Talladega

[harvey lee]

I went walleye fishing and did not watch the race.

Was it the typical new 2 car tandem race like the past ones with this new car?

[yaggie]

That was pretty much it. Was some surprises as when Bayn agreed to push Gordon and than just abandoned him when they were in reach of the lead. Gotta wonder if he was following orders as it was rumored that Ford did not want any ford pushing a different brand to win.

[Sifty]

Yaggie I was wondering the same.

Gordon had spent hours with the 21 showing him how to draft early this year.

I would like to know how that conversation went after the race.

Sifty

[pushbutton]

Here are two tweets Bayne made after the race. Don't know if the Woods/Ford told him to bail after he agreed, or outright set Gordo up. Don't think too many tears were shed with all the Hendrick cars finishing as they did, but pretty interesting that the manufactures were pulling strings like that.

@tbayne21: I'm not happy about what this has become... It's too premeditated. We should be able to go with whoever is around (us)

@tbayne21: I would have rather pulled over and finished last than tell @JeffGordonWeb I would work with him and then be strong armed into bailing

[SkunkedAgain]

Yup - NASCAR teams have gotten very petty.

It's good to see my man Kenseth quietly sneaking into second place in the standings.

[harvey lee]

What NASCAR needs to do is have a plate race where a driver can run a race and be successful without the help of another car.

All we have now with the plate tracks is who can partner up with a car that will draft well with them. I guess it would be like all start wrestling with a tag team match.

I do not have an answer on how to fix the problem but NASACAR should come up with something. They are simply very boring races to watch and one can see what happens in the last 10 laps or even maybe the last 2 laps.

The best car rarely wins unless someone else hooks up with them. A good example would be Trevor Bayne in the first win he had on a plate track. This last race, Trevor hung Gordon out to dry from what I have read on the racing forums. Trevor could have big issues from here on out on those plate tracks as noone may not be willing to say yes they will work with him when he did what he did to Jeff.

[Double D]

Really, there is no reason for that race to be that long anymore. With all the lead changes it is just who is lucky enough to be up front on the last lap, not the guy who drove the best all day.

Glass bumpers might help.

DD

[HOF#13]

Daytona and Talladega have become flat out jokes with that 2 car tandem. You cannot even call that racing. NASCAR should be embarassed by the product they put out on those two tracks now.

I'm not exactly sure how to fix it, but then again I'm not being paid the big bucks by NASCAR to figure it out.

That race only needed to be 10-15 laps long. The other 170 or so laps were a complete waste of time. Real racing does not include cars dropping to the back of the pack for 95% of the race on purpose.

[Wanderer]

I watched most of it for a change. I still like the plate races - not as much as before - but I still like them. Maybe this one was a bit better for me 'cuz Tony was running well. I was curious though why Gibbs called Lagano off his tail near the end. Isn't a second place for your beat up car a great showing?? I know, they have Hamlin and Kyle to pay attention to, but c'mon, leave the accountant and analyst at home on race day.

I heard the Bayne/Gordon situation being batted around also. I wish they'd just let the drivers drive!

Anybody hear why the Stewart/Menard tandem dumped on the final restart? That was tough to watch.

[harvey lee]

What gets me is it seems the majority of the fans could care less about the plate races and if one listens to the drivers, they really do not care for them either.

NASCAR should lisdten to the fans and it's drivers.

I have not watched a plate race since they changed it and the old car I typically watched the last 15-20 laps. That's about the only time they are really racing.

[LMITOUT]

Although I've never been a fan of the COT, it is not the reason for the tandem racing at the plate tracks. It is purely a result of the recent resurfacing of these two tracks which means more grip and less dependence on handling and that allows cars to "hook up" and stay connected all the way around the track.

They are doing the same thing in all the series now, even ARCA to an extent, and in the truck series their bumpers don't even match up!

The drivers are going to do whatever gives them the most speed. Hey, that's racing! How do you fix it? Not sure if you can until the track surface starts to weather and loses grip naturally.

I've always said that they need to use narrower tires which would improve racing across the entire schedule. This would do two things: more tire wear means teams would have to pit under green more often and force them to take four new tires on almost every stop, and it would put the driver back into the equation because now a monkey could drive these cars if they happen to hit the set-up right. A third thing may also occur with narrower tires or ones that wear out faster: fewer fuel mileage races!

As far as the Gordon/Bayne thing...it sounds like Bayne told Gordon over the radio that he would work with him but then after the restart Bayne was reminded of team orders by Ford and Roush that he was only to help other Fords/Roush cars and so he ditched Gordon. Pretty rotten deal but that's Jack Roush for ya.

[harvey lee]

NASCAR in the past few years is trying to even the teams out in what they can test and spend. Therefore, I do not see them going to a tire that would have to be changed more often.

Yes, a monkey may be able to drive a well set up car but to attain a well set up car, one needs a driver who can relate to his crew chief what the car is doing and a crew chief who can give him what he believes he needs.

Bayne will now need to work with his teammates as I highly doubt any other driver will trust him. Not a good deal fo Bayne at the plate tracks with a lack of trust.

[Rippinlip]

Here is a way to fix the plate races, give them a UNRESTRICTED 6 cylinder motor, or keep they restrictions on the current V8 motors and take all the spoilers off the cars and let them go, the speed would come down some, and it would show who can drive a car.

You take all these spoilers/splitters/roof aero fins off the cars and I will guarantee you nobody wants someone on their butt pushing them into a corner and removing precious air anywhere from their car.

Now lets hear Darryl say "Lets go racing Boys" and mean it.

[fishing tech]

I am with you Harvey, I have had Daytona 500 tickets since 93. I have not been to a race since big E won it. Daytona is to corperate and you only need to watch the last 20 laps.

[LMITOUT]

Yes, a monkey may be able to drive a well set up car but to attain a well set up car, one needs a driver who can relate to his crew chief what the car is doing and a crew chief who can give him what he believes he needs.

From what drivers like Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin have said that isn't the case at all. The set-ups on these cars are on a razor's edge and just a tweak either way will make them too tight or too loose. They have no adjust ability in them with the way they are boxed-in by NASCAR rules.

If someone like Robby Gordon or Michael Waltrip would have said those things I'd just blow them off as whining, but we all know the caliber of driver that Stewart is and I would tend to believe what he says.

[harvey lee]

I guess no need for a crew chief to make those set up decisions then Dan.

If it isd so easy, then I wonder why all the cars are not as fast and why they do not all run up front.

Still takes a set up car to some degree to be fast and changes during the race.

[Uncle Bill]

Talladega and Daytona are two of the top 5 best races of the year.

Speed and danger.

Not knocking anybody, But I wonder if those that find these races "boring" have ever

seen a race there ?

[Uncle Bill]

As far as the Gordon/Bayne thing...it sounds like Bayne told Gordon over the radio that he would work with him but then after the restart Bayne was reminded of team orders by Ford and Roush that he was only to help other Fords/Roush cars and so he ditched Gordon. Pretty rotten deal but that's Jack Roush for ya.

I,m pretty sure brand and team loyalty are not something exclusive to Roush and Ford.

Tough titty for jeff gordon.

[harvey lee]

yet it will be in the very near future tough you know what for Mr bayne for saying one thing and then not doing it. Bayne will be out there with only his teammates at best as noone else will trust him.

Yes, been there Bill.

[Uncle Bill]

yet it will be in the very near future tough you know what for Mr bayne for saying one thing and then not doing it. Bayne will be out there with only his teammates at best as noone else will trust him.

Yes, been there Bill.

Sorry Harv, I disagree.

I doubt Trevor Bayne has lost any trust or respect among his competitors.

The mans just doing his job. As they would do, put in the same situation.

Having been there, you must admit, racing there with 43 other cars wide open is not for sissies. Like seeing Mt. Rushmore or the Grand Canyon for the first time, It is truelly awesome.

[eagle_3464]

Been to the Daytona 500 twice (they weren't boring then like they are now). Other than the excitement for the event itself I can't say that it is even close to what Bristol was (prior to repaving) from a spectators point of view. This was all before the COT which has only made Nascar worse. At Daytona, if it's not happening in front of you, you don't have a good view of the action and you have to watch the jumbotron. You can see way more action on the big screen at home, but Nascar rules have turned them into snoozers. Give me a short track any day. More action and more racing than the follow the leader 1-1/2 mile and longer tracks. Nascar would be better off to do away with common templates and make each manufacturer match what is on the showroom.

[LMITOUT]

I guess no need for a crew chief to make those set up decisions then Dan.

If it isd so easy, then I wonder why all the cars are not as fast and why they do not all run up front.

Still takes a set up car to some degree to be fast and changes during the race.

You don't understand what I'm saying, and what many in NASCAR are saying. Once you get the car set, it takes little effort by the driver to be fast. It's all in the car, and even the best drivers can't overcome an ill handling car with this COT. Prior to the COT even if a car wasn't set up perfect a good driver could make up for what the car is lacking. Now that is gone. It either is competitive or it isn't.

[harvey lee]

OK, monkies can race at the plate tracks.

[LMITOUT]

Has nothing to do with plate tracks, its the intermediate tracks where this is more prevalent. That's why I suggested the narrower tires that would: possibly prevent tandem racing at plate tracks, and, require more driver input at the rest of the tracks where the drivers are complaining about the lack of adjust ability. A win-win.

[fishing tech]

I have been saying narrow the tires for years. I would also like to see them run a show room matching nose piece and cut he headlights out. It would slow them down and the drivers talent should show on the track.