[Bob Tanner]

Any serious bowlers, or formerly serious bowlers out there? If you are, then you might understand my analogy. If not, I'll try to give a Reader's Digest explanation.

Bowlers on the PBA and regional touring circuits must maintain high averages (usually 200+ per game). To do this all they have to do is to knock down a lot of pins. Simple, right?

Not quite as simple as you might think.

The serious bowlers use balls specially fitted to their hands, have inserts in the fingers holes to increase lift, and are drilled in such a way as to increase or decrease the balls tendency to hook (turn). They use balls of differing hardness to adjust for specific lanes.

NASCAR "stock cars" are specially built and "fitted" to the specific drivers. The chassis is tuned to a certain point and if this point isn't to the driver's exact desires there is a tendency to complain long and loud about it.

The lanes themselves are oiled (prepared) in such a way that if a bowler can hit a spot on the alley ten feet from the foul line, a bowler has approximately a 95% chance of hitting the pins within an inch of where it takes to ensure a strike.

If the lanes aren't prepared to what the bowlers expect there is a tendency to complain long and loud about it.

If the track is too slick, too bumpy, too <insert complaint> there is a tendency to complain long and loud about it.

No 200+ average bowlers wants to bowl a 150 game in a tournament, in front of spectators.
No NASCAR driver wants to not be competitive in front of a TV audience and stands full of race fans.

In both cases it is hardly ever the fault of the bowler or driver, despite. It is always the fault of the [bowler] lane conditions, or [driver] track, tires, car, etc., etc.
Funny thing though. In both cases, someone always manages to win and look pretty good doing so.

In NASCAR's case, if the drivers are using the same track, tires, and to a much lesser degree, basically the same car, and they go out and look like a bunch of rookies, whose fault is it? The equipment's, the track's, or the driver's?

I vote driver's.

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

Any serious bowlers, or formerly serious bowlers out there? If you are, then you might understand my analogy. If not, I'll try to give a Reader's Digest explanation.

Bowlers on the PBA and regional touring circuits must maintain high averages (usually 200+ per game). To do this all they have to do is to knock down a lot of pins. Simple, right?

Not quite as simple as you might think.

The serious bowlers use balls specially fitted to their hands, have inserts in the fingers holes to increase lift, and are drilled in such a way as to increase or decrease the balls tendency to hook (turn). They use balls of differing hardness to adjust for specific lanes.

NASCAR "stock cars" are specially built and "fitted" to the specific drivers. The chassis is tuned to a certain point and if this point isn't to the driver's exact desires there is a tendency to complain long and loud about it.

The lanes themselves are oiled (prepared) in such a way that if a bowler can hit a spot on the alley ten feet from the foul line, a bowler has approximately a 95% chance of hitting the pins within an inch of where it takes to ensure a strike.

If the lanes aren't prepared to what the bowlers expect there is a tendency to complain long and loud about it.

If the track is too slick, too bumpy, too <insert complaint> there is a tendency to complain long and loud about it.

No 200+ average bowlers wants to bowl a 150 game in a tournament, in front of spectators.
No NASCAR driver wants to not be competitive in front of a TV audience and stands full of race fans.

In both cases it is hardly ever the fault of the bowler or driver, despite. It is always the fault of the [bowler] lane conditions, or [driver] track, tires, car, etc., etc.
Funny thing though. In both cases, someone always manages to win and look pretty good doing so.

In NASCAR's case, if the drivers are using the same track, tires, and to a much lesser degree, basically the same car, and they go out and look like a bunch of rookies, whose fault is it? The equipment's, the track's, or the driver's?

I vote driver's.

You hit the nail right on the head Bob. My son is a PBA member and not once has his inability to win been his fault. Did you get all your info from Biggie ???

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

You hit the nail right on the head Bob. My son is a PBA member and not once has his inability to win been his fault. Did you get all your info from Biggie ???

Nope. While I was station in JAX I worked part time at JAX Lanes and learned how to punch bowling balls and block lanes (ask your son about THAT term) with the best of them. I also got just good enough to enter a few regional PBA tournaments in FL, GA and SC. I was every bit as successful there as I was in my fifteen-race racing career. As far as being a great professional sports figure I fear made a great flower arranger! <g>

Besides, I believe that Biggie's alley is strictly candlepins, isn't it?

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

Nope. While I was station in JAX I worked part time at JAX Lanes and learned how to punch bowling balls and block lanes (ask your son about THAT term) with the best of them. I also got just good enough to enter a few regional PBA tournaments in FL, GA and SC. I was every bit as successful there as I was in my fifteen-race racing career. As far as being a great professional sports figure I fear made a great flower arranger! <g>

Besides, I believe that Biggie's alley is strictly candlepins, isn't it?

Nope .. always been ten pins. I spent about 20 years working the lanes P/T.(not Biggies) Kept the boy in free bowling so consequently I have no need to ask him about "blocking". I'm well aware of the term.

My son now has his own drilling machine in his cellar. The last place I worked sold out and he and a couple others bought the machine for 6 bills. Real good deal.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

Nope .. always been ten pins. I spent about 20 years working the lanes P/T.(not Biggies) Kept the boy in free bowling so consequently I have no need to ask him about "blocking". I'm well aware of the term.
My son now has his own drilling machine in his cellar. The last place I worked sold out and he and a couple others bought the machine for 6 bills. Real good deal.

You mean put cellaphane over the ends of the BDA Lane Runner and oil 10-board to 10-board? <G> Punch a little LH weight in the ball and if you could hit the first spot, and pee a hole in the snow, you could get a strike.

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

You mean put cellaphane over the ends of the BDA Lane Runner and oil 10-board to 10-board? <G> Punch a little LH weight in the ball and if you could hit the first spot, and pee a hole in the snow, you could get a strike.

It's all high tech now Bob. No more need for tape. You just program in the shot you want. Last one I ever used was a Century. I was more of a machine repair guy than an oiler. Bring on the Brunswick A-2

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

It's all high tech now Bob. No more need for tape. You just program in the shot you want. Last one I ever used was a Century. I was more of a machine repair guy than an oiler. Bring on the Brunswick A-2

Darn! I guess that I'm "Old School" in just about everything?

[Phils20]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

I believe they left the cup series because not enough teams were using them. I'm sure there is more to the story.

Didn't they leave right after Neil Bonnet and Rodney Orr died at Daytona, testing on the Hoosiers? I thought that pretty much ended their time. I don't know that the tires caused it, but they sort of took the blame. Correct me if my memory fails me!

[wardfan]

Well Bob you mean I've been putting the blame on my so so bowling all this time? I thought it was because I couldn't hit the same spot twice.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by Phils20

Didn't they leave right after Neil Bonnet and Rodney Orr died at Daytona, testing on the Hoosiers? I thought that pretty much ended their time. I don't know that the tires caused it, but they sort of took the blame. Correct me if my memory fails me!

I knew both Neil and Rod were running Hoosiers but, to my knowledge, there was no evidence that inferior tires caused their accidents. Both blew tires at high speeds during practice, and Goodyear started screaming about the Hoosiers being unsafe. What was "forgotten" was that, in the same week Neil and Rod were killed, Terry Labonte and Dave Marcis (both running Goodyears) blew tires in practice but did only minor damage to their cars.

Bob Newton makes a good racing tire that is reasonably affordable (as affordable as a dependable racing tire can be, anyway). The tire he delivered to NASCAR was lightening fast. I think (but am not positive) that Geoff Bodine still holds the lap record at one of the tracks still in use with a lap he at back in the '90's while on Hoosiers.

IMNSVHO Hoosiers got the boot because Newton just wouldn't/couldn't compete with Goodyear's advertising and bribery budget. NASCAR, and too many of NASCAR's biggest names were in Goodyear's back pocket and Hoosier decided to return to the areas it was loved, short tracks.

Now Goodyear is cryinig the blues again because of NASCAR's current practice rules. Teams w/o a stockpile of Goodyear tires (read: everyone but Gibbs and Hendrick) are testing on other brands. I was talking about this subject last Wednesday night with a Hoosier rep. He indicated that Hoosier was supplying some tires to some NASCAR teams (basically the same tire ARCA uses) but was not making a concerted effort to get back into the "Tire Wars" of the '90's. They have their niche and Hoosier is reasonably happy. They just lost their contract with the Rolex Series to Parelli, but they have enough business with the short tracks that the factory is still spitting out tires adequately.

[Racer Duck]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

I knew both Neil and Rod were running Hoosiers but, to my knowledge, there was no evidence that inferior tires caused their accidents. Both blew tires at high speeds during practice, and Goodyear started screaming about the Hoosiers being unsafe. What was "forgotten" was that, in the same week Neil and Rod were killed, Terry Labonte and Dave Marcis (both running Goodyears) blew tires in practice but did only minor damage to their cars.

Bob Newton makes a good racing tire that is reasonably affordable (as affordable as a dependable racing tire can be, anyway). The tire he delivered to NASCAR was lightening fast. I think (but am not positive) that Geoff Bodine still holds the lap record at one of the tracks still in use with a lap he at back in the '90's while on Hoosiers.

IMNSVHO Hoosiers got the boot because Newton just wouldn't/couldn't compete with Goodyear's advertising and bribery budget. NASCAR, and too many of NASCAR's biggest names were in Goodyear's back pocket and Hoosier decided to return to the areas it was loved, short tracks.

Now Goodyear is cryinig the blues again because of NASCAR's current practice rules. Teams w/o a stockpile of Goodyear tires (read: everyone but Gibbs and Hendrick) are testing on other brands. I was talking about this subject last Wednesday night with a Hoosier rep. He indicated that Hoosier was supplying some tires to some NASCAR teams (basically the same tire ARCA uses) but was not making a concerted effort to get back into the "Tire Wars" of the '90's. They have their niche and Hoosier is reasonably happy. They just lost their contract with the Rolex Series to Parelli, but they have enough business with the short tracks that the factory is still spitting out tires adequately.

Hoosier was never big competition to Goodyear in NASCAR. Their wallet was too small.

However, when Goodyear and Firestone decided to split the blanket (Goodyear got NASCAR and Firestone got USAC) it looked like clear sailing. Hoosier has always been the tire of choice on the short tracks whether dirt or asphalt. Then that upstart BFG took off-road away from "the big 2" and moved on to F1. Pirelli has always been the sporty car tire of choice, until Michelin came along, and now both are F1 stalwarts. The Japanese brands are kicking butt on the streets and have moved into off-road. And I hear BFG is wanting to get into US asphalt racing (but that may only be rumor...). So the once mighty Goodyear and Firestone are pulling out the big wallets trying to save their small kingdoms - they don't want a tire war 'cause they'll loose.

Off-road, sporty cars and F1 have proved competition improves the product. I think the "straight-liners" also have open rules on tires...

In the end, I still believe it's NA$CAR and their myopic focus on the almighty buck that has stifled invention and promoted the big teams concept. The little teams were once the backbone of NA$CAR, but now there's rules that make it harder for them to make the race...