[vincesanity82]

Ryan Newman didn't pull any punches in criticizing the first Car of Tomorrow race at Talladega Superspeedway. Newman said the uneventful 188-lap race was missing something -- racing. "I think the racing wasn't good," said Newman, whose No. 12 Dodge was banged around some but survived to finish fifth. "I think the racing was disappointing." Newman was particularly disappointed in the strategy of race winner Jeff Gordon. "To see single file racing and the guy who wins the race is sitting in the back all day just lounging around," Newman said. "That's not racing to me. I hope it wasn't what NASCAR intended with the [CoT]. "I'm not complaining about the car because the old did relatively the same thing. We gotta do somehting where we can race a little bit." -- Richmond Times-Dispatch

NASCAR NOTES - Auto Racing - inRich.com

[kcoruol]

I'm not really sure what Ryan was trying to say here. The bottom line here is being able to run your car at 190+ per hour, non-stop, until the last lap and then cross the finish line before anyone else. If I remember correctly didn't the announcers say something about NASCAR black flagging Kyle Busch if he drove too aggressively and didn't back off?

For me it was a little more exciting than to watch someone win under a yellow flag that has the drivers following a pace car for the past 10 laps or to watch someone win while all the cars are parked on pit row because it's raining or too dark outside.

Have these tracks install lights for gosh sakes. If it's raining, pit everyone and switch to tires that can be driven in the rain.

[bears9]

He is right most of race (which I watch on NFL commercials) was guys just racking laps.

[Quality88]

Originally Posted by bears9

He is right most of race (which I watch on NFL commercials) was guys just racking laps.

That's what I said durin the race was the 24 and 48 were sandbaggin and waitin til toward the end to move ahead.

[LSC9901]

Think he would have talked like that if he has won the race ???

[randye]

I hate the fact that all of the Fords lined up at the beginning of the race in their own little pack and logged laps. That's not racing at all.

They might as well make the race only 50 laps long because that's when the racing starts. It's an intense race to watch because you're worried that your driver is going to get gobbled up in the inevitable, "Big One"....but other than that it's not racing.

I am a Stewart fan and he was running up front the entire race, so I was on edge waiting for something to happen or see if he could lead the most laps and gain points. If I were a Gordon or JJ fan, I would've had to set my alarm to wake up for the end of the race because you knew they weren't racing...they were just driving around the track.

If it weren't for, "The Big One", this race wouldn't get any attention and would probably be replaced.

[NASCAR Gnome]

They race in the beginning, coast in the middle and race to the finish. People are reacting like this is the first time this has ever happened in this sport, c'mon now! On the large tracks - like Talladega and Daytona how can you race when you are running wide open the whole time? I heard it earlier this season and I heard it again last week: it's all about the car at these restrictor plate races! The driver gets it going, steers in in the right direction and keeps his foot planted on the floor - how exciting is that?

Earnhardt Jr. complained it was boring racing when he was being interviewed after his engine blew up, Juan Montoya complained it was boring when interviewed last Monday on Sirius with Dave Moody, Tony Stewart complained that it was boring on his show last night, again on Sirius. Newman's complaint really should come as no surprise to anyone because, well, it's true!

What NASCAR could do to spice things up is race a two 125-mile "heat" races to determine starting positions then reverse the field so that 43rd qualifier is in the pole for a 250-mile winner-take-all race or something like that!

[LSC9901]

I still see it as a bit odd that anyone, fan or driver, complains about Talladega being boring. It is and if Newman is just figuring that one out I'd like to know where he has been over the past few races at Talladega ??? It is the nature of the beast. It is a long track with a restrictor plate on the engine. They have and will continue to race in a pack. When they race in a pack it should also be obvious that Chevrolet's will try to race with Chevrolet's and Ford's with Ford's .. and so on. When it means that the trailing driver can get help from the leading driver in a different brand then yes they will group together.

What can be done to make it more exciting ??? Great question. Do away with the restrictor plate ??? Sounds good but NASCAR isn't going to do that. Maybe something totally different than the normal oval race. Run 200 miles and then draw straws to run another 50 miles to the end. You may be in first place after 200 miles and then have to start 17th depending on what position you draw. Just a thought. Your ideas ????

[oncea3fan]

this might sound silly, but they should REDUCE traction,
hold on now!!!!!!!!!

if they reduce the traction then the car will have to lift off the gas to make the turns, if they lift they slow down , if they slow down theres no need for a restrictor plate.

[PaulPosition]

A question from a mostly new comer..

I keep hearing that the design for the Car of Tomorrow was somewhat influenced by current Trucks' design. Now whether this means there's any real resemblance between them in closing rate and draft importance, I couldn't even try to guess at. But I can say that, to my untrained eyes, the drafting in Trucks seemed about as totally paramount to the race as it was in Cup.

However, the Craftsman Truck Series race was much more hectic if not completely crazy. It was like those guys had nothing to lose.

Right, maybe the Trucks guys really don't have much to lose.

Maybe, just maybe, the pressure from what (points, money, politics, ...) is on the line in Cup racing has the better of some drivers and organisations? I mean, peer's pressure pushed a guy off from his 6th grid slot. And I'm certain that that driver wasn't the only one being extra cautious and who wouldn't have tried for a win any way.

Am I missing something?

[jks812]

Originally Posted by PaulPosition

A question from a mostly new comer..

I keep hearing that the design for the Car of Tomorrow was somewhat influenced by current Trucks' design. Now whether this means there's any real resemblance between them in closing rate and draft importance, I couldn't even try to guess at. But I can say that, to my untrained eyes, the drafting in Trucks seemed about as totally paramount to the race as it was in Cup.

However, the Craftsman Truck Series race was much more hectic if not completely crazy. It was like those guys had nothing to lose.

Right, maybe the Trucks guys really don't have much to lose.

Maybe, just maybe, the pressure from what (points, money, politics, ...) is on the line in Cup racing has the better of some drivers and organisations? I mean, peer's pressure pushed a guy off from his 6th grid slot. And I'm certain that that driver wasn't the only one being extra cautious and who wouldn't have tried for a win any way.

Am I missing something?

To me the trucks always have better racing than the cars. They run shorter races and they are all out every lap, whereas your cup guys will just ride til close to the end. Maybe they should shorten the cup races some.

[Quality88]

Originally Posted by jks812

Maybe they should shorten the cup races some.

Maybe they should just take off their pink panties and race?

[#1footballfan]

I can believe Newman said that! If you heard Dale Jr.'s interview when he came back to the garage after his SIXTH blown motor of the season, he said the race was boring, not much going on but single file!
Newman has had a rough couple of races! At Kansas he had a strong car until NASCAR officials said his car was too low, then at Talladega Newman accidently ran over Jr.'s jack on pit row, but still maintained 2nd for a while.
But of course that's racing boys!-And as Ryan Newman himself said on his Alltel Racing Podcast last week " Suck it up, push the pedals, and turn the wheel"
you can listen to it at alltelracing.com

[jks812]

Originally Posted by Quality88

Maybe they should just take off their pink panties and race?

Well that would be better, but they've proven over and over that they're not gonna do that.

[#1footballfan]

I can believe Newman said that! If you heard Dale Jr.'s interview when he came back to the garage after his SIXTH blown motor of the season, he said the race was boring, not much going on but single file!
for most of the race until NASCAR officials said his car was too low, then at Talladega Newman accidently ran over Lil E's jack on pit row, but he still was able to run 2nd place for a while -
But of course that's racing boys!-And as Ryan Newman himself said on his Alltel Racing Podcast last week " Suck it up, push the pedals, and turn the wheel"