t have to be apart of the equation. Furthermore, it can be argued that talent can be honed but not gained and that practicing golf would not necessarily lead to becoming a professional golfer.

In regards to billiards and poker or even chess for that matter it can all be argued on a whole or individually. Either way is ok by me since whether or not something is a sport will never be a final deciding factor as to whether or not I will enjoy the competition. For the record though, professional poker involves a great deal of direct competition among players who most certainly directly effect each other’s type of play as well as how well they play.

Other than that
:)

[Dutch]

There is more to tense action than scoring and passing all the time.

In Soccer, when your favorite team goes up 1-0 in the first minute the game is over right? Wrong, you now have to watch your defense withstand 89 minutes of gut-wrenching defense. If when the other team scores, it means something.

When you go up 1-0 in the NBA, nobody cares. As a matter of fact, there are not many singular shots in basketball that matters. Except the won that wins the game.....which is what you end up with in Soccer. There is absolutely no difference, really!

Just depends what you like.

[RendeR]

Your points are well taken Courriers, I can only eliminate one item, that being the athleticism of race drivers. When I was actually driving, I was in fact in excellent condition and considered myself an athlete. At the time I drove the car on weekends, worked the shop during the week and captained our race team's indoor socer team to a second place league finish (damned penalty kicks!!!!)

but what you say has merit, I do see the affect now that other golfers could have. I still disagree with the golf/athlete situation, but am willing to agree to disagree =)

Well posted. I salute you!

[couriers]

Smile