2017 NASCAR Thread

[93henfan]

*Clenzy trigger warning*

View from my seat. Delaware is never good to guys from Iowa:

[Ivytalk]

It was great to see 93, his dad, and his younger son at Dover today. Jimmie Johnson wins after a last- lap restart, and the young lunatics in my ushering section serenaded Kyle Busch with "Fvck your mother!"

[CAA Flagship]

It was great to see 93, his dad, and his younger son at Dover today. Jimmie Johnson wins after a last- lap restart, and the young lunatics in my ushering section serenaded Kyle Busch with "Fvck your mother!"

Do you usher til the end, or do you just occupy an empty seat at some point?

[Ivytalk]

It was great to see 93, his dad, and his younger son at Dover today. Jimmie Johnson wins after a last- lap restart, and the young lunatics in my ushering section serenaded Kyle Busch with "Fvck your mother!"

Do you usher til the end, or do you just occupy an empty seat at some point?

We get there early, but leave early (around lap 340) to turn in our vests and walkie-talkies.

[93henfan]

I'm still perplexed by the ending of yesterday's race, even more so after getting home and watching the replay of the last restart. Larson, in the lead, chooses the outside lane. I understand why he did it: he didn't want Truex (3rd) on his bumper. Truex had fresher tires and had bumped Larson up going into turn 3 early in the race.

However, on the TV broadcast, they ran a quick interview with Larson just before the restart where he said restarts were his weakness. In that case, you HAVE to take the bottom line. It's the only way you get back by Johnson if you have a bad restart.

Btw, at the track I was convinced JJ jumped the start, but on watching the replay, nope. Larson just had a crappy restart, like he said he was prone to. He should have taken the bottom and just blocked the low line, rear bumper and Truex be damned. Truex probably would have put him into the inside wall on the backstretch, but we'll never know.

[93henfan]

I am assuming this did not happen in front of Section 209 and the bulldog usher down there. The video is wild. He was on the curved section of the catch fence over the track! lmfao

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/n ... 102498500/

[89Hen]

Just watching Dover qualifying.

Regardless of what any of us think about NASCAR tracks, the drivers (at least the good ones) unequivocally love Dover. I just heard Martin Truex Jr, Kyle Busch, and Jimmie Johnson in the post-qualifying interviews all say how much they love Dover. Joey Logano said the same thing on NASCAR Race Hub earlier in the week.

When we attended a charity event in New Hampshire last year with the Logano family, my son asked Joey what his favorite track was, and Joey said "Dover" without knowing where we were from.

What do they like about it? Serious question.

[89Hen]

I am assuming this did not happen in front of Section 209 and the bulldog usher down there. The video is wild. He was on the curved section of the catch fence over the track! lmfao

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/n ... 102498500/

E-A-G-L-E-S

[CAA Flagship]

I am assuming this did not happen in front of Section 209 and the bulldog usher down there. The video is wild. He was on the curved section of the catch fence over the track! lmfao

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/n ... 102498500/

Clearly a Jersey transplant.

[93henfan]

Just watching Dover qualifying.

Regardless of what any of us think about NASCAR tracks, the drivers (at least the good ones) unequivocally love Dover. I just heard Martin Truex Jr, Kyle Busch, and Jimmie Johnson in the post-qualifying interviews all say how much they love Dover. Joey Logano said the same thing on NASCAR Race Hub earlier in the week.

When we attended a charity event in New Hampshire last year with the Logano family, my son asked Joey what his favorite track was, and Joey said "Dover" without knowing where we were from.

What do they like about it? Serious question.

According to Logano on Race Hub, he said that Dover gives more sensation of speed than any other track on the circuit. I can vouch for that from when I rode around the track with Dale Earnhardt at speed. Also, because of the way the track transitions between straight and turns, you drop off the end of the straight which slams you into the turn. Conversely, when you come out of the turn, you come up a rise and are nearly weightless for a brief second, which is the reason most wrecks at Dover happen coming out of a turn. Add to that that the straights are banked (no idea why they did that, but it's unique), when there is a wreck, cars immediately get shot down to the inside wall, and the straights are very narrow as well. Pit lane is also the third narrowest, behind only Martinsville and Bristol, and pit entry is toughest on the whole schedule. You're basically going from 160 down to 35 mph in a couple of hundred yards. People start braking in turn 3 to pit. That happens nowhere else.

So basically, it's a very challenging track that rewards the best drivers.

[BDKJMU]

I thought it was a pretty good race overall, except for the retarded OT system. Obviously with the new low-low downforce package being race at Dover for the 1st time, it was even more challenging for the drivers than usual.

Got an example on Sunday of how retarded NASCAR's OT rule is. Why not just make the OT line the White flag like it used to be? This half a lap crap is stupid. If that had been the case Sun, the race wouldn't have been declared over with close to a lap and a half to go. Would have reset and made another attempt at a green/white/checkered..

[BDKJMU]

Kyle Busch's jack man's fault for dropping the jack too early causing KB to lose a tire after leaving pit road, so NACSAR gives 4 race suspensions to the crew chief, rear tire carrier & rear tire changer.. I get suspending the crew chief, as the buck stops with him, but the tire changer and carrier for that team are getting the shaft.
http://www.nascar.com/news-media/2017/0 ... suspended/

[BDKJMU]

Halfway through the regular season. After 13 of 26 races before the Chase starts.

If the Chase started this weekend, the below 16 would be in, and seeded by playoff points:
1. Truex: 18
2. Johnson: 15
3. Keselowski: 12
4. Larson: 7
5. Stenhouse: 5
-- Newman: 5
Kurt Busch: 5
---- Dillon: 5
9. Harvick: 3
Kyle Busch: 3
11. Elliott: 2
-- Hamlin: 2
13. Logano: 1 (*Without the encumbered win/25 pt penalty would have 6 bonus points, 5th behind Larson)
-- Kenseth: 1
15. McMurray: 0
16. Bowyer: 0__________________________________________________________
17. -- Blaney: 3 (1st out- 13th in regular season points, 4 below him have wins, bumping him to 17th)

[BDKJMU]

Washington Redskins fan Dale Earnhardt, Jr. will be driving an Eagles car at Pocono:



He sounds thrilled.

Skins fan Jr is saved from having to drive an Eagles car...

"Benched! Earnhardt forced to scrap Eagles car at Pocono
DOVER, Del. (AP) Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s ride in a Philadelphia Eagles car has been benched.

Earnhardt was scheduled to race next week at Pocono Raceway in the No. 88 Chevrolet wrapped in team colors and with the Eagles logo. Hendrick Motorsports and the Eagles say the sponsorship is off because the NFL doesn’t allow team designs accompanying the promotion or presentation of another sport.

Earnhardt will drive the NASCAR Cup race with the Axalta paint scheme at Pocono.

The Eagles had agreed to team with Axalta as part of the All-Pro Teachers program, which recognizes outstanding sixth through 12th grade teachers concentrating on STEM education in the Delaware Valley.

Earnhardt is a Washington Redskins fan and had joked he hoped the team would not disown NASCAR’s most popular driver."
http://www.foxsports.com/motor/story/be ... ono-060217

[CAA Flagship]

Another race, another Danica wreck.

[BDKJMU]

Pocono 2 weeks ago was a really good race. Kyle Busch had the best car, led 100 laps but finishes 9th, leaves the track without talking to media. Great ending with Blaney passing Kyle & then holding off Harvick to get the Blaney's 1st win, and the Wood Bros 1st win since 2011.

[BDKJMU]

I was at Michigan this past weekend.
-Truck race was pretty good.
-Xfinty race was really good. Great ending with Hamlin & Byron battling for the last lap with Hamlin making a pass to win by .012 of a second. Sucked that the the 19 year old phenom couldn't hold off Hamlin. Hamlin's win has been ruled encumbered with penalties handed down:
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/story/n ... 7?amp=true

-Cup race the 71k capacity stands I bet only had around 40-45k The infield looked pretty full though.
Larson wins. Elliott 2nd. Logano 3rd, breaking a 5 race skid outside the top 20. Larson gets his 3rd career win, 2nd this season. His other wins were at Mich last year and the 2 mile sister track Autoclub in CA back in March. Larson lead most laps, 96. Larson probably only the 3rd best car though. Truex probably has the best car, won the 1st 2 stages, led 62 laps. Kyle Busch probably had the 2nd best car, led 40 laps, but finishes 7th, again leaves the track without talking to the media (only top 5 are obligated by NASCAR to.)

[BDKJMU]

The race sucked for the 1st 3/4, with 4 cautions: 1 competition, 1 debris, and the 2 to end the 1st 2 stages. In the last 1/4 of the race 4 cautions: 3 due to wrecks and 1 for phantom debris.
http://thesportsdaily.com/unexpected-pi ... ascar/amp/
For 5 of the cautions, the competition, 1st for debris, and 3 for wrecks, were 3-4 laps under caution. The phantom debris caution was 5 laps under caution, and the end of each stage was 6 laps under caution at a 2 mile track. At the end of each stage caution the cars appear all lined up ready to go after 4 laps and then they just drive 2 more laps under caution. WTF NASCAR??

[BDKJMU]

Standings for the playoffs after 15 of 26 regular season races:
1. Truex: 20 playoff points (2 wins, 10 stage wins)
2. Johnson: 15 playoff points (3 wins)
3. Larson: 13 playoff points (2 wins, 3 stage wins)
4. Keselowski: 12 playoff points (2 wins, 2 stage wins)
5. Blaney: 8 playoff points (1 win, 2 stage wins)
6. Kurt Busch: 359 points, 5 playoff points (1 win)
7. Stenhouse: 354 points, 5 playoff points (1 win)
8. Newman: 344 points, 5 playoff points (1 win)
9. Austin Dillon: 297 points, 5 playoff points (1 win)
10. Kyle Busch: 510 points, 4 playoff points
11. Harvick: 508 points, 3 playoff points
12. Elliott: 478 points, 2 playoff points
13. McMurray: 450 points
14. Hamlin: 430 points, 2 playoff points
15. Logano: 398 points, 1 playoff point
16. Kenseth: 398 points, 1 playoff point______________________________________
17. Bowyer: 391 points
18. Jones: 346
19. Bayne: 323
20. Suarez: 313
21. Kahne: 290
22. Ty Dillon: 264
23. Earnhardt: 257
24. Menard: 233
25. Buescher: 205
26. Allmendinger 202
27. McDowell: 200
28. Almirola: 188 (missed last 4 races)
29. Ragan: 185
30. Patrick: 176
31. Whitt: 167
32. Cassill: 153
33. Dibenedetto: 146
Only other driver to run all 15 races is Jeffrey Earnhardt in 37th
http://www.racing-reference.info/yeardet/2017/W

[93henfan]

The race sucked for the 1st 3/4, with 4 cautions: 1 competition, 1 debris, and the 2 to end the 1st 2 stages. In the last 1/4 of the race 4 cautions: 3 due to wrecks and 1 for phantom debris.
http://thesportsdaily.com/unexpected-pi ... ascar/amp/
For 5 of the cautions, the competition, 1st for debris, and 3 for wrecks, were 3-4 laps under caution. The phantom debris caution was 5 laps under caution, and the end of each stage was 6 laps under caution at a 2 mile track. At the end of each stage caution the cars appear all lined up ready to go after 4 laps and then they just drive 2 more laps under caution. WTF NASCAR??

Flaggy and I texted early in the Michigan race. They threw a caution for debris (a plastic fucking bag) around lap 5 and then ran five laps under caution. Seriously? Go get the fucking bag and throw the green. Two caution laps needed tops. Instead, FS1 shows eight commercials. Then they go another ten laps and throw a competition caution. Eight more commercials.

It's getting unwatchable. I never in a lifetime thought I'd say this: I look forward to the next F1 race more. NASCAR is so poorly run these days it just defies logic, which is a shame, because the current crop of young drivers is very good. Hopefully Brian France dies tragically very soon. Fucker is clueless.

[CAA Flagship]

After Truex took the lead with 43 laps to go:
Truex on the radio: "They can kiss my ass"

[BDKJMU]

Top 10 from Sonoma:
1. Harvick
2. Bowyer
3. Keselowski
4. Hamlin
5. Kyle Busch
6. Earnhardt
7. Kurt Busch
8. Chase Elliott
9. Blaney
10. McMurray

Harvick winning was SHR's 2nd win of the season, other being Kurt Busch at Daytona. Doesn't really make much difference in the Chase standing, as Harvick was going to make the Chase even without a win..Among the drivers without a win, he was 2nd to Kyle Busch in regular season points..

Another race where Truex was the best car but didn't win. Won 1st stage, led the most laps. 2nd and final stage had issues on 2 pit stops getting right front tire removed/put on, then lost a cylinder. Maintained 3rd place for quite a while despite down a cylinder, until his engine finally blew..Shows how dominant his car was..

Junior's 2nd straight top 10. Top 11 in 4 of the last 5. Moves up 1 spot in the standings to 22. If the Chase was set after Sonoma, Bowyer, now in 11th in regular season points at 427, would be the last and 16th driver in, since there are 5 drivers below him in regular season points with wins. Junior is at 389. So in these last 10 races, unless Junior runs mostly top 10 + gets a ton of stage points to point his way in, he's going to have to win to get in. Daytona coming up this weekend is his best chance..

I used to not like watching road races, but I prefer them now over watching races on intermediate tracks..Beating and banging...little bit like short track racing with right and left turns.

[BDKJMU]

After NFL not making it with the Saints, former All CAA JMU LB Gage Steele pursing career as NASCAR pit crew member..
http://www.nvdaily.com/sports/local-spo ... ew-member/

[CAA Flagship]

I used to not like watching road races, but I prefer them now over watching races on intermediate tracks..Beating and banging...little bit like short track racing with right and left turns.

Here's what I don't get:
Earlier races this year, cars were getting tire rubs and cut tires from a little bit of banging.
The cars at Sonoma looked like they were in a demolition derby and there was little issues with tire rub. That's the way it should be.

[93henfan]

This NASCAR season has been about as exciting as the Jimmy Carter presidency. Granted, both Jr and Logano having woeful seasons has contributed to that for me.

I am getting close to done with NASCAR, at least in its current perverted state. It's nearly unwatchable, save for the short tracks and a few of the unique tracks. The caution for plastic bags has got to stop, the length of cautions must be reasonable (5-10 laps for a major accident I understand, but not for a wall scrape). The TV networks MUST be made to split the screen during commercials (EVERY commercial).

F1 absolutely knows how to maintain their audience. The races start ON TIME. The races are generally under two hours long. EVERY commercial break gets a split screen and they keep a full running order up. There is no guesswork on the start or on restarts. If you jump, you get penalized.

NASCAR could learn a lot from the eurotrash. They've been doing this a lot longer and they run their business well. Meanwhile, NASCAR desperately invents gimmicks each season (sometimes mid-season) to try to maintain the interest of the dwindling diehards they have left. There is also a code among the drivers in F1 that you can be aggressive (and they are - they bust up a lot of cars - no rubbing in open wheel is a complete myth in F1), but if you cross the line you either give back that position or race control will burn your ass with an in-race time penalty, typically served in the pit or added to your race finish.