(05-06-2012, 03:54 PM)Qwertygiy Wrote: You may want to watch the race today, then, Franco -- Talladega is usually one of the more exciting races even when there are no wrecks like the one in the OP. There were 30-something lead changes in the race yesterday, a pass in the last 500 feet for the win, and it was only about 3/4 the length of the one today. They may go in circles, but better to go in circles and have a lot of passes/back and forth/anyone can win than have a weird blobby shape where one guy laps everyone twice.

(05-06-2012, 03:56 PM)Franco30557 Wrote:

(05-06-2012, 03:54 PM)Qwertygiy Wrote: You may want to watch the race today, then, Franco -- Talladega is usually one of the more exciting races even when there are no wrecks like the one in the OP. There were 30-something lead changes in the race yesterday, a pass in the last 500 feet for the win, and it was only about 3/4 the length of the one today. They may go in circles, but better to go in circles and have a lot of passes/back and forth/anyone can win than have a weird blobby shape where one guy laps everyone twice.

But it's just turning left, It seems like anyone could do it.

(05-06-2012, 03:58 PM)Qwertygiy Wrote:

(05-06-2012, 03:56 PM)Franco30557 Wrote:

(05-06-2012, 03:54 PM)Qwertygiy Wrote: You may want to watch the race today, then, Franco -- Talladega is usually one of the more exciting races even when there are no wrecks like the one in the OP. There were 30-something lead changes in the race yesterday, a pass in the last 500 feet for the win, and it was only about 3/4 the length of the one today. They may go in circles, but better to go in circles and have a lot of passes/back and forth/anyone can win than have a weird blobby shape where one guy laps everyone twice.

But it's just turning left, It seems like anyone could do it.

If it was just turning left then all they'd have would be one lap -- everyone would run into each other in the first corner at 150 miles per hour.

You have to have strategy as well, especially at the big tracks -- who do I want pushing me? Can I push them or will my car overheat? Should I run up front, or should I stay back because Bob and Joe are getting a bit too close together? Can I squeeze in there or will that cause the entire field to wreck?

You have to remember at Talladega that there are 30-something cars running at 180+ mph within a second of each other. You have to be able to pass other cars, work with other cars, block other cars, not wreck other cars, and not fall too far behind other cars.

(05-06-2012, 04:06 PM)Franco30557 Wrote: I can understand that strategy at the Wibble-Wobble track, but in a track where every stadium pretty much has the same layout; an oval. You just drive fast, turn left, drive fast, turn left for about 3 hours...

(05-06-2012, 04:12 PM)Qwertygiy Wrote:

(05-06-2012, 04:06 PM)Franco30557 Wrote: I can understand that strategy at the Wibble-Wobble track, but in a track where every stadium pretty much has the same layout; an oval. You just drive fast, turn left, drive fast, turn left for about 3 hours...

Talladega shape (2.5 miles):

Chicagoland shape (1.5 miles):

Atlanta shape (1.5 miles):

Indianapolis shape (2.5 miles):

Martinsville shape (0.5 miles):

Just because it's only got one direction doesn't mean they're all the same. There's also different amounts of banking; some are flat, some are pretty steep.

Now, in qualifying, yes, pretty much all you do is accelerate, decelerate, turn left, accelerate, decelerate, turn left, but when you're racing, you have to know where everyone else is and react to them. You're not going to drive your favorite line if Jeff Gordon is already running it.

All right turns do is make races less competitive -- you have to slow down more, and so only one or two drivers will be able to compete for the win at the end. NASCAR has two tracks like that (, ), and nearly every time there's only been a few cars in contention with a few laps to go. Now, sometimes it's the same way on ovals (Texas was BORRRRRING this spring), but there's often a battle for the lead. There's ALWAYS a battle for the lead at Talladega.

(05-06-2012, 04:17 PM)Franco30557 Wrote:

(05-06-2012, 04:12 PM)Qwertygiy Wrote:

(05-06-2012, 04:06 PM)Franco30557 Wrote: I can understand that strategy at the Wibble-Wobble track, but in a track where every stadium pretty much has the same layout; an oval. You just drive fast, turn left, drive fast, turn left for about 3 hours...

Talladega shape (2.5 miles):

Chicagoland shape (1.5 miles):

Atlanta shape (1.5 miles):

Indianapolis shape (2.5 miles):

Martinsville shape (0.5 miles):

Just because it's only got one direction doesn't mean they're all the same. There's also different amounts of banking; some are flat, some are pretty steep.

Now, in qualifying, yes, pretty much all you do is accelerate, decelerate, turn left, accelerate, decelerate, turn left, but when you're racing, you have to know where everyone else is and react to them. You're not going to drive your favorite line if Jeff Gordon is already running it.

All right turns do is make races less competitive -- you have to slow down more, and so only one or two drivers will be able to compete for the win at the end. NASCAR has two tracks like that (, ), and nearly every time there's only been a few cars in contention with a few laps to go. Now, sometimes it's the same way on ovals (Texas was BORRRRRING this spring), but there's often a battle for the lead. There's ALWAYS a battle for the lead at Talladega.

So...You saying NASCAR is very unique and is the best car-based sport ever?

(05-06-2012, 04:18 PM)Qwertygiy Wrote:

(05-06-2012, 04:17 PM)Franco30557 Wrote:

(05-06-2012, 04:12 PM)Qwertygiy Wrote:

(05-06-2012, 04:06 PM)Franco30557 Wrote: I can understand that strategy at the Wibble-Wobble track, but in a track where every stadium pretty much has the same layout; an oval. You just drive fast, turn left, drive fast, turn left for about 3 hours...

Talladega shape (2.5 miles):

Chicagoland shape (1.5 miles):

Atlanta shape (1.5 miles):

Indianapolis shape (2.5 miles):

Martinsville shape (0.5 miles):

Just because it's only got one direction doesn't mean they're all the same. There's also different amounts of banking; some are flat, some are pretty steep.

Now, in qualifying, yes, pretty much all you do is accelerate, decelerate, turn left, accelerate, decelerate, turn left, but when you're racing, you have to know where everyone else is and react to them. You're not going to drive your favorite line if Jeff Gordon is already running it.

All right turns do is make races less competitive -- you have to slow down more, and so only one or two drivers will be able to compete for the win at the end. NASCAR has two tracks like that (, ), and nearly every time there's only been a few cars in contention with a few laps to go. Now, sometimes it's the same way on ovals (Texas was BORRRRRING this spring), but there's often a battle for the lead. There's ALWAYS a battle for the lead at Talladega.

So...You saying NASCAR is very unique and is the best car-based sport ever?

No, I'm saying it's just not any worse/less exciting than F1 or Indycar where they do make right turns more often. And it's a heckuva lot safer -- the last time someone was killed in a NASCAR car was either 2002 or 2001 -- I can't remember exactly when Adam Petty crashed in a prerace event. The last time someone was killed in an openwheel race car (that I am aware of) was the last IndyCar race of last year.