NASCAR at the Coliseum

[over4T]

Today NASCAR tries one of their new experiments to regain fans and credibility after years of ruining the Cup races for millions of longtime followers of the sport. Unless you live under a rock you've heard of the paving and building of a 1/4 mile track at the Los Angeles Coliseum, a massive and extremely undertaking.

They're going back to roots type racing with heat races and a 150 lap main with the new generation cars, a stupid IROC type car that will put hundreds of NASCAR mechanics, body men, etc. out of jobs in the goal of total parity with the cars.

Speedway Illustrated magazine, in my humble opinion the premiere publication on racing in the USA, has an article in the current issue on what makes up the new car. They seldom mention NASCAR as there just isn't much interest there anymore. It's disturbing to a guy like me and the other older racers that grew up scrounging the junkyards (now recycling centers) for parts to cobble together a car to race at our local tracks back when you could tell a Ford from a Chevy or Chrysler, let alone the Hudsons and Studebakers. For the kids, that was before there was such a thing as a Toyota. It's depressing that one company will build all the Cup chassis, another will build the bodies, still another the shocks and on and on and on. No deviations with any of it period. It just takes half the joy out of racing, that of building something to beat the other guys.

I'll turn the TV on for it today out of curiosity but doubt that I'll last through the whole thing and will probably go out and unload our Pro Stock and start on the front-end damage we incurred at last night's adventure. Will you watch?

[CIRF]

Today NASCAR tries one of their new experiments to regain fans and credibility after years of ruining the Cup races for millions of longtime followers of the sport. Unless you live under a rock you've heard of the paving and building of a 1/4 mile track at the Los Angeles Coliseum, a massive and extremely undertaking.

They're going back to roots type racing with heat races and a 150 lap main with the new generation cars, a stupid IROC type car that will put hundreds of NASCAR mechanics, body men, etc. out of jobs in the goal of total parity with the cars.

Speedway Illustrated magazine, in my humble opinion the premiere publication on racing in the USA, has an article in the current issue on what makes up the new car. They seldom mention NASCAR as there just isn't much interest there anymore. It's disturbing to a guy like me and the other older racers that grew up scrounging the junkyards (now recycling centers) for parts to cobble together a car to race at our local tracks back when you could tell a Ford from a Chevy or Chrysler, let alone the Hudsons and Studebakers. For the kids, that was before there was such a thing as a Toyota. It's depressing that one company will build all the Cup chassis, another will build the bodies, still another the shocks and on and on and on. No deviations with any of it period. It just takes half the joy out of racing, that of building something to beat the other guys.

I'll turn the TV on for it today out of curiosity but doubt that I'll last through the whole thing and will probably go out and unload our Pro Stock and start on the front-end damage we incurred at last night's adventure Will you watch?

First off, great post, over4T!! You're a beacon of reason and respect in what is normally a fog of one-upmanship stupidity.

We have no plans to watch but I offer one caveat. If we're home and no other entertainment priorities exist then we might have a look.

What you say regarding the days when make, model and year were evident with one glance precisely matches what my dad has said a thousand times. Dad stopped attending races billed as "late model" stock car races when the generic racecars became the top division at our local tracks and the cars that could be identified by make, model and year became relegated to a support division. He still asks the question "late model what? They dam sure aren't late model stock cars".

I became an avid "bleacher jockey" after the creation of the generics so I can't 100% relate to the days you speak of but I did get interested in NASCAR racing early enough that the cars were still distinguishable by make and model. My first recollections of Cup cars are of the Monte Carlo's and the last days of the Ford Thunderbirds!

The total takeover by NASCAR car construction is understandably disappointing to someone such as you who knows the satisfaction of figuring out a better/faster or safer way of doing something and watching it succeed on the racetrack.

We wish you the best of luck in your racing adventures this coming season!!

[Rajflyboy]

Too woke for me. I wrote NASCAR and the local newspaper over 20 years saying we wanted more short tracks, road racing and yes dirt racing. We fans were blown off back then as idiots. This new kit car and kit engine by the way are not what we should see at top level of racing in America. Has anyone answered the question on why and how the engines are sealed now? Didn’t Hendricks get a penalty over this last year? Sealed engine. Great thread 4T 👍👍👍

[FreeBird]

Where are all the fans lol

FreeBird

[Raceready]

Where are all the fans lolFreeBird

Down south watching Dirt Late Model racing for pure excitement !! They got tired of watching green white checkereds and play off gimicks ...

[Morgs153]

I've channel flipped back and forth. I do like the look of the new car, even though it is looking more like an IMSA GT car or SCCA Trans Am car than a NASCAR stock car. The bodies are nice and the larger wheels do give it a good look. Back when NASCAR went to their Car of Tomorrow in the early 2000s, that was one butt ugly stock car. The body work was bulbous with the enormous greenhouse and goofy set back. It looked like it had abnormally long rear quarters and the first version had that stupid wing. This is much better in appearance.

As far as what I've seen today, I'd wonder if a rental car in the parking lot would be safe from Ty Dillon. There's good hard short track racing and then there's the weaponized version. The LCQ had the top three running nose to tail with five laps left and they still had to find ways to wreck.

[Raceready]

I've channel flipped back and forth. I do like the look of the new car, even though it is looking more like an IMSA GT car or SCCA Trans Am car than a NASCAR stock car. The bodies are nice and the larger wheels do give it a good look. Back when NASCAR went to their Car of Tomorrow in the early 2000s, that was one butt ugly stock car. The body work was bulbous with the enormous greenhouse and goofy set back. It looked like it had abnormally long rear quarters and the first version had that stupid wing. This is much better in appearance.As far as what I've seen today, I'd wonder if a rental car in the parking lot would be safe from Ty Dillon. There's good hard short track racing and then there's the weaponized version. The LCQ had the top three running nose to tail with five laps left and they still had to find ways to wreck.

Is Ty Dillion the next Wrecky Spinhouse Jr.? ? lolol ! ! !

[Rajflyboy]

Dillon boys have never had much talent

[dirtSLMracing]

My buddy texted me and said Ice Cube is singing during halftime of the race.. he has got to be kidding but swears he isn't. NasClown is a total woke joke.

[Rajflyboy]

My buddy texted me and said Ice Cube is singing during halftime of the race.. he has got to be kidding but swears he isn't. NasClown is a total woke joke.

Ice cube and Pit Bull too

[dirtSLMracing]

Ice cube and Pit Bull too

What in the heck is halftime at a race?

I have seen a fuel stop at a dirt race but only lasted 5 minutes.

[ZERO25]

Hip hop at a nasCRAP race........God forbid!

Just one of the many reasons why I havent watched a race in three years!

Does Bill Jr have any smart kids?

[FreeBird]

I watched the last 23 laps or so..meh. Used to watch a lot back in the day. Looks like I’ll even pass on the Daytona 500 this year. Pretty sad they’ve gone woke with rap crap, etc….Really, really sad. Thank the Lord for super late model racing on dirt!

FreeBird

[Raceready]

Iwas thinking that if Ky Busch would been able to catch Logonio he might have turned him because the # 22 was beating on him earlier.

[Raceready]

It reminded me of when you rent a go-cart at a track where they all are governed at 17 mph and you cant even catch the car in front let alone pass them. Logano had the only car stout enough to pull away. even Larson couldn't do much of anything. If a car gets body slammed or brushes the wall the transaxle gets bent. The feature event was sort of a sheet show.

[dirtSLMracing]

Is this really what "fans" want to see these days? Where racing is not the top priority? You have all these side shows to draw people in. Imagine going to the opera and after an hour they stop and bring out the octagon for a cage match. Will this woke joke bring in new fans? Will fans now in the 50's, 60's still support this clown show?

I went to Rockingham in the late 80's.. for one reason.. to see Bill Elliot outrun Earnhardt.. not for a concert or some social justice message. What in the heck happened?

[over4T]

As I expected I got to catch a nice nap after a few laps of the heat races and gave up completely during the main and it will probably be a long time before I waste it on NASCAR again.

Halftime? Rappers for entertainment? Lighting the torch by Jeff Gordon prerace? The cookie cutter cars? The gimmicks NASCAR have embraced for years? No thanks to any of it for me.

[TS FAN]

I enjoyed the show. However I DVR everything and skip the hype. I like Nascar always have. I just go with the flow and changes. It is far better than most everything else on TV. If everything everywhere is woke, then the best thing to do is DVR the entire broadcast and fast forward through the nonsense. It is the world we live in. I try to make the best of it.

I love to watch.
Dirt LM
Sprints of all kinds.
Indy Cars
Nascar

I sure would rather have it than not have it.