Embarrassing Blowout for NASCAR

Washington Post ^ | October 17, 2005 | By Liz Clarke

[MarkL]

That wasn't the Indy 500. That was F1's Indianapolis Grand Prix.

Oops! My bad.

Mark

[RichardW]

They should look at reducing the weight of the vehicles from about 3,400 pounds to perhaps 3,200 pounds. That would remove some of the weight and they should also consider reducing the cubic inch displacement from about 358 cubic inches to perhaps 305 cubic inch displacement. And they ought to just shut down Daytona and Taladega and reconfigure them into a flat track, much the way that Pocono is which is just as long but much lower speeds. I can't recall that race ever being afflicted with blowouts. Restrictor plate racing should just go away.

I've been to Charlotte and don't recall anything at all like this. It was rough but not dangerous. Looks like it is much worse after whatever they did to the track.

[patricktschetter]

If it weren't for the races being accessible on TV, I probably wouldn't be a Nascar fan. I live in North Dakota, a day's drive from any Cup track, and the track that I am closest to hosts only one Cup race a year (and it's one of those cookie-cutter 1.5 mi. ovals that I don't care much for anyway). Nascar could and did exist without TV, but TV's been pretty important to growing the fan base beyond the South.

[houeto]

I'm not sure what the problem is but races should be won by the fastest car/driver and not by the luck of the tire draw.

The teams asked Goodyear for softer tires and they got 'em. Stoopid is as stoopid does!

[RightCanuck]

Now that's a great evenings entertainment!!!

[harpu]

Like all sports, there are different levels of fans. If you need TV to just be a fan...you're probably not really a "NASCAR fan" (Dictionary.com says; "fan = An ardent devotee; an enthusiast" [Short for fanatic.])

So, 'patrickschetter', has TV really made you a NASCAR fan, or just a happy viewer of a really fantastic sport?

[SouthTexas]

manufacturer's recommended tire pressures are posted on the inside drivers door frame near the door latch. Jeez!

But the doors don't open, ya can't see it. ;)

[SouthTexas]

"But it's going to be tricky, going to be tough. There are a lot of new variables. The tires are going to give up, the cars are going to be very aero-sensitive. It's going to be difficult, I feel." Knaus said the alterations to the Goodyear tire compound -- namely on the left side tires - were made to offset the aerodynamic changes to the spoiler. The resulting overall aerodynamic changes to the cars could result in less passing at the front of the field. Nascar

It wasn't Goodyear.

[Nasty McPhilthy]

Well, sometimes they put it in the glovebox.

[SouthTexas]

Ain't got one of those either, that's why they pile all the electronics on the dash. ;)

[AGreatPer]

Some sneaky drivers turn on their high-beams when they are behind another car. They should put a stop to that.

[Lancey Howard]

I actually heard a NASCAR race on the radio last week.
It sounded like a fly was buzzing in circles around my head.

[Windsong]

I saw the IMAX film "Nascar" month before last and it was INCREDIBLE!

My ears are still ringing from the LOUD volume. Wasn't particularly a NASCAR fan at the time, but now I am.

[SouthTexas]

That's an easy fix, just tape over the lights. :)

For those who don't know, the headlights are only stickers, no glass allowed on the track.

[leadpenny]

Thanks, deport, I guess they didn't want to call it the NASCAR Zamboni instead of the Texas Tire Monster? Didn't know anything like that existed.

[Condor51]

***Tire failures have influenced the outcome of several races recently.***

That's what I thought, though I still may be crazy :-).

I specifically remember at the beginning of the season when NASCAR was on FOX and 'DW' would ask rhetorically - "what's more important in this race, gas or tires".

[PA Engineer]

NASCAR hasn't been NASCAR since they went to driving caricatures instead of "stock" cars.

Maybe he is talking about these cars. ;-)