think I can say is...too much time between racing seasons!
I've heard this ***y stupid argument 3 times this week from 3 different fronts (this forum,
a touring-car mailing list, and a NASCAR sim racing board), and it comes around every year
about this time when race fans get too much time on their hands and use it to slaughter
any other types of motorsports they can get their hands on.
End result? Stupid inane arguments that won't change anyone's mind, and only goes to
prove that us race fans can't even stick together.
I've *driven* go-carts, drag cars, circle track cars, off-road trucks, and a few other things,
and I can only say...I've enjoyed them all! They all have their good and bad points, and
for every bad point you can find in one form of racing, you can find a few good points. Me,
personally, I watch almost anything racing I can find...it's even been hinted by a few of my
friends that if cows had numbers plastered on the side and raced around a cow pasture, I'd
tune my set in for a good race! ;]
So why the dumb arguments? From what I've seen, most of the people who have slammed
another form of motorsport knew little about the one they were slamming, and consequently
made some very poor and erroneous statements about something they knew nothing about.
I say, unless you've made a point to sit down and WATCH and understand a racing series,
you've got NO cause to badmouth it. I'm not saying that everyone who posted about this was
clueless, but looking at alot of the messages, quite a few were spouting statments that echoed
ignorance about what they were talking about...
Let me quote a few of the more outlandish statments...
'Formula 1 is boring, no one passes' - not true. Every Formula 1 race I watched this year
had some very exciting conclusions...my personal fave was when the Jordan team won in
the pouring rain after some complete disasters by the front runners. Lap after lap I was on
the edge of my seat, hoping they could come through and not blow it, and they finally managed
to persevere...it was one of the great moments of racing to see the team owner, who had tried
for so long to win one finally come through. And yes, the last 8 laps, not one of the front runners
passed a car, but in the pouring rain, it's a very easy slip to make that would put you in the gravel
pit to wish you hadn't tried so hard...
'NASCAR is boring, big rolling billboards doing 5 million laps and then cautions again' - again, very untrue. Cautions play a
major part in this sport, and not knowing how they affect the racing means you know nothing about them. While some may say it puts
all the races in a 'start over' position...this is not true at all. Some cars won't pit. Some cars will put on 2 tires and go.
Other cars will opt for just gas and beat all the rest out. Some cars will put on 4 and plan for the long run. You can never
tell, and pit strategy changes each pit stop. And when the cars come into pits, it's not just the cars who are racing, it's the
pit crews who are proving who's best each week.
And when it comes down to 5 million laps...each one is completely different than the next. You see Mark Martin diving low and
hugging the white line. You see Jeff go high and try for a wide one. Next lap Dale Jarrett takes Jeff's line and starts moving
up. Then Rusty follows Mark and it's a 4 car battle for the lead! Not exciting? You got to be kidding me!
NASCAR runs 2 road course point races during the year, and those are MOST exciting. I've heard a few comments about how NASCAR
drivers can't do anything but turn left...and obviously the speaker knew nothing about NASCAR racing, otherwise they would know
there are about 10-12 drivers who are excellent road course racers, and have proven that time and time again. Even Richard Petty
made his mark on road courses, having won Riverside in California several times. Mark Martin is a very accomplished road racer,
(speaking of just one)and Roush cars (without Martin) have won several Trans Am championships, Mark himself won the 24 hours of
Daytona (in class) in a Roush Mustang in '95.
In this modern era of corperate sponsorship, I've YET to see ANY car that didn't look like a rolling billboard. NASCAR and touring
cars are NO different...(What, you think Menu's Nescafe' is alot more 'tasteful' than Rusty's Miller???? Inane comments, again).
Just because Formula 1 and CART cars have about 1/2 to 1/3rd the side area that NASCAR and touring cars do don't make them any less
rolling billboards than the rest. What, did you miss the huge Ferrari on Schumacher's car? Or the Target on Zanardi's car? In
this day of mult-million dollar teams, it is very doubtful you'll see many cars in a winners' circle that DON'T have something
plastered all over the side of them. Just because the side of the car is half as small doesn't make it any less of a rolling
billboard than the next one...
In conclusion: So instead of taking cheap pot shots at the 'other' motorsport, why not sit down and watch a race or two and try to
understand it? I love and enjoy watching any form of motorsport, and wouldn't dream of making asinine statements about drivers and
teams who have worked so hard to get to the pinnacles of their sport...it only goes to prove how short-sighted and narrow-minded
racing fans can be...
Cheers!
--
??Jan Kohl?? **The Pits Performance Team**
Computer Systems Programmer
USAF Air-Ground Operations School
Hurlburt Field, FL
Castle Graphics - http://www.racesimcentral.net/
The Pits - http://www.racesimcentral.net/