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On certain issues, a study in perspectives.
#1
Over the years, we’ve had open-wheel drivers finish no where near the title, but say it’s been a great season because they won the Indianapolis 500. In contrast, stock-car drivers who win the Daytona 500 but don’t make the Chase, admit it’s been a terrible season. Touchdown, NASCAR.
Curious. I would've thought that it meant that Daytona didn't mean anything at all anymore, since I'd already forgotten how many years it'd been since Jr. won there, and didn't even know that Gordon won this time until I stopped to consider that they didn't hold a 500-mile race there this year, and then remembered what happened. Likewise, if I were to win the Indianapolis 500, of course it would be a great season, because I'd have just been made immortal. Go fig.
#2
It certainly didn’t happen overnight. As Bill Jr. told me in 1978, “We work at it step-by-step, day-by-day, year-after-year.” Over time, though, helped by Winston’s sports marketing muscle and bonus money plans designed to ensure all the top drivers and teams entered every race, the Nextel Cup schedule as we now know it evolved into a powerhouse second only to the NFL.
On one front, I'm reminded of the fact that drivers talk about having little time for social life, after they've been in the Brian France-run socialist racing experience for awhile. On another, I am working at not laughing once more at the name of the championship itself...and on a third, comparing Nascar to the NFL is like comparing Formula One to what we call Soccer....except that Nascar penalizes people for being too good, and puts in overtimes without the score being tied at the scheduled end.
#3
Think of how many “must see” races there are on the Cup calendar: Complain all you want about restrictor plates, but who isn’t laser-focused on the TV for Talladega?
I and my father enjoy shouting, every time the Big One hits, the question of whether NAS has finally sent another one to join Earnhardt. Who isn't, indeed.
Bristol—especially the summer night show—is boffo box-office and a take-it-to-the-bank headline generator.
Bristol IS fun to watch. Banging, explosions, slamming walls, only a little room to maneuver, and banking high enough to send blood from when end of the drivers' bodies to the other.....a regular Barnum&Bailey.
Darlington, even not on Labor Day, stirs memories. Daytona on Independence Day weekend has become an American institution.
As for the first, I find Darlington itself to be a track worth enjoying, given its non-cookie nature. As for the latter.....I was momentarily shocked to realize I've come to care more about what happens in that race than I do during February....at least, until they announced the advent of the Formula One b*stards now racing at Circuit Maximus on July 4 in '06....
#4
Everyone knows Indianapolis means racing and the advent of the Brickyard 400 knocked down the wall of mystique of Indy 500 winners as unsurpassed superheroes.
Remember when Mario won in 1987, and his son in 1992? Domination had a name, and it was Andretti....especially for awhile there, when Mario won again in '93, the first son-father order of victory ever.
Remember Bobby Unser's win in 1979, and Granitelli's turbine triumph of '67?
Schumacher is amazing, isn't he.....the first to ever do a three-peat at Indy.
Remember all these??
If so, you've got a better memory than mine, since I recall the mighty Vukovich coming closest of all, by far, and the closest finish in Indy history being when the last-place car finished a hair's breadth off in that year Michael...Andretti, that is....won.
EDIT: Here's intending to use this thread for seeing this person write stuff about racing, and have ad hoc debates about it all, afterward.
On certain issues, a study in perspectives.
#1
Over the years, we’ve had open-wheel drivers finish no where near the title, but say it’s been a great season because they won the Indianapolis 500. In contrast, stock-car drivers who win the Daytona 500 but don’t make the Chase, admit it’s been a terrible season. Touchdown, NASCAR.
Curious. I would've thought that it meant that Daytona didn't mean anything at all anymore, since I'd already forgotten how many years it'd been since Jr. won there, and didn't even know that Gordon won this time until I stopped to consider that they didn't hold a 500-mile race there this year, and then remembered what happened. Likewise, if I were to win the Indianapolis 500, of course it would be a great season, because I'd have just been made immortal. Go fig.
#2
It certainly didn’t happen overnight. As Bill Jr. told me in 1978, “We work at it step-by-step, day-by-day, year-after-year.” Over time, though, helped by Winston’s sports marketing muscle and bonus money plans designed to ensure all the top drivers and teams entered every race, the Nextel Cup schedule as we now know it evolved into a powerhouse second only to the NFL.
On one front, I'm reminded of the fact that drivers talk about having little time for social life, after they've been in the Brian France-run socialist racing experience for awhile. On another, I am working at not laughing once more at the name of the championship itself...and on a third, comparing Nascar to the NFL is like comparing Formula One to what we call Soccer....except that Nascar penalizes people for being too good, and puts in overtimes without the score being tied at the scheduled end.
#3
Think of how many “must see” races there are on the Cup calendar: Complain all you want about restrictor plates, but who isn’t laser-focused on the TV for Talladega?
I and my father enjoy shouting, every time the Big One hits, the question of whether NAS has finally sent another one to join Earnhardt. Who isn't, indeed.
Bristol—especially the summer night show—is boffo box-office and a take-it-to-the-bank headline generator.
Bristol IS fun to watch. Banging, explosions, slamming walls, only a little room to maneuver, and banking high enough to send blood from when end of the drivers' bodies to the other.....a regular Barnum&Bailey.
Darlington, even not on Labor Day, stirs memories. Daytona on Independence Day weekend has become an American institution.
As for the first, I find Darlington itself to be a track worth enjoying, given its non-cookie nature. As for the latter.....I was momentarily shocked to realize I've come to care more about what happens in that race than I do during February....at least, until they announced the advent of the Formula One b*stards now racing at Circuit Maximus on July 4 in '06....
#4
Everyone knows Indianapolis means racing and the advent of the Brickyard 400 knocked down the wall of mystique of Indy 500 winners as unsurpassed superheroes.
Remember when Mario won in 1987, and his son in 1992? Domination had a name, and it was Andretti....especially for awhile there, when Mario won again in '93, the first son-father order of victory ever.
Remember Bobby Unser's win in 1979, and Granitelli's turbine triumph of '67?
Schumacher is amazing, isn't he.....the first to ever do a three-peat at Indy.
Remember all these??
If so, you've got a better memory than mine, since I recall the mighty Vukovich coming closest of all, by far, and the closest finish in Indy history being when the last-place car finished a hair's breadth off in that year Michael...Andretti, that is....won.
EDIT: Here's intending to use this thread for seeing this person write stuff about racing, and have ad hoc debates about it all, afterward.
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