NASCAR.....WWE

[Datawiz]

Originally Posted by JRD77VET

I hope Jeff Gordon does win but the script part is a bit of a reach.

I at least hope it's good racing Craig

Jeff

Jeff is past his prime. If he wins it all....

[RedLS1GTO]

Originally Posted by datawiz

Jeff is past his prime. If he wins it all....

You do realize that under the "old" season long points system he would have won the championship last year, right? ...and it would have been #7.

Like him or hate him, the guy is 1 of the greatest drivers in any series, ever. Even a little past his prime he's still 1 of the best and damn competitive.

If not for a caution near the end today, he would have won comfortably. Instead he had to survive a 2 lap shootout at a short track. Was that part of the script... just to add some drama?

I guess guys like Roger Penske, Jack Roush, Joe Gibbs... not to mention 42 other drivers whose entire livelihoods depend on it are all in on it? I still find it hard to believe that someone who actually races could think that 43 cars bouncing off of each other at Martinsville (or any other track) could be even remotely "scripted".

If Gordon does end up winning, are you going to claim you were right or... could it be that the guy actually went and won? I'm not much of a NASCAR fan these days. In fact, I haven't watched a single race without DVR and fast forward, but SCRIPTED? Yea, Not so much.

[carlton_fritz]

Originally Posted by datawiz

NASCAR lost me as a fan a decade ago because of scripting. I owned 3,000 shares of Speedway Motorsports when NASCAR's tv deal was announced. The stocked jumped a TON. Ever since, NASCAR has been chasing the TV money. They broke the sport and alienated themselves from their core fan base. Results are scripted.

Many times I called the winner before the race started just by listening to who the announcers were blowing.

[Superstreet]

Originally Posted by markids77

So what advantage will Kenseth gain for harpooning Logano today? Likely loss of points for next season seems not to be a reward for helping Nascar help Jeff.

(My statement has nothing to do about Jeff, just Kenseth and Logano) Kenseth intentionally wrecking not only took Logano out for a possible win at Martinsville, it took him totally out of contention for staying in the chase and a chance at the championship.





Kenseth is a coward. He won't even man up to what he did. "I had a tire going down and I couldn't turn." He slowed down and then sped up when Logano drove by him, turned into Logano's quarter panel and shoved him into the wall (while still in the gas pedal) Kenseth didn't hit the brakes until about 30' before hitting the wall.

[Jeff '79]

Originally Posted by carlton_fritz

Many times I called the winner before the race started just by listening to who the announcers were blowing.

I picked the top two drivers for the Martinsville race and never watch any pre-race or post race shows.
I'm in on it too, I guess...

[RedLS1GTO]

Originally Posted by carlton_fritz

Many times I called the winner before the race started just by listening to who the announcers were blowing.

Or.... could it be that by a large majority, the announcers are pretty knowledgeable of the sport and have a good handle on who is good at a track, etc?

Dale Jr is good at the plate tracks. Kyle Busch is good at Vegas (and others). Gordon is good at Martinsville, Indy, etc. I'm pretty sure that the announcers might mention that before the race... and shockingly enough, many times the guy who is historically good at a track wins.

Originally Posted by Superstreet

Kenseth intentionally wrecking not only took Logano out for a possible win at Martinsville, it took him totally out of contention for staying in the chase and a chance at the championship.

Not true. Still 2 races to go. He wins, he's in. Given that he has won 3 of the last 4 and had a hell of a shot at making it 4 of 4, him winning 1 of the next 2 isn't exactly a long shot...

Hell, I wouldn't even put it past him to get in on points as well as they've been. With 2 distinct groups coming out of Martinsville, all it would take is either Busch, Harvick, or Truex to have a bad race and it's back to wide open for 1 of those bottom 4. It's a long way from over.

[island14]

I have not watched a NASCAR race in almost 15 years and have never seen most of the guys racing these days drive at all.

One thing I have seen and know for a fact is that Jeff Gordan can drive a dang race car..

And also see now that Craig knows how to fish


SUCKERS!!!

[RedLS1GTO]

Originally Posted by island14

And also see now that Craig knows how to fish


SUCKERS!!!

[Hoog]

All bullshit conspiracy theories aside...Martinsville has the coolest trophy in motorsports.

[RedLS1GTO]

Originally Posted by island14

One thing I have seen and know for a fact is that Jeff Gordan can drive a dang race car..

Him leaving might be the final nail in the coffin of my regular viewership. As I said above, I haven't watched outside of DVR this year, but I do still keep up for the most part.

I posted this in a previous thread when he was retiring but thought it would fit here as well.

Originally Posted by RedLS1GTO

Once, in about 1999 or so, we went to visit the HMS shop during the 600 race weekend. My dad (in a wheelchair) and I were looking around the front areas and the "museum" of HMS cars. Out of nowhere, Jeff walked up, shook our hands, introduced himself... like he was some random guy off the street... and proceeded to show us around the shop for at least an hour.

About 5 years later, at another race in Charlotte, my dad was cruising around the pits, looking at the cars and just being a fan in general. He was having a hard time with the crowd around the 24 garage (with the wheelchair). Jeff walked out, moved the barrier, parted the crowd, and let him come sit right beside the car as they did all of the pre-race stuff. For a fan like my old man, that was pretty amazing. Again, he shook his hand and recognized that dad was the guy he had walked around the shop years earlier.

I grew up at short tracks, Indy, etc but the first Cup race I ever went to was the inaugural Brickyard 400 with dad, front row, exit of turn 3. I've been a fan ever since. It took the stories above and a few years to convince the old man to root for him. Watching him win what is most likely his last race last night was oddly emotional. The 1 race I'll watch this year is Homestead... and you can guaran-damn-tee that I'll be rooting for 24 1 last time.

I know it's going to be really strange seeing the 24 with someone else behind the wheel next year.

[RedLS1GTO]

I did also just see a random Martinsville stat...

This is his ninth victory and 37th top-10 finish in 46 races at Martinsville Speedway.

That is absolutely f'n crazy. 23 years and the guy has won as many times as he has finished outside of the top 10.

[island14]

I remember when you told that story about your Dad, great story and made me respect him even more..

Watching him win what is most likely his last race last night was oddly emotional.

He won?


GREAT!!!!! What a way to go out!!!


True story.. A friend of mine's Dad (Bob Daniels) was a racer.

Years ago he won the Feature Race in the Late Models at Shady Bowl Speedway.

Pulled down at the infield to get the checker flag for the victory lap, and when the infield guy went to give the flag to him.. he was gone.

He made it to the end, won his last race ever, and had a heart attack.

They use to have a Bob Daniels Memorial race every year, and probably still do. (not sure)

Robert Elmer "Bobby" Daniels (1925 - 1965) - Find A Grave Memorial

[island14]

Found this also searching the net..

(AP)—Veteran race driver Bob Daniels, 40, who died of a heart attack at the wheel of his car after winning the feature race at Shady Bowl Speedway Saturday night, had been warned by his doctor not to race, his wife said. .Mrs. Lorcnza Danials, who was at the speedway with the couple’s son, Robert Jr., when Daniels died, said her husband had been told to give up racing because he had a heart condition.

Sad he had to go, but he sure went out the way he wanted too..

[Nemesis]

Originally Posted by island14

Found this also searching the net..



Sad he had to go, but he sure went out the way he wanted too..

I would have done the same thing.

[RedLS1GTO]

Originally Posted by island14

He won?


GREAT!!!!! What a way to go out!!!

He was jumping around like it was his first race.



Not sure if you have kept up with how this Championship thing works or not these days. It's a countdown type of deal with drivers eliminated until the last race. Win, and you're automatically on to the next level. At the last race the highest finisher of the 4 remaining drivers wins. It's that simple. Beat the other 3, get the big trophy. This win put him into the final round so he really has 1 race left that matters. Win that race, or at least beat the other 3 who make it (still don't know who) and he goes out as the Champion.

[island14]

Just found these also while searching the net.

[island14]

Originally Posted by RedLS1GTO

Not sure if you have kept up with how this Championship thing works or not these days. It's a countdown type of deal with drivers eliminated until the last race. Win, and you're automatically on to the next level. At the last race the highest finisher of the 4 remaining drivers wins. It's that simple. Beat the other 3, get the big trophy. This win put him into the final round so he really has 1 race left that matters. Win that race, or at least beat the other 3 who make it (still don't know who) and he goes out as the Champion.

I know they changed it but didn't know how they scored it..

Now it sounds more like a luck of the draw lotto as anyone can have a bad day and be counted out.

I prefer the old scoring system that ranks every race and goes by the overall score.



So whats going on now? is there another race? for some reason reading here I thought this was the last one.

[Nemesis]

Why was kenseth mad at logano, apart from the fact that its logano?

[RedLS1GTO]

Originally Posted by island14

I know they changed it but didn't know how they scored it..

Now it sounds more like a luck of the draw lotto as anyone can have a bad day and be counted out.

I prefer the old scoring system that ranks every race and goes by the overall score.



So whats going on now? is there another race? for some reason reading here I thought this was the last one.

There are 5 "rounds" covering the last 10 races. Any winner over the "regular season" gets in. After that the rest are based on points to fill 16 spots. Each round is 3 races. Win, you automatically move to the next. The rest of the spots are filled by points of the non-winners of the round. It starts with 16 > 12 > 8 > 4. When it gets to 4, it's 1 race, winner take all.

1 bad day can definitely take you out unless you win 1 of the other 2 races of that round and get in that way. I'm not a fan of it but I guess it does create some interesting racing, as we saw when Kenseth from a few laps down speared Logano out of the lead yesterday as payback for taking him out a couple of weeks ago and ending his chances to move forward.

There are 3 races left. In the next 2 races (and including Martinsville points) the final 3 who will join Gordon with a chance at the Championship will be determined for the last race at Homestead.













The crowd reaction is priceless.




And on a related note... some of the comments on nascar.com are hilarious.

Shade King

On a side note, he should consider hitting the gym because hes in for a tough road ahead!


Bill Poletti

His only NASCAR match in a fight is Danica. I'd take Danica in a showdown.


Dan Nelson

@Bill Poletti Is that with or without Joey's Daddy holding Danica down or a true one-on-one? If it's the latter, I'll take Danica 3 to 1 over Joey.

[RedLS1GTO]

Originally Posted by Drew M

Why was kenseth mad at logano, apart from the fact that its logano?

Logano punted him out of the lead at Kansas 2 weeks ago and essentially ended his chances of the title.

As a bonus, Logano teammate Keselowski had taken Kenseth out earlier in this race from 2nd place (which he was laps down to begin with).