Well and to be fair, until they really get them all in racing shape it'll be tough to tell. I thought the Fusion was terrible, but with a full paint scheme it looks better (still think its ugly).

I watched, I hate California.

LOL. I do too. That and Pocono are so boring to watch. I don't like Chicagoland either. The intermediate tracks I like are Texas and Atlanta.

O.K. NASCAR fans how political do you think NASCAR has gotten?
I see a lot of things that are unfair that benefit top teams. I think they changed the Chase format from 10 to 12 cars so that Jeff, Little E, Tony and the other top teams can get in the Chase at the same time. Personally I hate the Chase format. I liked the points system when it was sponsored by Winston. Jeff would have won his 5th championship in 2004 if the old rules had been in place then.

How is driving a car in circles a sport? And how is watching a bunch of hill billies driving in circles exciting?:rolleyes:

^:rolleyes: Great stereotype....(yes that is sarcasm)

Yes, watching people drive in circles on 30 degree banking at 200mph is pretty exciting.

So what...in your infinite wisdom........constitutes a "sport"?

Horseracing. Because watching small men ride expensive horses in circles for the entertainment of the "upperclass people" is sooo much better.


.....Kelly :)

HC Nascar is so popular compared to Formula 1? I don't follow either sport, but Formula 1 seems "sexier" somehow. Discuss.....

NASCAR is generally a lot more exciting (at least on the best tracks), has more personalities, etc. I have some interest in all racing, but NASCAR is much more of a sport in the typical American sense. You become a die hard fan of one driver or team, following and rooting through the season. This happens in other circuits too, but I think its a lot easier for the average person to become a fan of a NASCAR driver because of the heightened publicity and stronger personalities. Plus it is an extremely American sport. At some tracks people drink wine and socialize, at others girls flash and drink natural light (we sit in the luxury boxes at Talladega, interesting blend of both). It appeals to people of all classes, professions, locations, and increasingly, races.

20 car fan here... Gonna make it to Indy this year, and a few races at the Kentucky Speedway as well.

Hey guys lets ignore this person, because it's obvious she knows nothing about the sport. If we respond to her, then she'll respond back, then an argument will start, then other greeks on here will get on the band wagon, and the next thing you know we would have gone from a peaceful conversation/debate about NASCAR to something like sex and racism in America.:rolleyes:

Back to the sport. I was watching the 1979 Daytona 500 on DVD and it was really exciting. It was wierd watching Big E as a rookie. Those boys could drive. Those cars back then didn't handle at all, and they still kept them in control.

Do you guys think the top drivers back then (if they were still young) could compete in NASCAR today and still get good results like they did then?

Well, I'm a cheerleader and to me football, basketball, baseball, soccer, stuff like that are sports. Like, anything where someone is using their whole body. I don't watch NASCAR, but I began watching it after reading some of these comments, and I only watched it to try to see what you guys see. The only thing I see are cars driving in a circle. Some of the guys they interview are not built like atheletes either. It seems like the car does all the work. Football players and basketball players ect. do all the work. Therefore NASCAR is not a sport. I can drive a car in a circle. C'mon lets get real.:rolleyes:

That's fine. You can suggest that everyone ignore me. I really don't care, I was just posting my opinion. If you don't like it, then tough, and I'll keep posting here rather you like it or not. NASCAR isn't a sport, and I think you're very rude.

How about we ignore you.

The title of the thread is "Any NASCAR fans on here" therefore, if it doesn't apply to you, please feel free to stay out of it.

PinkRose, I agree with you about Winston cup racing versus Nextel cup. I absolutely HATE the way they say "5 time Nextel Cup Winner" or whatever - NO, he is a 4 time WINSTON cup winner & a 1 time NEXTEL cup winner. Just say a "5 time CUP CHAMPION" and let it be - its so disrespectful to Winston cup racing & what they did to make this the sport it is today.

There was a really good article in ESPN Magazine a year or so ago talking about how NASCAR should be considered a sport. I don't think it takes as much athletic ability, but it certainly is physically challenging. That article was pretty insightful, even for someone like me who's been watching for years. Any type of competition that spends millions on hydration technology probably would qualify as a sport in my opinion.

Okay, thanks. When I asked the question, it wasn't with any research behind it. I guess we just see more NASCAR promo'd in North America....kinda like how soccer is under the radar in Canada and the States and yet, it's the most popular sport in the world.

No, I'm not a NASCAR fan, but I can post wherever and whenever I want.....thank you very much.

I watched Mville but not Texas, I had to study. I hate Texas though, so its alright.

Yeah, that was pretty cool - especially after that flip-flop with Tony Stewart on laps 299/300. Good for him!


.....Kelly :)

So, apparently Tony Stewart got a big spanking this morning for making some negative comments about NASCAR earlier in the week and for blowing off the media at Phoenix. In talking to the media this morning, he seems suitably humble and embarassed and admitted he was wrong.

Given that he's normally a feisty guy, how do you think he'll approach tomorrow's race at dega? Think he might be a little cautious/lose focus or do you think he'll still go all out? I was thinking of running him, but now I might go with Kenseth. Kenseth is probably a little more consistant at this point (and more level-headed too! :) )

.....Kelly :)

Just to make it clear..his fine was not for the negative comments toward Nascar on his radio show; they were solely for missing the post-race media conference last week. Anyone who has seen Tony progress in Nascar knows he is often hot tempered and shoots his mouth off. It is what Tony does. I would be upset too if I were him. He seems to be having a frustrating season with luck not being really on his side. I think he will approach the race in a positive manner and go all out.

JEFF GORDON I LOVE YOU!!!!! call me i am available for marriage anytime your ready!:D

ok jr is second!:)

I turned down suite tickets for Dega because I have exams starting Tuesday. This is the first Talladega spring race I've missed in like 7 years. It sucks.

I was going to ask you if you were on something for turning that down:D , but I know, your studies come 1st. I would have made the same decision, but I would still be pissed.

Who do you think will win it? I haven't even checked to see who got the pole. Anyone know..anyone...anyone?

Jeff Gordon! Gilliland matched his speed, I think, but Gordon got the pole based on overall points.

.....Kelly :)

Yeah, I thought long and hard about it. To be honest I prefer sitting at start/finish, but my family always sits in the suite. While I enjoy watching from the box (open bar, good food,etc...), it wasn't enough pull to get me out of the library. Maybe I can make it to the fall race.

No idea who is going to win. I imagine JJ, Gordon, Stewart and Junior will all be in the thick of it barring wrecks/car problems. Its always impossible to predict restrictor plate races, because you can identify people who will likely make a run at it, but there's no telling who will be around for the checkers.

You may have missed this race, but at least you've been to Dega, I haven't. Dega is the best track in the sport, that and Bristol and I haven't been to neither track.

Gordon got win 77. I was really happy, but I still think it's unfair to compare his 77 wins to Big E's 76. Big E never got a chance to retire, so if he kept racing after 2001 he would have still been winning. I thought that was pretty jacked for Jr. fans to throw toilet paper at Gordon today for winning. They not only disrepected Jeff and that whole Hendrick team, they disrespected the whole sport.

Jr. still got 5th and he started in the back too. Good run for him.

I'm quoting more for context than really a reply.

My husband is a fan, and I usually watch for the replays of the wrecks while I'm doing doing other stuff. I didn't see the race today, though.

I think that NASCAR has done an excellent job with advertising and marketing driver personalities, and because people feel a connection to the drivers, as artificial as those connections may be, it brings in folks who don't really care who can drive the fastest. Other forms of racing haven't done so much with maybe the exception of a little flurry around Danica Patrick.

Old fans of NASCAR may be driven crazy by this, but it seems to have been successful for the drivers and the products they advertise. Maybe more than any other "sport," people can tell you what product is associated with what personality because the sponsorship is right on the car.

In general the ads with drivers are excellent, lighthearted and funny and they promote driver, product and the events all at once. That's good stuff.

I went to the race yesterday, my first NASCAR race ever. It was a lot of fun and will be back next year, if not this fall. I didn't get to do the camping beforehand, although that is a lot of fun as well. We just drove early in the morning to the race.

Respectfully disagreeing...

NO - they may have said it was for the post-race media conference, but we all know the truth - Tony has the balls to call the "sport" what it is & they didn't like it. They also said that until he made those comments, they were willing to let it go - only AFTER the comments were made, did they impose the $10K fine & probation until Dec 31st. SERIOUSLY - the rest of the YEAR on probation :confused: :mad:

NASCAR is doing exactly what Tony accused them of -- CHANGING THE RULES TO SUIT THEM. He has his own radio show on Sirius - how many people would never have known about the comments if they didn't make such a big deal about it? Its not like he said it during the post race interview where literally millions of fans watch/listen. Heck - he's my favorite driver, and I have Sirius radio and even I wasn't listening to it!

If NASCAR is worried about losing fans over his comments, then maybe its time for them to look in the mirror & think about all these sudden changes they keep throwing in each week.

^^ the above is not intended to be aimed to or at MJo19 - I am simply quoting off the post for reference :)

No offense taken. :) I was skeptical about the probation until the
31st. I mean..it was JUST a post-race conference. It wasn't like he intentially harmed another driver or put another driver in danger. If the fine was for him talking badly about Nascar..why didn't they fine Kyle Busch for his comments at Bristol and how awful terrible nasty the COT was. I was there and some of his comments were a little shocking for someone who just won a race. Interesting......

77 wins 4 championships and more money won than any driver in NASCAR history, and he sucks and he's a fag?

Yeah, o.k. dude.:rolleyes: