Posted on 07/16/2004 10:45:34 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
It is. I can't recall the exact speeds, but it goes something like:
They come down the hill at well over 100 mph, then they need to downshift and hit the turn (the shapest on the track) at about 30 mph. It ain't easy.
I used to love to stand there.
The most impressive thing I ever saw was Kenny Roberts (the best motorcycle racer who ever has or likely will ever live), head out from the start line in a noisy pack.
There was complete silence for a time after that, as the course takes them up over a hill. You could hear a bird chirp.
I went over to turn 9 to watch the crashes.
After a few minutes, one motorcycle came down that hill, all by itself. Roberts. It was amazing. I have never seen anything like it.
I also once watched him race at the San Jose Mile against "The Springer", who himself is a wonderful rider, and who just retired last year.
Springsteen was riding for Harley; Roberts for Yamaha. Harleys were better suited to that track, but Roberts was the (very slightly) better rider.
I have also never seen anything like that race. I doubt I ever will. Roberts won by about two inches.
If you get a chance, go to Laguna Seca sometime. It's worth the trip, and they have a variety of different races. You can hit the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Big Sur too, all within a few days. Very well worth it.
I miss NED Jarrett, RICHARD Petty, RALPH Earnhardt, COO COO Marlin, and Curtis Turner, Fred Lorenzen, Junior Johnson (the driver), and that whole generation.
These new kids are the biggest bunch of prima donnas I've seen since Major League Baseball.
Phooey!
DIRT TRACK RACIN' THIS WEEKEND!!!
YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!
Have fun!
Hey!
You left out Harry Gant :o)
Is that "open wheels". I like those. They seem to have disappeared.
Mario Andretti was still a driver back then.
He was a class act.
No, it's not.
You know that they hang their knees out during turns in order to keep track of their angle on the turn? The best racers have well scuffed knee-pads (and broken knees). You can't be looking at the speedometer.
I find that frightening. I couldn't do it.
Rusty knows what he is talking. He was involved in the wild incident at Talladega in 1993 which sent him flying in the air violently, and Mark Martin was injured in a one-lap wild sprint at Daytona. This two-lap sprint format precariously could cause a serious injury in the future.
And the NCTS races can NOW end under caution. One NCTS race lasted 14 laps after its 186-lap distance because of excessive cautions at the end of the race.
Larry McReynolds also dislikes it because it prevents the crew chief from "running the race backwards" and that's important.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.