[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by BringBackWilkesboro

The most simple difference you'll find in the mind of the next generation is what is expected on track. To them, everything between the green and checkered flags is fluff, and if there aren't two drivers beating on each other at the line and someone upside down at the finish, the whole race is a wash. I always bring up Ned Jarrett winning by 22 laps at Spartanburg many years ago. I'd love to see what they would have said then.
.

Well, according to what I hear various radio types say, from what I read from other various media hacks and from the following release from NA$CAR, I'd say they'd think it wasn't actually a race and was a total waste of time.

'NASCAR Says Competition Better than Ever: Present-day Nextel Cup Series races offer closer competition than anytime in history, NASCAR says. Taking into account such statistics as cars on the lead lap and average leaders per race, racing since 1970 has become more competitive and more unpredictable than ever:
Cars on the lead lap: In 1970, 22 of the 48 races had only one car on the lead lap at the end of the race. Not since 1994 has a race ended with one car on the lead lap. In the early 1970s, it was common for a race-winner to have a margin of victory of multiple laps. In 1973 at Darlington, for example, David Pearson finished 13 laps ahead of second-place finisher Benny Parsons. Since 1970, the race winner was the only car on the lead lap 128 times. From the years 1970 to 1979, it happened 110 times. In the '80s, 16 times. In the '90s, only twice; and since 1995, it has not happened at all.
The percentage of cars on the lead lap has grown - and in some cases doubled. In the 48 races held in 1970, only 5.5 percent of the cars that started the race finished on the lead lap. That number has steadily grown. In 2006 it was 43.6%.
More Race Winners: In 1970, 18 races were won by one driver. In 1971, one driver won 21 races. Since 2000, no driver has won more than eight races in a season. Through 19 races this year, 13 different drivers have visited Victory Lane. In 1970, there were 12 different race-winners the entire season - and that year featured 48 races on the schedule. 2001 - with 19 different race winners - was NASCAR's most prolific year in terms of parity since 1970.
More Leaders: The number of leaders per race has seen steady growth since 1970. In 1970 a race averaged four different leaders. That number has been at least 10 for the past three full seasons and currently the average for the 2007 season is 11.(NASCAR PR)(7-22-2007)"

...and the above a undeniable proof that this "New NA$CAR" is a better product, right? <YEAH! Right!> People who believe this are folks I suspect believe that if you go fishing and don't bring home enough fish to feed a starving Ethiopian village, you haven't had any fun and your fishing trip was a total waste of time.

[Mike24]

In my opinion it would be pretty boring to watch 1 car lap the field about 8 times. I don't watch to see a 1 car race, I watch to see 43 competitive cars each week.

[BringBackWilkesboro]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

Well, according to what I hear various radio types say, from what I read from other various media hacks and from the following release from NA$CAR, I'd say they'd think it wasn't actually a race and was a total waste of time.

'NASCAR Says Competition Better than Ever: Present-day Nextel Cup Series races offer closer competition than anytime in history, NASCAR says. Taking into account such statistics as cars on the lead lap and average leaders per race, racing since 1970 has become more competitive and more unpredictable than ever:
Cars on the lead lap: In 1970, 22 of the 48 races had only one car on the lead lap at the end of the race. Not since 1994 has a race ended with one car on the lead lap. In the early 1970s, it was common for a race-winner to have a margin of victory of multiple laps. In 1973 at Darlington, for example, David Pearson finished 13 laps ahead of second-place finisher Benny Parsons. Since 1970, the race winner was the only car on the lead lap 128 times. From the years 1970 to 1979, it happened 110 times. In the '80s, 16 times. In the '90s, only twice; and since 1995, it has not happened at all.
The percentage of cars on the lead lap has grown - and in some cases doubled. In the 48 races held in 1970, only 5.5 percent of the cars that started the race finished on the lead lap. That number has steadily grown. In 2006 it was 43.6%.
More Race Winners: In 1970, 18 races were won by one driver. In 1971, one driver won 21 races. Since 2000, no driver has won more than eight races in a season. Through 19 races this year, 13 different drivers have visited Victory Lane. In 1970, there were 12 different race-winners the entire season - and that year featured 48 races on the schedule. 2001 - with 19 different race winners - was NASCAR's most prolific year in terms of parity since 1970.
More Leaders: The number of leaders per race has seen steady growth since 1970. In 1970 a race averaged four different leaders. That number has been at least 10 for the past three full seasons and currently the average for the 2007 season is 11.(NASCAR PR)(7-22-2007)"

...and the above a undeniable proof that this "New NA$CAR" is a better product, right? <YEAH! Right!>

That's definately alot of modern day-NASCAR hugger propaganda (I forget who coined that phrase, but hats off), but as many a true NASCAR fan has said, that era is just misunderstood. People who didn't watch the "dull" era forget that racing as you said was a contest of motor vehicles. You had to get the best piece you could and be able to drive it. Nobody had the fancy gizmos, gadgets and computers. All they had was their knowledge of the internal combustion engine, the ability to drive at speed and the will to win. Whoever could put those values together the best won the race and the fans of that era enjoyed that.

Most drivers now have little knowledge of the engine that powers them and leave it to the crews to win it for them. And since Fireball died in '64, the cars became less stock and gradually became more and more equal, and that hasn't stopped to this day.

There's no denying the competition has gone up, but the appreciation seems to have gone down.

[Racer Duck]

doh de doh de doh .. might as well get this started

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

Cars on the lead lap: Not since 1994 has a race ended with one car on the lead lap.

anybody besides me find the humor in this statement? try putting the emphasis on different words....

Originally Posted by Mike24

In my opinion it would be pretty boring to watch 1 car lap the field about 8 times. I don't watch to see a 1 car race, I watch to see 43 competitive cars each week.

sometimes the race isn't where the race leader is. like when JG is stomping the field (that's for you, Mike, so I won't get flamed), there's still races going on elsewhere on the track.

Originally Posted by BringBackWilkesboro

People who didn't watch the "dull" era forget that racing as you said was a contest of motor vehicles. You had to get the best piece you could and be able to drive it. Nobody had the fancy gizmos, gadgets and computers. All they had was their knowledge of the internal combustion engine, the ability to drive at speed and the will to win. Whoever could put those values together the best won the race and the fans of that era enjoyed that.

There's no denying the competition has gone up, but the appreciation seems to have gone down.

right on!

as an addendum to the above, "back in the day" there were lots more mechanical failures than today. back then it wasn't unusual to see blown engines, tranny's and rear ends, many times multiples of each in a single race. now tire failures are about the biggest event during a race (besides the head up the rectum caused events, that is) .. only half a dozen engines explode in a whole season .. tranny and rear end failures are almost unheard of. back then there weren't conversations during the invocation, people stood up, removed their hats and stood still during the national anthem and extended caution periods were not so the TV folks could get all their commercials in. the debris cautions were because there was a fender laying on the track, not a piece of roll bar padding a driver threw out so he could get a yellow to fix his car without loosing a lap. fans didn't throw things at drivers because they won (except kisses). and the most popular driver was the one who stayed the longest to sign autographs and interact with the fans.

yep, competiton has gone up, it's big business now. racing is good only when there's an adrenalin rush. the fan is only a source of $$$. and the sport has lost its "soul"...

[PenelopePitStop]

Originally Posted by Racer Duck

doh de doh de doh .. might as well get this started

Cars on the lead lap: Not since 1994 has a race ended with one car on the lead lap.

anybody besides me find the humor in this statement? try putting the emphasis on different words....

'

Oh, my word! At first I didn't know what the heck you were talking about. Then I got it, and I'm sitting here laughing my a$$ off!

No offense to the highly respected original poster!

[Racer Duck]

Originally Posted by PenelopePitStop

'

Oh, my word! At first I didn't know what the heck you were talking about. Then I got it, and I'm sitting here laughing my a$$ off!

No offense to the highly respected original poster!

yer up kinda late aren't you?

it's a knack I have .. I read the words, not the emotion. all kinds of things pop up when you do that.

[PenelopePitStop]

Originally Posted by Racer Duck

yer up kinda late aren't you?

it's a knack I have .. I read the words, not the emotion. all kinds of things pop up when you do that.

Yup! Up late ... it's an issue!

RD pointed it out! I think he was bored!

All in good fun, my friend, all in good fun!





http://www.smileycentral.com/sig.jsp?pc=ZSzeb096&pp=ZN

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

Well, according to what I hear various radio types say, from what I read from other various media hacks and from the following release from NA$CAR, I'd say they'd think it wasn't actually a race and was a total waste of time.

'NASCAR Says Competition Better than Ever: Present-day Nextel Cup Series races offer closer competition than anytime in history, NASCAR says. Taking into account such statistics as cars on the lead lap and average leaders per race, racing since 1970 has become more competitive and more unpredictable than ever:
Cars on the lead lap: In 1970, 22 of the 48 races had only one car on the lead lap at the end of the race. Not since 1994 has a race ended with one car on the lead lap. In the early 1970s, it was common for a race-winner to have a margin of victory of multiple laps. In 1973 at Darlington, for example, David Pearson finished 13 laps ahead of second-place finisher Benny Parsons. Since 1970, the race winner was the only car on the lead lap 128 times. From the years 1970 to 1979, it happened 110 times. In the '80s, 16 times. In the '90s, only twice; and since 1995, it has not happened at all.
The percentage of cars on the lead lap has grown - and in some cases doubled. In the 48 races held in 1970, only 5.5 percent of the cars that started the race finished on the lead lap. That number has steadily grown. In 2006 it was 43.6%.
More Race Winners: In 1970, 18 races were won by one driver. In 1971, one driver won 21 races. Since 2000, no driver has won more than eight races in a season. Through 19 races this year, 13 different drivers have visited Victory Lane. In 1970, there were 12 different race-winners the entire season - and that year featured 48 races on the schedule. 2001 - with 19 different race winners - was NASCAR's most prolific year in terms of parity since 1970.
More Leaders: The number of leaders per race has seen steady growth since 1970. In 1970 a race averaged four different leaders. That number has been at least 10 for the past three full seasons and currently the average for the 2007 season is 11.(NASCAR PR)(7-22-2007)"

All of those stats are a wonderful thing .. for the bean counter that put them all together. I remind anyone that each and everyone of us can take any given set of numbers and make them say what we want them to say. To enforce our point of view we leave out "unnecessary" facts, but we'll add stats that will make others think about our point of view. While for NASCAR it is a business, it is a pleasure for me. Take away all the stats, t-shirts and give me some fender to fender racing. Then and only then will I give you numbers that are important to real racing fans.

Figures lie and liars figure.

[PenelopePitStop]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

Figures lie and liars figure.

Don't get all profound on me, LSC! It's too early!

Can't wait for today's race! I've missed it!

[vincesanity82]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

Figures lie and liars figure.

well said grasshopper..