The NASCAR Thread

[Aero426]

After the death of track owner Enoch Staley, Wilkesboro was purchased by Bruton Smith and Bob Bahre for the sole purpose of moving its race dates to Texas and New Hampshire.     The track is technically for sale today, but at such a high price, there are no takers.   

While it was a relic from the past,  the track uphill / downhill layout itself offers a nice change from the cookie cutter mile and a half Charlotte clones.   

[Aero426]

Ghosts of North Wilkesboro.   Best article I have read about the track.

http://www.sbnation.com/longform/2015/3/4/8126311/north-wilkesboro-speedway-after-nascar

[odcics2]

more

http://www.weather.com/travel/news/abandoned-nascar-seph-lawless

[Highbanked Hauler]

After the death of track owner Enoch Staley, Wilkesboro was purchased by Bruton Smith and Bob Bahre for the sole purpose of moving its race dates to Texas and New Hampshire.     The track is technically for sale today, but at such a high price, there are no takers.   

While it was a relic from the past,  the track uphill / downhill layout itself offers a nice change from the cookie cutter mile and a half Charlotte clones.   

   Isn't it something like 10 or12 million "they" are after ?  Rockingham is in HUGELY better shape and they expect  around 5 million when that sale goes through and someone is talking about a Veterans rehab center going in there and somehow racing could be involved..

[thedodgeboys]

WOW Newman busted big time for cheating. 

Lambert has been fined a total of $125,000 ($75,000 plus $50,000), suspended from the next six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship races, plus any non-championship races or special events which might occur during that time period, and been placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31. James Bender, team tire technician, and Philip Surgen, team engineer, have been suspended from the next six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship races, plus any non-championship races or special events which might occur during that time period, and been placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31. 

[TruckDriver]

Newman and car owner Childress were docked 75 points each. The penalty dropped Newman from sixth to 27th in the standings.

http://news.yahoo.com/nascar-finds-ryan-newmans-race-team-manipulated-tires-205759836--spt.html

[wingcar]

Its only cheating if you get caught…otherwise it’s just looking for that competitive edge…..

(However, everyone in NASCAR knows the three areas you do not mess with under any circumstances:  Engine, Fuel and Tires…  If a team decides to try for that competitive edge in one of these areas…they deserves the penalty they get….because they have been warned multiple times)

*Makes you wonder about his (Newman) performance last year and his "almost" winning the championship....was the team cheating at that time?   

[Mike DC]

Is the entire engine so harshly enforced though?  I thought the big 3 were traditionally displacement, fuel, and tires.

I have never really understood the big deal over fuel either (at least aside from nitrous oxide).  They're not making the teams run anything resembling regular pump gas.  So why do they arbitrarily pick something exotic for everyone to use, but then get so upset about anyone trying to vary it further?  I'm not sure what the harm would be in letting the teams run whatever they want for fuel.   

[thedodgeboys]

Is the entire engine so harshly enforced though?  I thought the big 3 were traditionally displacement, fuel, and tires.

I have never really understood the big deal over fuel either (at least aside from nitrous oxide).  They're not making the teams run anything resembling regular pump gas.  So why do they arbitrarily pick something exotic for everyone to use, but then get so upset about anyone trying to vary it further?  I'm not sure what the harm would be in letting the teams run whatever they want for fuel.   

better fuel, higher octane = more horsepower = possible advantage. remember the Waltrip use of jet fuel during Daytona qualifying a few years back.
People are smart at finding little tweaks to make little advantages 

[wingcar]

The big discussion on satellite radio (NASCAR Channel) is whether or not NASCAR has a culture of cheating that dates back to the very beginnings of the sport and if that is what is hurting the sport in the long run.  I have heard some petty interesting comments regarding the subject and just wanted to get others take on the issue.
My question is, when does looking for grey areas in the rule book (and perhaps "bending the rules a bit"), cease being simply "looking for the competitive edge", and becomes a case of creating?  I ask because I feel all teams that are truly competitive have in the past and still to this day do it....it's the nature of the beast and has been from day one.   If you are not looking for that competitive edge, then you are not giving it 100%.  It's just that each year the rule book becomes a little bigger and the challenge becomes greater to actually find an area that can be improved upon without bring NASCAR down on your head.  Plus, NASCAR has in place a process that teams can use to get something they may have developed on their own approved for racing.  Of course in due time whatever the team developed will eventually become known to other teams and they will also benefit.  But, for a short time they can use the advantage to their best interest. 
*Anyway, just my two cents...what do you think?                                         

[Mike DC]

better fuel, higher octane = more horsepower = possible advantage. remember the Waltrip use of jet fuel during Daytona qualifying a few years back.
People are smart at finding little tweaks to make little advantages  2thumbs

I understand NASCAR wanting to control the speeds of the cars.  But why make a fuel rule?  I don't see a certain kind of fuel being more or less dangerous in the big picture.  Why not just let the teams run whatever they want and not have to police something difficult like that?  Everyone will quickly settle on running a very similar mix anyway.  If NASCAR wants/needs to slow the cars down there are plenty of more practical ways to do it. 

[JB400]

Nascar wants to keep as much control over the whole situation as possible.

[thedodgeboys]

Because na$car wants the big dollar sponsors to believe that any of the 43 cars can win because the cars are all equal. 

[Mike DC]

 
NASCAR wants everyone to think it's equal.  But they want everyone thinking the teams can control how they build their own cars.  And that it's not a spec car everyone is running.  So much contradiction all the time. 
 

[JB400]

Tough luck for Paul Menard tonight.

[nvrbdn]

i actually started rooting for logano to win in order to keep a hendrick car off the top, but Harvick was having nothing of letting a non hendrick car survive in the top 3.

  cant stand logano, but have more dislike for hendrick motorsports. the lesser of two evils i guess. and then joey couldnt be baited into saying something about the bump.

[A383Wing]

[JB400]

Drivers get  a digital dashboard for next year, and a few races this year.  http://www.sbnation.com/nascar/2015/4/14/8417539/nascar-drivers-digital-dashboards

[TruckDriver]

That's great until they fail and you loose all the gauges instead on just one

[wingcar]

It's hard to gauge which would be better....LOL

Ok, maybe it will help with "gauge overload"

[nvrbdn]

race is back on. FS1 denny Hamlin out with a sore neck.

[TruckDriver]

Was a good race for once. Plenty of action too. I'm soooooo happy Kenseth won and not the 24 & 48 cars.

[nvrbdn]

that's right. wild at the end. kenseth held them off.

[A383Wing]

Was a good race for once. Plenty of action too. I'm soooooo happy Kenseth won and not the 24 & 48 cars.

[wingcar]

Any race is a good one when Jimmie doesn't win....

Nice to see a different driver taking the victory......