Hamster does NASCAR

just accidentally stumbled upon this clip of Hammond taking in a weekend of NASCAR at Texas..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtcbsi8itHw

made me realize how much i miss being able to watch BBC America.. also, i never knew Kyle Petty was a "NASCAR legend"...

Kyle Petty is cool, but definitely no legend.

Awwwww poor Kyle.

Notes:

1. berkeley Jeff Gordon.

2. No standing ovation for the General? berkeleyin seriously? I hate people.

3. I love Hammond. Motherberkeleyer is never scared of looking silly.

4. He said "NASCAR Royalty." (as in, "Son of the King.") Not "NASCAR Legend." No denying that.

It made me respect NASCAR more. I loved Montoya comparing passing to F1.

-Rob

That something Montoya doesn't get to experience very often. I keed, I keed.

Anti-stance wrote: That something Montoya doesn't get to experience very often. I keed, I keed.

Ok, so on one occasion, he picked the wrong drafting partner, and it bit him in the ass big-time...

I can't blame him for it, because that jet-dryer had obviously found some grip on the high-line.

I also keed and stuff... As much as I don't care for NASCAR, I truly respect what the drivers and engineers can do with what they're given to work with.

finalgear.com has all of the episodes or you can buy them from the BBC on DVD

I am also not in the habit of watching NASCAR, but I did find new respect for it after watching that particular episode. I thought it was interesting how they have no telemetry, so the driver must explain everything he feels in the car to his team, and they have to interpret this and apply it to adjustments on the car.

I thought it was a really good intro for those of us (like me) that don't watch it often, or just think it's going around in circles mindlessly for hours.

In reply to lastsnare:

That's why the talk about about "team chemistry" being so important in a successful driver/crew relationship. Without it, they don't win.

lastsnare wrote: I am also not in the habit of watching NASCAR, but I did find new respect for it after watching that particular episode. I thought it was interesting how they have no telemetry, so the driver must explain everything he feels in the car to his team, and they have to interpret this and apply it to adjustments on the car. I thought it was a really good intro for those of us (like me) that don't watch it often, or just think it's going around in circles mindlessly for hours.

they have some telemetry now- the efi computer sends some data back to the pits, but not much.. i think it mostly helps them cheat on knowing how much fuel they have used so they don't have to suffer the embarassment of running out of gas.

NASCAR should get rid of that and go back to doing fuel calculations the old way, and maybe make a rule that they can't use those insane pit boxes that have room for 6 people to sit on top of them any more..

i think a lot of people that watch other forms of racing can't figure out what in the hell those NASCAR boys are talking about when they radio in that the car is "loose in, tight off, with a lttle aero push thru the middle of the corner" or something like that, and the crew chief responds by saying that they will "add some wedge into the right rear, crank the track bar down a turn and a half, and put a half a pound in the left front" or whatever...

I've said it before and I'll say it again.

I have huge respect for NASCAR teams and drivers. What they do is incredible and I couldn't touch them. But it's like golf. Incredible athletic skill, but not exciting to watch (at least on TV).

Ian F wrote: In reply to lastsnare: That's why the talk about about "team chemistry" being so important in a successful driver/crew relationship. Without it, they don't win.

This^

That is what I have been trying to explain to the non NASCAR folks around. There is a lot more to circle track racing than just turning left a thousand times. If a crew chief can't interpret the driver's description of what the car is doing, it's going to be a long frustrating season. It's way more grassroots when it comes to that aspect.

turboswede wrote: finalgear.com has all of the episodes or you can buy them from the BBC on DVD

They also have all the seasons on Netflix streaming I believe.