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Post by Carl on Aug 27, 2019 17:54:01 GMT
Forgetting NASCAR is a virtue  Around 15 - 20 years ago (where does the time go!) I used to really enjoy the recorded races shown on late night UK TV, the cars were much better than the formulaic crap of current times. I really liked Jeff Gordon at the time, and before that Ole Iron Head (I think I have that right but am open for correction). they then brought in the "Car Of Tomorrow" which was the beginning of the slide downward; and to quote James Whitham "In my opinion". Of course it all pales when compared with the likes of Petty; Yarborough and Pearson etc etc. The sound track of those V8 motors is just pure magic, as were the original Australian Touring Cars. Jeff Gordon had early great success in USAC dirt track racing and tried to interest Champ Car teams before turning to stock cars. Incredibly, he wasn't taken seriously because of his shy good manners and a babyface that made him look 14! What a colossal blunder to overlook someone with talent so abundant to have easily become a world champion.
NASCAR was more authentic in the 1960s and 1970s and, as you said, the cars all uniquely different. The series has been ruined by the stupidity and greed of the grandchildren of founder Bill France, irrefutable proof that nepotistic dynasties always have defective genes.
My favorite drivers from that period were Bobbie Allison and David Pearson, fearsome on ovals and also fast and smooth road racers.
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Post by Carl on Aug 27, 2019 18:14:31 GMT
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Post by chrisb on Aug 28, 2019 5:22:33 GMT
excellent Carl, some tragic names there [Glenn Fireball Roberts] but the King and the intimidator will always be my favourite drivers and names.
didn't Eddie Sachs have a nickname?
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Post by Carl on Aug 28, 2019 15:24:44 GMT
excellent Carl, some tragic names there [Glenn Fireball Roberts] but the King and the intimidator will always be my favourite drivers and names. didn't Eddie Sachs have a nickname? He was called the "Clown Prince of Racing", always smiling and laughing at life. |
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Post by charleselan on Sept 9, 2019 17:41:15 GMT
Around 15 - 20 years ago (where does the time go!) I used to really enjoy the recorded races shown on late night UK TV, the cars were much better than the formulaic crap of current times. I really liked Jeff Gordon at the time, and before that Ole Iron Head (I think I have that right but am open for correction). they then brought in the "Car Of Tomorrow" which was the beginning of the slide downward; and to quote James Whitham "In my opinion". Of course it all pales when compared with the likes of Petty; Yarborough and Pearson etc etc. The sound track of those V8 motors is just pure magic, as were the original Australian Touring Cars. Jeff Gordon had early great success in USAC dirt track racing and tried to interest Champ Car teams before turning to stock cars. Incredibly, he wasn't taken seriously because of his shy good manners and a babyface that made him look 14! What a colossal blunder to overlook someone with talent so abundant to have easily become a world champion.
NASCAR was more authentic in the 1960s and 1970s and, as you said, the cars all uniquely different. The series has been ruined by the stupidity and greed of the grandchildren of founder Bill France, irrefutable proof that nepotistic dynasties always have defective genes.
My favorite drivers from that period were Bobbie Allison and David Pearson, fearsome on ovals and also fast and smooth road racers.
Yes Carl, Jeff Gordon was a real star, real quality driver. Wasn't the character played by Tom Cruise "Days Of Thunder" sort of inspired by Jeff Gordon, at the very least how he came into Nascar via single seater racing? |
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Post by Carl on Sept 9, 2019 22:19:39 GMT
Jeff Gordon had early great success in USAC dirt track racing and tried to interest Champ Car teams before turning to stock cars. Incredibly, he wasn't taken seriously because of his shy good manners and a babyface that made him look 14! What a colossal blunder to overlook someone with talent so abundant to have easily become a world champion.
NASCAR was more authentic in the 1960s and 1970s and, as you said, the cars all uniquely different. The series has been ruined by the stupidity and greed of the grandchildren of founder Bill France, irrefutable proof that nepotistic dynasties always have defective genes.
My favorite drivers from that period were Bobbie Allison and David Pearson, fearsome on ovals and also fast and smooth road racers.
Yes Carl, Jeff Gordon was a real star, real quality driver. Wasn't the character played by Tom Cruise "Days Of Thunder" sort of inspired by Jeff Gordon, at the very least how he came into Nascar via single seater racing? Most likely the character was based on Tim Richmond. Jeff Gordon was still racing in USAC in 1990, winning national championships that year and the next. On the IMDB film website pages devoted to "Days of Thunder", there is this in the trivia section:
"Tom Cruise and Robert Duvall characters are (very) loosely based on former driver Tim Richmond and his crew chief Harry Hyde. Richmond was known as an overnight sensation, and Hyde was the veteran crew chief. The scene where Duvall's character teaches Cruise about tire management is based on an actual incident between Hyde and Richmond".
Given free rein by his wealthy father, Richmond began in Champ Cars in 1980 and was faster during Indy 500 practice than ultimate pole and race winner Johnny Rutherford's Chaparral 2K, a superb design by John Barnard. Always restless, he soon moved to NASCAR and was quickly one of the fastest on both ovals and road courses. That's when I became aware and remember being very impressed. He lived fast and wild and died young after contracting AIDS, most likely from a prostitute.
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Post by charleselan on Sept 10, 2019 13:40:09 GMT
Yes Carl, Jeff Gordon was a real star, real quality driver. Wasn't the character played by Tom Cruise "Days Of Thunder" sort of inspired by Jeff Gordon, at the very least how he came into Nascar via single seater racing? Most likely the character was based on Tim Richmond. Jeff Gordon was still racing in USAC in 1990, winning national championships that year and the next. On the IMDB film website pages devoted to "Days of Thunder", there is this in the trivia section:
"Tom Cruise and Robert Duvall characters are (very) loosely based on former driver Tim Richmond and his crew chief Harry Hyde. Richmond was known as an overnight sensation, and Hyde was the veteran crew chief. The scene where Duvall's character teaches Cruise about tire management is based on an actual incident between Hyde and Richmond".
Given free rein by his wealthy father, Richmond began in Champ Cars in 1980 and was faster during Indy 500 practice than ultimate pole and race winner Johnny Rutherford's Chaparral 2K, a superb design by John Barnard. Always restless, he soon moved to NASCAR and was quickly one of the fastest on both ovals and road courses. That's when I became aware and remember being very impressed. He lived fast and wild and died young after contracting AIDS, most likely from a prostitute.
Of course Carl, Tim Richmond who really did live fast and wild. A tragic tale if ever there was one. |
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Post by Carl on Sept 21, 2019 1:28:19 GMT
I mean no offense to anyone in Singapore, but except in terms of billions of dollars per square foot, the circuit suffers in comparison to Laguna Seca, where Indy qualifying takes place Saturday for Sunday's final race of the season.
Second Practice results: 1. Ryan Hunter-Reay / Andretti Autosport 1'09.9105 115.244 mph 2. Felix Rosenqvist / Ganassi Racing 1'09.9305 115.212 mph 3. Colton Herta / Harding Racing 1'09.9317 115.210 mph 4. Simon Pagenaud / Team Penske 1'10.1353 114.875 mph 5. Santino Ferrucci / Dale Coyne Racing 1'10.2066 114.758 mph 6. Josef Newgarden / Team Penske 1'10.2248 114.729 mph 7. Scott Dixon / Chip Ganassi Racing 1'10.2722 114.651 8. Will Power / Team Penske 1'10.3350 114.549 mph 9. Marcus Ericsson / Schmidt Peterson Motorsports 1'10.3910 114.458 mph 10. Charlie Kimball / Carlin Motorsport 1'10.4359 114.385 mph |
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Post by mikael on Sept 21, 2019 5:06:30 GMT
Top ten within half a second! That's very impressive indeed.
A great circuit, Laguna Seca. To go through the famous "Corkscrew" at speed - that must really be something to behold; like being on board a roller coaster at Disneyland ...
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Post by René on Sept 21, 2019 9:54:24 GMT
I mean no offense to anyone in Singapore, but except in terms of billions of dollars per square foot, the circuit suffers in comparison to Laguna Seca, where Indy qualifying takes place Saturday for Sunday's final race of the season. No argument there, Carl. Even if I do think Marina Bay is not a bad street course, Laguna Seca is one of the GREAT tracks. Up and down, long sweeping corners and the famous corkscrew, fantastic! Really looking forward to this race. I will support Josef Newgarden as I've done all year but I also like Rossi. May the best man win!  |
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Post by Carl on Sept 21, 2019 16:29:42 GMT
Rene, The awesome dry lagoon (laguna seca) was even more challenging in its original layout with more fast sweeping turns, changed in 1988 to satisfy minimum track length required by the FIM. The severely tight turns leading into the infield are still there long after MotoGP came and went...
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Post by René on Sept 21, 2019 18:12:48 GMT
That's cool Carl. Altering the original layout happened to many legendary tracks. But like Spa it is still a wonderful racetrack.
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Post by Carl on Sept 22, 2019 1:20:37 GMT
The remarkable Colton Herta deservedly won pole. All three Penske drivers made rookie mistakes in qualifying while actual rookie Herta made none. On the other hand, fellow rookie Felix Rosenqvist might have taken pole if not for a harsh penalty for impeding that seemed draconian.
1. Colton Herta / Harding Racing 1'09.9828 115.125 mph
2. Scott Dixon / Chip Ganassi Racing 1'10.0845 114.958 mph
3. Alexander Rossi / Andretti Autosport 1'10.2332 114.715 mph
4. Josef Newgarden / Team Penske 1'10.2674 114.659 mph
5. James Hinchcliffe / Schmidt Peterson Motorsports 1'10.4387 114.380 mph
6. Simon Pagenaud / Team Penske 1'10.6031 114.114 mph
7. Will Power / Team Penske 1'10.6086 114.105 mph
8. Graham Rahal / Rahal Letterman Racing 1'10.6296 114.071 mph
9. Ryan Hunter-Reay / Andretti Autosport 1'10.6919 113.971 mph
10. Max Chilton / Carlin Motorsport 1'10.7257 113.916 mph
11. Marcus Ericsson / Schmidt Peterson Motorsports 1'11.1666 113.210 mph
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Post by Carl on Sept 23, 2019 1:16:56 GMT
The final race of the year at Laguna Seca was extraordinary, with fierce battles for position all the way through Will Power's desperate attempt to out-brake Colton Herta into the very last corner. Winner Herta led 82 of the 90 laps, an amazing display by a rookie driver still in his teens.
Takuma Sato, Matheus Leist and Zach Veach, perhaps for the first time ever, somehow went three-wide through the corkscrew, all three emerging unscathed and without penalty, only Veach's pride damaged.
Josef Newgarden drove a safe race to win the championship, but everyone else drove with near-total abandon tempered by skill. Great race!
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Post by chrisb on Sept 23, 2019 6:00:36 GMT
I managed to find the opening laps somehow, gosh that circuit is just brilliant isn't it, Herta looks like someone with a bright future, really impressive, hopefully I can find more of the race later on, but gosh I miss racing at proper circuits
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