rec.autos.simulators

I think you're spot on there. I used to be one of those who thought oval
racing was something that you couldn't possibly enjoy. I'd say mostly due
to the fact that we had (at the time) very little exposure to oval racing
in Australia. Being a sim fan opened my eyes to what actually unfolds
during a race.

Now I have cable and was able to get the Atlanta CART race, and watched
Indy a couple of months ago. We also get the odd NASCAR race, and it's
alot more than just racing round in circles. For me, oval racing is the
racing version of chess.

Cheers,
Rod.

--
Olav K. Malmin
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We don't get updates on the apparent rift between the two racing series,
just the racing. I wasn't aware there was a rift until the Indy race.
I'll plead ignorance. ;)

Cheers,
Rod.

--
Olav K. Malmin
remove spam when replying

- cricket looks utterly boring to me, but you won't hear me say that
it *IS* boring. I just don't know anything about it

- curling: idem

- pelote: idem

- American football: idem (yes, indeed...)

- soccer: why does all the world love it, except the US?

- snooker: you only understand this one if you have played it in
competition, no matter how low the level  :-)

- cycling in the Tour de France is not understood by Americans. Like
when Lance Armstrong finishes say 32th in the 12th stage, they
interview him as if he performed badly that day. Cycling needs at
least 10 years of education in the sport  :-)

I reckon it is the same for oval racing.

JoH

We do, but you wouldn't be smart enough to know that.
Racer X
Veteran Sim Racer

Well said!!

<snip>

Sounds reasonable. Certainly some of the more obscure sports I follow
and play (Crolf, anyone?) look absurd to the casual spectator.
Imagine trying to explain the triple jump...

Yep. I happen to love cricket, so I'm biased, but in some ways it's
the sporting equivalent of GPL. You need to put in a lot of effort
before you really know what's going on, but once you realise that a
five-day Test match draw can be enthralling, there isn't a more
satisfying sport on the planet. (Except hillclimbing, of course.)

One problem is the US/everyone else divide. Though it can be
understood by equivalents:

American football = Rugby League (which is to say, theoretically a
tackling game, but one controlled by TV companies that stops every
three seconds). Yes, I'm a Union man :-)

Basketball = Football ("soccer" - ugh). In that it's "the street
game" played by poor people (hardly any equipment needed, y'see), and
the most likely for non-white people to play.

Baseball = Cricket. The "traditional" game. Played in summer.
Obsessed by statistics. Incomprehensible jargon. Loads of pointless
rituals (7th-inning stand in baseball, booing MCC members in
cricket...).

How many snooker players are there in Belgium?

<snip>

Go Millar!

--
David. (GPLRank handicap: +12.42)
"After all, a mere thousand yards - such a harmless little knoll,
really." (Raymond Mays on Shelsley Walsh)

Agreed. It's a pretty good series all told.

A slower driver is fully entitled to keep a faster driver behind all day if
it's for position. Ask who is the better driver. The guy in a slower car
must be ahead for a reason. He's either done something outstanding to be in
that position or the faster guy has done something stupid.  A lapped driver
must move over  within 3 blue flags so what's the problem?

lame.

It's down to the car specs as laid down in the rules. The reliance of aero
over mechanical grip is the big issue here. The fans know it, the drivers
know it and the engineers know it. The only people seemingly in the dark are
the powers that be in the FIA corridors of power!

Standing in the way LOL. The guy has just endured a major failure at
breakneck speed, he is battered and bruised after his exertions, his
heartbeat is somewhere around 180 and then he gets clonked on the head. I
suggest that the crane driver learns a little patience and let's the driver
get himself together before steaming in.

 Geez, he was just
3.

Really? Louise Goodman on ITV managed to interview Schumacher, Button, De la
Rosa, Alesi, Zonta and Ron Dennis either during or immediately after the
race.

They do on British TV. Can't vouch for other channels though.

It's in the rules. You are allowed one move off line to defend your position
when there is a pass being attempted. Can you really see a Minardi being
passed by a Maclaren and then lining up for another passing move?

I've seen it once. I've also seen CART drivers shaking fists at each other.

That's our Eddie <G> He's a man who speaks for himself. He's a bit like a
certain Columbian in that respect.

They are paid to epand the business of their sponsors. That's why many of
them do 150+ days a year promotional work. It's the sponsors and not F1 who
make them millionaires in the main. As for F1 expanding. With 400 million tv
viewers and more countries trying to get a race then the number of availble
slots, This is one of the few things that Ecclestone has got right.

Hmmm. Did you see the French GP
The difference between the series is that F1 is more of a pure technical
excercise whereas CART is more geared to entertaining the type of clientelle
who wants to see that. This is not to say that CART is not an excellent
place to find cutting edge technology. There is much to be improved in F1
but it aint half as bad ad he word picture you are painting here.

 I don't

Come to Goodwood some day. You will see many of the drivers signing
autographs and being completely at ease with crowds. It's not the drivers
being snobbish in F1 paddocks that is the problem, it's the way that F1
paddocks make them inaccessible to the masses that is.

Tell that to Ferrari. They have thrown more money at this game than anybody
else over the last 20 years and have won zip in the way of drivers
championships.

Does the best driver always win in CART? LOL. I remember Mark Blundell
winning races <G>

6!

As Ron Dennis said. It's up for the others to catch up, not for us to slow
down.

7th or 22nd. What's the difference? You are still one of the losers. It also
means that on the rare occasion that a Schumacher fails to finish, we get to
see championships come alive again <G>

Tell me a driver who has never taken somebody out and I'll show you a guy
who is not a racing driver.

Hehe. Paul Tracey has made a living out of taking people out and being nice
to marshalls <G>

 I LOVE CART!

CART is cool. So is F1. Both have their bad points but that is no reason to
bad mouth a series simply because you prefer to watch one with rose tinted
lenses my friend.

Cheers

MS

Start paying the wages I guess <G>

MS

Sorry