NASCAR Streets of Chicago

In reply to Keith Tanner :

I am really glad they're trying new things.  Most of them have been a lot of fun to watch. It's also been fun to watch fans rage quit repeatedly. 

I was about to ask who rage quits over something this awesome, but I forget every sport has diehard gatekeepers that aneurism over anything different. In this case: it ain't an oval. I hate it.

In reply to Appleseed :

I have a couple friends who quit watching forever about every 4 months. 

Appleseed said:

I was about to ask who rage quits over something this awesome, but I forget every sport has diehard gatekeepers that aneurism over anything different. In this case: it ain't an oval. I hate it.

Is it that unreasonable for people to get upset when their sport is drastically changed? Could this be an example of trying to appeal to new fans, while just alienating the existing ones?

In reply to Racebrick :

NASCAR had been running on road courses in the 60s.  And, in theory, the 'shine runners used to run on "street circuits"

Racebrick said:

Appleseed said:

I was about to ask who rage quits over something this awesome, but I forget every sport has diehard gatekeepers that aneurism over anything different. In this case: it ain't an oval. I hate it.

Is it that unreasonable for people to get upset when their sport is drastically changed? Could this be an example of trying to appeal to new fans, while just alienating the existing ones?

Is adding another road course to a series that already has road courses really a drastic change though?  It's not like they gave up racing and are becoming a Cirque de Soleil performers. 

It's not like the stopped racing ovals entirely  If they did that, even I,  a casual fan, would stop and ask WTF?

Racebrick said:

Appleseed said:

I was about to ask who rage quits over something this awesome, but I forget every sport has diehard gatekeepers that aneurism over anything different. In this case: it ain't an oval. I hate it.

Is it that unreasonable for people to get upset when their sport is drastically changed? Could this be an example of trying to appeal to new fans, while just alienating the existing ones?

It's working though. I'm far more interested in events like this instead of hours of "and they're making a left turn". 

RevRico said:

It's working though. I'm far more interested in events like this instead of hours of "and they're making a left turn". 

You're right, it is working. The TV ratings were the highest they've been on NBC in more than 5 years.

In reply to Flynlow (FS) :

Well now that Carl Edwards has retired, that's out of the question.

I've been watching NASCAR basically as long as I can remember and I thought the race was awesome, much more exciting than I expect Atlanta to be next week which I'll also be going to (but Atlanta should be much cheaper so I'm not upset that it might be a snooze fest). I'm loving this season of NASCAR so far. Seriously, there isn't another series besides WRC that races on as many types of tracks and surfaces with as many drivers with a real shot at the championship every year. I don't recall the series being this fun to watch since at least the gen 4 car, and this car still has a long way to improve on a handful of tracks to make the racing even better.

Tom_Spangler (Forum Supporter) said:

RevRico said:

It's working though. I'm far more interested in events like this instead of hours of "and they're making a left turn". 

You're right, it is working. The TV ratings were the highest they've been on NBC in more than 5 years.

Hell, I watched several NASCAR channel highlight reels on YouTube and had queued up the actual race, might watch it tonight if I can't sleep.

I never watch circuit racing, it just seems so sterile.  The street course seems a lot more interesting a concept.

Pete. (l33t FS) said:

I never watch circuit racing, it just seems so sterile.  The street course seems a lot more interesting a concept.

See the trick is that worse race cars actually make for more interesting racing.

See: Stadium Super Trucks (a few jumps thrown on the course doesn't hurt, either).

In reply to johndej :

REL  Scott Pruitt

I think you need to re-read the results from that year.

I was on that Team, and we went home more than we raced.

YRMV

In reply to bumpsteer :

Those trucks that jump would be awesome on the Chicago circuit.

Datsun310Guy said:

In reply to bumpsteer :

Those trucks that jump would be awesome on the Chicago circuit.

I am tellin' ya... San Francisco street circuit.

It would be many laps of the Bullitt chase, times many trucks.

bumpsteer said:

Seriously, there isn't another series besides WRC that races on as many types of tracks and surfaces with as many drivers with a real shot at the championship every year. 

Normally I would protest that Indycar has this, too, but for two things. 1) They don't race on dirt, and 2) Alex Palou.

In reply to Racebrick :

It's not just the roadcourses. They left over the cars changing three generations of cars ago, they left over changes to the point system, over sponsors changing, Toyota being allowed in, the list goes on, it's constant crying.  And yes, this is absolutely an attempt to bring in new fans. For one, boomers aren't getting any younger, and two, if these people are going to be angry no matter what why worry about there opinion. The past few seasons have been some of the best racing in probably 20+ years. 
 

One of the biggest complaints, they should race on small ovals like when they started. NASCAR built a 1/4 mile oval in the LA Colosseum. Ran a typical Saturday night short track format. They bitched and moaned that it was just a publicity stunt.  No E36 M3, that's how you promote something, with publicity.  It was also pretty much exactly what people have been asking for, and fun to go see.  

Wally (Forum Supporter) said:

In reply to Racebrick :

It's not just the roadcourses. They left over the cars changing three generations of cars ago, they left over changes to the point system, over sponsors changing, Toyota being allowed in, the list goes on, it's constant crying.  And yes, this is absolutely an attempt to bring in new fans. For one, boomers aren't getting any younger, and two, if these people are going to be angry no matter what why worry about there opinion. The past few seasons have been some of the best racing in probably 20+ years. 
 

One of the biggest complaints, they should race on small ovals like when they started. NASCAR built a 1/4 mile oval in the LA Colosseum. Ran a typical Saturday night short track format. They bitched and moaned that it was just a publicity stunt.  No E36 M3, that's how you promote something, with publicity.  It was also pretty much exactly what people have been asking for, and fun to go see.  

To be fair, not all of it works, IMO. I'm OK with the point system in general, but I'm not a fan of the whole playoff thing, or stage racing for that matter. But I still watch.

In reply to Tom_Spangler (Forum Supporter) :

It doesn't all work, but they're trying. People were complaining that the championship was decided halfway through the year, went crazy when Matt Kenseth won over Junior on consistency, then hated that they tried to adjust it. 

In reply to Wally (Forum Supporter) :

So NASCAR fans are just Starwars fans that listen to country?

In reply to Appleseed:

Just start calling them Bubba Fett.  

When I'm watching F1, I get a little annoyed that the Sky Sports team gives a run-down of all the various basic rules every single week.  Things like explaining how quali works or that they have to use two different tire compounds unless it's raining, and the top ten finishers get points, and all that.

On the other hand....  I do not typically watch NASCAR because I can't really get interested in oval racing.  I actually kind of wish the commentary team would have done a little explainer on what this stage stuff is and what they mean by "the playoffs" and playoff points and using those points or something.

I also typically hate street circuits.  They're too narrow, there's no run-off, there can't be a lot of passing because if you get it wrong and tap the wall your day is pretty much over.  But I will watch NASCAR run any street circuit they can build.  The cars can go two-wide through the turns and if they happen to brush the wall the car is robust enough to just smack the concrete and go on.  The bumps in the pavement upset the cars a little bit, but no so much as to ruin anybody's race.  There was that one incident where there was a bit of a logjam and I'd like to know if they could design a tire barrier that cars wouldn't get stuck under - or maybe just not invite the Wendy's car back? - but otherwise all of my normal complaints about a street circuit were basically invalid.

In reply to wae :

I think the robustness of the cars is the big difference. An F1 car brushes the wall and there's carbon everywhere along with a puncture. A nascar brushes the wall and gives a wiggle. 

In reply to Keith Tanner :

Have you seen the story about the Camaro that was at Le Mans this year?  They said they took 200kg out of the car just from removing the bracing they put in the front and rear to handle bump drafting.  I understand that such driving technique is frowned upon by the FIA