[vincesanity82]

Clearly there was something big missing Saturday night. Simply, there was no sizzle. And Bristol isn't known as the toughest ticket in racing because of such polite, well-mannered racing. Equally surprising - the number of top drivers who couldn't get a handle on the place: Jeff Burton, Matt Kenseth, Jimmie Johnson, even Tony Stewart, though he did come on strong in the final moments. Kenseth came into this race looking for his third straight August victory here. But he was never in the game. And late in the race he got caught up in a wreck back in the pack and finished 39th. "I was kind of in the wrong place at the wrong time but we put ourselves there," Kenseth said. "We didn't perform good enough to run up front. "The racetrack is great. I just wish NASCAR would give us more options to make these cars turn a little bit better. It's pretty uneventful for a Bristol race because the cars are so easy to drive." It's certainly not the same old Bristol. "There are some things similar, but it was different than what it was," Kenseth said. "The track is great, and (the Busch race Friday) was an awesome race. "But these cars (the new cars of tomorrow) are just so easy to drive, and so tight (unwilling to turn well). And you can't do your little tricks. So, in my opinion, the driver can't really showcase his talent. "It's real hard to pass, and when you're stuck back there it gets frustrating." -- Winston-Salem Journal

http://journalnow.com/servlet/Satell... 037645509200

[DOF_power]

>



^ This NASCAR 2.0/COT and its restrictions in the name <insert reason(s) here> seems to make some things easier and some things harder/impossible (like overtaking).
This is the same c*** that happen to F1 since 1993.

Stupid rules lead to stupid consequences. Another parade series.

[Phils20]

They will get the cars together.

It's just easier for them to complain, and try to get a handout from NASCAR, than to continue to work and make them better. There will be some tricks they will figure out, they just need to keep working at it.

My 2 cents

[tkj24]

Originally Posted by Phils20

They will get the cars together.

It's just easier for them to complain, and try to get a handout from NASCAR, than to continue to work and make them better. There will be some tricks they will figure out, they just need to keep working at it.

My 2 cents

My 2 cents "They are afraid to work to hard at it for fear of being fined."

[Phils20]

Originally Posted by tkj24

My 2 cents "They are afraid to work to hard at it for fear of being fined."

I think if they get a year to fine tune within the rules, they will be fine. They two teams that got fined, especially the 8 team, were in clear violation of the rules. Granted, it didn't provide an advantage, but it was in writing.

Also, NASCAR was quite clear in saying NO body mods. In my mind, that is clear as well. Chad Knaus's past got him on that one, and Steve just got hung out to dry. I am willing to bet neither of them had a thing to do with it, however.

I do think they will find a way to tune these cars. They were saying after Bristol that the things they did with the old car, do just the opposite on the COT.

All these teams have great folks working for them. They will find a way within the rules to get it done.

Or they will get fined.

Most teams find a way to stay within the rules every week, so I don't see a problem staying with them with the COT!

OK, that might be 4 cents worth!

[3fanforever]

COT makes it hard to pass in Bristol?

This article posted today on Jayski's certainly contradicts that idea:

Passes Double at "New" Bristol: NASCAR’s Loop Data shows green flag passing during Saturday night’s Sharpie 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway more than doubled that of the spring race at Bristol – from 991 passes in the spring to 2,147 passes Saturday night. The consensus opinion held by the drivers at the conclusion of the race rang loud and clear: the new surface at Bristol Motor Speedway met – and exceeded – expectations, as the addition of a second and third racing groove greatly increased the number of passes – and thusly, the competition. Take a look at the total passing numbers from the spring and this past weekend:
2007 Green Flag Passes at Bristol
Spring, Location, Summer
184, Frontstretch, 529
128, Backstretch, 487
313, Turns 1 and 2, 571
366, Turns 3 and 4, 560
991, Total, 2,147
The 2,147 green flag passes Saturday is a 108% increase over the spring race at Bristol. The individual numbers also grew. Below is a look at the top five in Green Flag Passes at the spring race and the top five this past Saturday night.
Bristol Green Flag Passes – Spring:
1. Kevin Harvick, 52
2. Dale Earnhardt Jr., 47
3. Jeff Burton, 46
4. Jeff Gordon, 37
5. David Stremme, 37
Bristol Green Flag Passes – Summer
1. J.J. Yeley, 107
2. Jamie McMurray, 105
3. Reed Sorenson, 87
4. Robby Gordon, 80
5. Martin Truex Jr., 80

[jks812]

Just because Matt said he couldn't pass doesn't make it the cars fault. I saw alot of passing. They seemed to be doing more passing than they ever have at Bristol.

[tkj24]

I really enjoyed the first half. All they did was pass. There was racing everywhere. I don't know what ESPN showed but you just had to be there.

[Souporscotty]

This is probably a stupid question. But isn't it ALWAYS hard to pass on the short tracks?

[King43STP]

Originally Posted by tkj24

I really enjoyed the first half. All they did was pass. There was racing everywhere. I don't know what ESPN showed but you just had to be there.

I watched the race on ESPN and found that the Bristol race was one of the better races that I've seen this year, and reminded me of the races that were run there back before they put in the old concrete track.
Bristol of old is back!!!

[BringBackWilkesboro]

Originally Posted by King43STP

I watched the race on ESPN and found that the Bristol race was one of the better races that I've seen this year, and reminded me of the races that were run there back before they put in the old concrete track.
Bristol of old is back!!!

I saw it that way too. No doubt it wasn't the traditional wreck fest we usually see, but the racing was great.

I can however see one issue that would bring this discussion up. The only downside I saw was more due to the car than the track. As expected, things have gotten too equal. We did see alot of great side by side racing, but it took forever to actually complete a pass.

[Phils20]

Originally Posted by tkj24

I really enjoyed the first half. All they did was pass. There was racing everywhere. I don't know what ESPN showed but you just had to be there.

Indeed there was. But you know the networks never show anything but the lead, and half the time from inside the car! Hmmmmmmmm, is the any passing inside the car??????

Nope, I didn't think so.


Who else hates it when the TV goes to the in car during a pass??????!

[3fanforever]

Originally Posted by Phils20

Who else hates it when the TV goes to the in car during a pass??????!

That's where ESPN really dropped the ball Saturday night and got me upset with them.
Everybody from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean knew Carl Edwards was not gonna put up with Mikey's TV air time.
Even the announcers said Carl's gonna bump him out of the way.
So what did ESPN do? They went to Carl's in-car camera and TOTALLY MISSED it.

[Phils20]

Originally Posted by 3fanforever

That's where ESPN really dropped the ball Saturday night and got me upset with them.
Everybody from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean knew Carl Edwards was not gonna put up with Mikey's TV air time.
Even the announcers said Carl's gonna bump him out of the way.
So what did ESPN do? They went to Carl's in-car camera and TOTALLY MISSED it.

Wow, had no idea! I was watching it, and just knew he would be as nice to him as Kahne had been. I'm not a big fan of the bump and run, but I think that they had waited long enoug.

[Racer Duck]

Originally Posted by 3fanforever

That's where ESPN really dropped the ball Saturday night and got me upset with them.
Everybody from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean knew Carl Edwards was not gonna put up with Mikey's TV air time.
Even the announcers said Carl's gonna bump him out of the way.
So what did ESPN do? They went to Carl's in-car camera and TOTALLY MISSED it.

the same mentality that thinks I want to be able to count the driver's nose hairs while he's being interviewed and that thinks it's cool to interview a driver through his helmet while he's trying to get mentally focused at the start of the race like there hasn't been any time in the 4 or 5 preceding hours!