'Dega Proves To Be Too Exciting For Some

by 4ever3 on Apr 27, 2009 1:11 AM EDT Comment 8 comments

Man what a race today. Did you see the mayhem? It was vehicular carnage at best.

In the Race Day Open Thread I asked whether ‘The Big One’ would come at the beginning, middle, or end of the race. Little did I know it would come at nearly all three points of the race (lap 8, lap 180, and the last lap).

As most of you know I’m not even close to being a Carl Edwards fan but let me tell you when his car went airborne towards the fence in the tri-oval I was hoping he’d be alright. Man was I glad to see him get out of that car and to see him run down the track to cross the finish line was pretty cool.

But what impressed me the most was his acceptance of the crash as his fault for trying to put up a block and failing rather than it being Keselowski’s fault.

Although he did lay blame on NASCAR for making the yellow line a no-no to go below forcing Keselowski to stay where he was on the track instead of moving out of the way of Edwards’ car and you know I can’t blame him for saying that either – I know I would have said it too if I were him.

What is really tragic here is that (according to latest reports) at least 7 fans were injured in the mess. None seriously but 2 were taken to hospital for further treatment.

Restrictor plate racing has its pros and cons – the cars go too fast to safely circle the track with no restrictor plate and bunch up too much with a restrictor plate creating the kind of racing we saw today.

NASCAR needs to re-evaluate the situation before more fans are hurt or even killed in the future, but I don’t know what they are going to do about it – run 4-cylynders on super-speedways?

So what about Keselowski? What a great run for him. His win proves one thing though, anyone, absolutely anyone, can win on a restrictor plate track regardless of funding. Congratulations to Brad for his 1^st career Cup win.

BTW, I don’t believe that Brad did anything wrong on the last lap either. He got his nose under Carl fair and square and stayed within the rules as defined and enforced by NASCAR.

There are a lot of other story lines that unfolded today as a result of the crashes (like the change in point standings due mostly to the first and second wrecks) but I’m tired and I’m going to bed now so I’ll touch on them tomorrow … er … I mean later today!

Take Care.

Keselowski Photo by Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR

First Wreck Photo from nascar.com via yahoo.com

Edwards Running To Finish Line from nascar.com via yahoo.com

Edwards Crash Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images for NASCAR

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Bulldoze the Banking

Daytona is due for repaving – tear down the banking and replace with progressive banking of 12-15-18 deg. Eliminate the restrictor plates. A 2.5 mile track with progressive banking and no restrictor plates would make for great racing.
Dave Despain on Speed Channel’s Wind Tunnel agrees with me.

"The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt." - Bertrand Russell

by phastphil on Apr 27, 2009 11:09 AM EDT reply actions

You know

there might be something there, but I still think the cars would reach the same speeds they currently do and you’d still have the same problems once a car gets sideways – you might get rid of the large packs of cars running together but the speeds probably wouldn’t change.

by 4ever3 on Apr 27, 2009 4:38 PM EDT up reply actions

Think about it

You’re telling me that cars coming down the long backstretch full speed, top end, would not have brake, slow way down, for corner 3/4 if it had 18 degree banking? Same goes for the front tri-oval entering 1/2.

"The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt." - Bertrand Russell

by phastphil on Apr 28, 2009 10:37 AM EDT up reply actions

Think about it yourself - You answered your own question here

At the end of the straight they will be going at top speed – that’s my point. Of course they will have to brake – although I don’t think they’d have to brake on the tri-oval as they would still be accelerating.

by 4ever3 on Apr 28, 2009 7:21 PM EDT up reply actions

Key Point - At the end of the Straight

not in the middle where they will dueling to cross the finish line.

"The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt." - Bertrand Russell

by phastphil on Apr 29, 2009 10:42 AM EDT reply actions

Now you see

If you had said that you were concerned about crashes where the fans sit then I would have gotten the point a little better, but they will still crash at high speeds at the end of the back stretch with or without banking. I agree though that the chances of a crash like Edwards’ would certainly be far less on the front strech where the fans are with less banking.

by 4ever3 on Apr 30, 2009 12:37 AM EDT up reply actions

You Still Don't Get It!

It’s the constant high speed that’s the problem. Speed of 190 mph at every point in the race track with race cars nose to tail is a recipe for disaster. Yes it’s exciting, but what are you going to say when the big one happens and 3 or 4 cars go airborne like Edwards. Restrictor plate racing is not real racing – give me Richmond or any other short track anytime.
Tear Down the Damn Banking – you will never convince me otherwise – GIVE IT UP!

"The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt." - Bertrand Russell

by phastphil on May 1, 2009 10:59 AM EDT up reply actions

You Still Don't Get It Either!

I see your point, but you can’t tell me having cars going 190 = mph into 18 degree banking isn’t going to stop airborne crashes regardless if they are in a pack of 40 or a pack of 2. Remember Edwards was in just a pack of 4 cars (not 40) when he went airborne.
It doesn’t matter – you will never convince me otherwise – GIVE IT UP! Unless of course they make the track shorter too.

by 4ever3 on May 1, 2009 7:06 PM EDT up reply actions