Raceday Warmup: Talladega

Mr Tony the S. is right-on when he alludes to the growing similarity between NASCAR and Pro-wrestling.

There was a time, and not too long ago, when at the track..a Chevy was a Chevy, a Ford...a Ford. Those were the days when fans could cheer on their favorite brand of vehicle. Those were the days when a racing fan could walk into a dealership on Monday and practically purchase the car you saw racing on Sunday, minus the roll cage, body graphics and beefed up under-carriage.

The cars we see on the tracks today are so rarified that they no longer bear resemblance to the brand badges they wear.

Classic example is the entry of Toyota into the sport.
The Camry is a front wheel drive vehicle that offers a 265 hp V6, not a V8 rear drive package...what is on the track, with its decal headlights, tail lights and numerous other body features, is not a Camry. Not even close.

As if these cobbled together imitators are not bad enough, now they introduce the "COT." The Car of Tomorrow is nobody's car and will never satisfy the fan base. NASCAR had better start heading back to it's roots, back to the Fan's cars, back closer to reality, back to the wide open racing of "yesterday,"
or they will be facing a bleak tomorrow.

I'm a long time racing fan who has just about had it with these NASCAR prototypes. A stock Ford, Chevy or Dodge V8 will never need to be governed by restrictor plates....they can run wide open. Put some real drivers in some real cars and let them have at it, while they fans can cheer some "real" racing.

Such is not the case today.

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Your right Arbee...
Tony hasnt damaged NASCARS 'credibility'.
They are doing it quite nicely themselves.

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I agree with what he said. NASCAR as it is so well pointed out by so many people, is a company, and as such they do what they must to make money. Right now, moving into other markets is not making them the money they figured, they are from what I have heard losing the fan base. While at some tracks, the fans still show. As for the COT, I wish they would go back to the way it was back in the day. That is not going to happen, I just hope that they develope the COT to be more like the Impala's, Camery's, Avengers' and Fusions, that I can buy at the dealership.

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If Nascar wants to show us how credible they are maybe they could do a few things to show it...like post the pit roads speeds publicly...paint the 'scoring loop' lines on the track where the public and TV can actually see them...be consistant with the penalties they distribute. Nascar has created their own credibility problem. Tony just said what many fans AND media have been saying for the past 4 years.

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Tony Stewart wrecks more people than a teenager would.

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Can Geoffrey Miller really believe that one man's words can destroy a multi-billion dollar industry? Miller apparently believes that by ignoring the problems, they will go away. However, by ignoring the problems, NASCAR will go away. Tony Stewart is right. NASCAR racing has left its roots to try to earn the big bucks. Unfortunately, the more money involved, the greater the risk of cheating, and when the public realizes that the races are not won on skill, but on luck and cheating, the public will look elsewhere for it's entertainment. Might as well go to Vegas, pick your favorite number on the roulette wheel, and root for it.
(1) The first problem is that cautions take away all the hard work done by the leader, thereby causing even a righteous caution to create unfairness.
(2) The second problem is that cautions can be intentionally created by drivers trying to catch the leader (or help their teammate catch the leader). (Remember the incident of the glove on the track last year and NASCAR's claimed efforts (unsuccessful)to determine who tossed the glove onto the track.)
If NASCAR wants to be a major sport (and it appears that it is losing the gains it achieved in the past several years) it needs to convince the prospective fans that it is a true sport and not a crap shoot in which the winner is dependent more on luck and or cheating ability than skill in putting together and driving a race car. I would suggest that a rule be created that when cautions occur within 25 miles of the end of the race, the cars be placed in their respective positions at the time the caution occurs. Thus, if someone has a sizable lead, he retains that lead after the caution. This will eliminate much of the incentive of intentionally creating a caution.

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I'm beginning to not care anymore since it costs at the very least 500 bucks for 2 nights hotel by the track for the California race+tickets,another 300 bucks for the weekend of racing,gas,food...etc.....going to any race is not cheap ans NASCAR is not the same by any means as it once was.
When the stands look even more bare on TV maybe the rules might change to benefit all,instead of a few.

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NASCAR HAS BECOME A JOKE. I AGREE WITH TONY STEWART 100% WAITING UNTIL JEFF GORDON TAKES THE LEAD PROVES HIS POINT.I WILL NEVER WATCH NOR SUPPORT NASCAR AGAIN. BESIDES ALTHOUGH WRESTLING IS A JOKE ITSELF IT ATLEAST ADMITS THAT THE OUTCOMES ARE PREDETERMINED.AND ITS MORE ENJOYABLE TO WATCH. I HOPE JEFF GORDSCAR CONTINUES TO DECLINE TOO THE POINT THAT THE DRIVERS TAKE IT BACK OVER.

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I just got done watching Talledega, and all I can say about Stewart is what a sore loser. He needs to keep his big mouth shut. He wrecks more people out there and then gets mad when its done to him.

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I think that Nascar should give Tony Stewart his money back. I feel that there is truth in what he has said even though he did benefit today. I went to a Coca Cola 600 race a couple of years ago, which had rain delays throughout the race. The race continued up until around the half way point which is required in order to be complete. Well the speedway is known as tyhe Lowes motor speedway. What better prize than to call the race the lap after Jimmy Johnson takes the lead. That lined Lowes Home Improvement's account, but didn't do much for the race fans. Maybe Home Depot should buy naming rights to a track somewhere, or even Budweiser so someone else can win.

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Im a huge NASCAR

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NASCAR proved what Tony said about cautions today at talledega. I think its kinda funny how the yellow didnt come out until Gordon took the lead, it should have come out as soon as Davids motor blew up not after he has already got off the track. Tony was right, NASCAR can dictate a race with a caution, and thay did today.

Any credibility problems NASCAR has thay caused themselves. Remember when Dale jr was fined and penalized points in the middle of the case for two words he said in victory lane at Talledega. Ive heard many drivers say those same words and thay didnt even get a slap on the wrist. That shows me that NASCAR picks favorits and are not consistant on fines and penalties. NASCAR has a lot of work to do to fix credibility problems thay caused.

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Oh boohoo, poor Tony, he cries when NASCAR doesnt listen to him, he cries when some one hits him, and he cries when he doesn't win. What is he going to cry about next?

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What Tony said is the truth, I can'a hardly believe that the NA$CAR we see on TV now, is what Bill France Sr. had in mind when he created the series.

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Stewart talks about retiring all the time. Is he going to do it or is he just going to blow his mouth off about that to just like he does every thing else.

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Tony Stewart is right on. He isn't afraid to speak his mind - just as he's always been.

Plenty of other drivers agree with Stewart about the mysterious "debris" cautions, but he's the only one with the balls to say it. And his meeting with NASCAR had nothing to do with that; it was about skipping the mandatory post-race press conference. A $10,000 fine? That's a drop in the hat.

NASCAR damages its own reputation; Stewart doesn't do it for them. Their subjective rules, and their subjective penalties, are a joke.

Give 'em hell, Tony. The fact that he's still in the top 10 in points after idiotic moves like Gilliland at Talladega and Montoya a few weeks earlier is a credit to his ability and talent. Period.

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i am not a tony stewart fan but he was right about nascar and pro wrestling. the lucky dog rule, wally`s world now d w`s , and nascar application of the rules and fines lowers the sports integerity to some place below pro wrestling. at least wrestling is what you see. with nascar you never know. another situation where someone was chastized for telling the truth. also the only reason not to complete a race under green should be rain or darkness. not doing so is almost as bad as starting the race under green/yellow. the fans are the ones getting screwed. no wonder they trash the track

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