what's the appeal of watching nascar races?

[trmiv]

<<

NO idea.. it's definitely the worst/most boring motorsport ever created.. I dunno why we can never create a good motorsport like F1 or Rally Cross, look at the other motorsports we have: mud bog racing (WTF?) monster trucks (WTF?) sprint cars (WTF?) They all suck really hard.. It's pretty sad. >>



I wouldn't exactly call F1 racing exciting. There isn't much passing, and running up front is more determined by the team you're on than the driver. Plus, all the team rules crap that goes in F1 racing is ridiculous. Not saying it doesn't happen in other motorsports, but it happens all the time in F1.

But, if you don't think sprint car racing is exciting, there really isn't anything I can say to you about racing. And, the fact that you mentioned sprint cars in the same sentence as mud bog racing and monster trucks is baffling. About the only thing those three forms of racing have in common is, at one point in each, there is some dirt involved. Sprint cars are simply awesome race cars. 850 horsepower, around 1100 pounds, awesome on dirt and pavement. I grew up around sprint cars, my dad drove sprint cars, my godfather drove sprint cars, I have friends that drive sprint cars. What I drive now is more like a stock car than anything else, but I would LOVE to drive a sprint car, if they weren't so damn expensive.

 

[CKDragon]

Never really thought about it, but do you think the way 40 guys compete on a single course instead of just 2 teams (like baseball/hockey/football/basketball) has anything to do with it's popularity? I think it may enable more people to have more of a choice in their favorites...

Just a thought.

CK

 

[NFS4]

Yeah, it's pretty damn boring. Drive around in an oval, draft, little bumpin', and Gordan wins. Repeat for the rest of the season. And have you seen this beasts wallow around on the road coarses?? It's pathetic. If you want to watch some real road course racing, F1 and LeMans is where it's at.

And as for being a "stock car," I don't see any "stock" Grand Prix, Monte Carlo, or Taurus with RWD, a V8 engine, a solid rear axle, or body on frame contruction...hmmm...

 

[trmiv]

I was waiting for NFS4 to poke his head in here. He's usually the one who starts this thread. And, why you have so much trouble with the "stock car" name, I have no idea. It's been explained repeatedly everytime you bring that up why they are named stock cars, but you keep ranting on that every time one of these threads pops up.

 

[NFS4]

<< I was waiting for NFS4 to poke his head in here. He's usually the one who starts this thread. And, why you have so much trouble with the "stock car" name, I have no idea. It's been explained repeatedly everytime you bring that up why they are named stock cars, but you keep ranting on that every time one of these threads pops up. >>


I have a problem with it b/c if you are going to have a Monte Carlo, Grand Prix, or Taurus out racing, it's pretty damn stupid to call them as such if they share nothing with the actual cars being made.

At least with LeMans cars (911's, Vipers, Vettes, M3's, etc), the same basic car, layout, suspension design/geometry, engine block, etc is the same. It's the WWF of racing, and I love hearing those little bastards wine when Ford gets a spoiler change or Chevy gets something else. And Tony Stewart, don't get me started on that hot-headed puke:|

 

[Jeff7]

It's probably a lot more stimulating to actually perform than to watch. Here they come in a circle again. And again. And again....
There's a lot more to it for the drivers though.

 

[trmiv]

<<
I have a problem with it b/c if you are going to have a Monte Carlo, Grand Prix, or Taurus out racing, it's pretty damn stupid to call them as such if they share nothing with the actual cars being made.

At least with LeMans cars (911's, Vipers, Vettes, M3's, etc), the same basic car, layout, suspension design/geometry, engine block, etc is the same. It's the WWF of racing, and I love hearing those little bastards wine when Ford gets a spoiler change or Chevy gets something else. And Tony Stewart, don't get me started on that hot-headed puke:| >>



Damn you like to nitpick. Once again, they are called stock cars because when NASCAR was orginally started the cars were stock, and the name just stuck. That's it, nothing more. Why that get's your panties in such a bunch I have no idea. They aren't trying to pull the wool over your eyes, it's not some big conspiracy to make you buy cars. It's just a name that has been used for a long time, and there's no reason to change it, because that's how people know the cars. Hell, a lot of people still call CART Champ Cars "Indy" cars, and they haven't even raced in IMS for a few years. Names that have been used for a long time stick, get over it. Damn, I bet the term "football" really chaps your ass. I mean, they rarely use their foot right?

 

[Mr.IncrediblyBored]

I don't care for it very much, but many do and there's nothing wrong with that.

AMA Superbike is where it's at.

 

[djheater]

what's the appeal of watching nascar races?

What do you mean what's the appeal!!! Those cars go round in a circle over and over and over and over... what's not appealing about that. It's guys like you who can't see the appeal in watching pro golf....

 

[NFS4]

<<

<<
I have a problem with it b/c if you are going to have a Monte Carlo, Grand Prix, or Taurus out racing, it's pretty damn stupid to call them as such if they share nothing with the actual cars being made.

At least with LeMans cars (911's, Vipers, Vettes, M3's, etc), the same basic car, layout, suspension design/geometry, engine block, etc is the same. It's the WWF of racing, and I love hearing those little bastards wine when Ford gets a spoiler change or Chevy gets something else. And Tony Stewart, don't get me started on that hot-headed puke:| >>



Damn you like to nitpick. Once again, they are called stock cars because when NASCAR was orginally started the cars were stock, and the name just stuck. That's it, nothing more. Why that get's your panties in such a bunch I have no idea. They aren't trying to pull the wool over your eyes, it's not some big conspiracy to make you buy cars. It's just a name that has been used for a long time, and there's no reason to change it, because that's how people know the cars. Hell, a lot of people still call CART Champ Cars "Indy" cars, and they haven't even raced in IMS for a few years. Names that have been used for a long time stick, get over it. Damn, I bet the term "football" really chaps your ass. I mean, they rarely use their foot right? >>


I have a problem with calling a car what it isn't.

I don't give a crap about football, b/c I don't watch. So I could care less. But I DO like automobiles. If you're going to call something a Monte Carlo, at least have something else in common with it besides the basic body shape. Case in point:

Corvette C5-R vs Corvette
Viper GTS-R vs Viper GTS

etc, etc.

 

[trmiv]

<< I don't care for it very much, but many do and there's nothing wrong with that.

AMA Superbike is where it's at. >>



Superbikes are pretty cool, I'll definitely watch a motorcycle race if it's on TV. My favorite type of motorcycle racing has to be AMA Flat Track though. Sideways at like 140, an inch away from each other. Those guys are insane. I hear they have pouches on the side where they load their balls before they get on the bikes. They don't show them on TV as much as they used to though. I went and saw them on the San Jose mile the last time they were they, awesome.

 

[CocaCola5]

Drafting in racing makes for a boring race, you see this in big CART ovals also when they use the hanford device, just too much passing.

 

[Kilrsat]

<< I have a problem with it b/c if you are going to have a Monte Carlo, Grand Prix, or Taurus out racing, it's pretty damn stupid to call them as such if they share nothing with the actual cars being made. >>


The hoods and the roofs are actually from the same molds as the cars you'll find on the streets. So there, they share at least 2 things in common with the normal versions.

 

[NFS4]

<<

<< I have a problem with it b/c if you are going to have a Monte Carlo, Grand Prix, or Taurus out racing, it's pretty damn stupid to call them as such if they share nothing with the actual cars being made. >>


The hoods and the roofs are actually from the same molds as the cars you'll find on the streets. So there, they share at least 2 things in common with the normal versions. >>


Whoopdeefriggendo!!!

 

[trmiv]

<<
I have a problem with calling a car what it isn't.

I don't give a crap about football, b/c I don't watch. So I could care less. But I DO like automobiles. If you're going to call something a Monte Carlo, at least have something else in common with it besides the basic body shape. Case in point:

Corvette C5-R vs Corvette
Viper GTS-R vs Viper GTS

etc, etc. >>



It's all money and sponsorship man, don't get all worked up over it. They need a body style to base the cars on, and they use known american manufacturers to do so, and that's it. NASCAR is big business, and it sells cars, so the manufacturers have to have a tie in. But, if you think the way those cars look on the street is not influenced by the race cars, you are mistaken. Take the Monte Carlo for instance, the body style of that car was designed to be a race car, and that's why that body shape has been so successful (leading to the ford guys crying every season because the car they use was an after thought after the T-Bird was axed) . They didn't just happen to make it with a sweeping front, high decklid, and squared off edges on the rear; things which just all happen to be perfect aerodynamically for racing at superspeedways.

 

[NFS4]

<<

<<
I have a problem with calling a car what it isn't.

I don't give a crap about football, b/c I don't watch. So I could care less. But I DO like automobiles. If you're going to call something a Monte Carlo, at least have something else in common with it besides the basic body shape. Case in point:

Corvette C5-R vs Corvette
Viper GTS-R vs Viper GTS

etc, etc. >>



It's all money and sponsorship man, don't get all worked up over it. They need a body style to base the cars on, and they use known american manufacturers to do so, and that's it. NASCAR is big business, and it sells cars, so the manufacturers have to have a tie in. But, if you think the way those cars look on the street is not influenced by the race cars, you are mistaken. Take the Monte Carlo for instance, the body style of that car was designed to be a race car, and that's why that body shape has been so successful (leading to the ford guys crying every season because the car they use was an after thought after the T-Bird was axed) . They didn't just happen to make it with a sweeping front, high decklid, and squared off edges on the rear; things which just all happen to be perfect aerodynamically for racing at superspeedways. >>


Oh, I know the Monte Carlo was styled for Nascar, that's why it's so damned ugly and rather poor selling In fact, the whole NASCAR-Dealership marketing thing must not be working too well.

The Monte Carlo, Intrepid, and Grand Prix are far from being top sellers...in fact, Grand Prix sales were down 14% last year. These cars are getting r@ped by the Japanese in sales. The Taurus has been lagging in 3rd place in the car sales race for years behind the Accord and Camry.

Maybe Honda and Toyota should field some teams

 

[trmiv]

Well, all you crash lovers just got your wish.




<< Oh, I know the Monte Carlo was styled for Nascar, that's why it's so damned ugly and rather poor selling In fact, the whole NASCAR-Dealership marketing thing must not be working too well.

The Monte Carlo, Intrepid, and Grand Prix are far from being top sellers...in fact, Grand Prix sales were down 14% last year. These cars are getting r@ped by the Japanese in sales. The Taurus has been lagging in 3rd place in the car sales race for years behind the Accord and Camry.

Maybe Honda and Toyota should field some teams >>



What's funny is, I don't think general motors, chrysler, or ford care about how well those cars sell from NASCAR advertising.. They probably sell far fewer of those cars to NASCAR fans, than to non-fans. What they do care about is manufacturer tie-in, and they do that well. They know most of their NASCAR target audience drives and buys trucks, and they do very well in that area. They know it doesn't matter what kind of car is out there, all they want to do is get some brand loyalty, and they get that.

 

[alrocky]

It's not the hot women in attendance? Someone was telling me it's better if you have a pit pass and that there were gorgeous women at the races. The latter is fine but racing seems to fall closer to non-spectator sport. Isn't hockey better to watch in person but racing better on TV?

 

[trmiv]

<< It's not the hot women in attendance? Someone was telling me it's better if you have a pit pass and that there were gorgeous women at the races. The latter is fine but racing seems to fall closer to non-spectator sport. Isn't hockey better to watch in person but racing better on TV? >>



Racing does tend to attract some nice looking ladies. Hey, why do you think I'm a race car driver? You can't overlook the "did I mention I'm a race car driver?" element when meeting some girl.

 

[murphy55d]

4 left turns... how in the world can I contain my excitement?

 

[Dhawk]

Well if any of you are watching the race right now, there was a huge wreck that had 17 cars involved. Flames, spinnging through the infield, crunched sheet metal. That was exciting. And best of all no one was hurt.

I believe that is why a lot of people watch racing.

 

[mikebb]

Watching Nascar on TV is cool, but try going to a race. There's something about beer, the hot sun, the smell of 43 race cars burning 110 octane fuel, and 120db for 4 hours that's just irresistable. Never mind the racing, that's exciting in itself. Well, to each his own.

 

[Sir Fredrick]

On the topic of sprint cars: they're freaking awesome. I don't really enjoy watching them, but I'm still amazed by them. That takes awesome skill. Did you know that they average speeds that are faster than NASCAR speeds, on the same tracks? Partially they can pull that off because they're riding on dirt, they can slide right around the corners.
Very very dangerous sport though. Any of you know who Brad Doty is? He announces for TNN, I'm friends with his daughter. For those who don't know, he's paralyzed from the waist down due to a crash while racing sprint cars. He's a very cool guy, and oh yeah, he taught Jeff Gordon how to race sprint cars back before anyone even knew who Jeff Gordon was.

 

[amdskip]

Well, why don't you just shut up if you don't have anything positive to say. I happen to love nascar and to drive a car you must be more physically fit than any athlete in the world, thats a fact! Nascar drivers are real athletes who work year round and work for a lot less $$$$ than all basketball, football, etc players.

How often do you read about a NASCAR driver having an alcohol or drug related problem, nada, never, zilch so shut up already!!!!

Amdskip~now in a pissy mood!:|

 

[Theslowone]

Everyone has their idea of entertainment. I can watch it(not a lot of it) and to me its on par with almost every other sport out on entertainment level, and above golf, soccer, mens tennis. And the reason you see it on tv is because it is the fastest growing sport in the US, for that matter the world. How many people go to the World Series in the seven games? How many people go to one big race, such as Daytona, Talledaga, Indy?

Average attendance per event is 190k people for Winston cup, 69000 for bush grand national, 21000 for basketball, 63000 for football, 31000 for baseball. It would be stupid not to show it on tv, if this many people go to see it.