Quote :

"^^^^ in a ganassi stock car? 175? he'll be lucky if he makes a complete lap at any rate of speed."

Gimme a break, all the cars are all the same, take the nosepiece off and you cant tell the difference in a Ford, Chevy, or Dodge. And the Car of Tomorrow idea is just going to make it worse.

Quote :

"You cannot honestly tell me that watching the F-1 guys follow the leader at Monaco is better than watching 500 laps at Bristol, Martinsville, or a race at Darlington"

Along with North Wilkesboro, Rockingham....oh wait, those tracks are gone. Darlingtons on the shitlist, and Martinsville will be within the next five years. I remember when I used to get pumped for the race every weekend, but now I just see Chicago, Michigan, California, Las Vegas, Kansas City, etc, and I know its going to be a Sunday afternoon nap. Some of those tracks have very little passing, and when they do pass, the cars can do it without getting within 50 feet of each other. I realize that NASCAR wants to get into all of these newer markets, but why dont these developers say "Hey, lets build a 5/8ths mile oval? or a road course?" Bristol can get 150000 people around a 1/2 mile, surely they can do the same....but no, its the same track popping up everywhere, resulting in the same boring ass race every single Sunday.

7/12/2006 3:03:15 PM

That canadian track is a 5/8 mile track and supposedly they are putting 80k seats around it.

Unfortunately for good tracks like Rockingham, Darlington, NW, Martinsville, etc, Nascar has turned into one big marketing ploy, and the TV ratings are MUCH higher in a place like Chicago, Vegas, Michigan, Dover, etc. Sponsors eyes light up with $ symbols when the TV ratings are high. They could have through the roof Joyce Julius numbers at a track with low TV ratings, but they want high JJ numbers at tracks with high tv ratings.

7/13/2006 10:30:52 AM

^^You hit the nail on the head. I am not interested nearly as much in Nascar because of those reasons. The same race every weekend gets old.

7/13/2006 10:59:36 AM

Quote :

"Unfortunately for good tracks like Rockingham, Darlington, NW, Martinsville, etc, Nascar has turned into one big marketing ploy, and the TV ratings are MUCH higher in a place like Chicago, Vegas, Michigan, Dover, etc. Sponsors eyes light up with $ symbols when the TV ratings are high. They could have through the roof Joyce Julius numbers at a track with low TV ratings, but they want high JJ numbers at tracks with high tv ratings."

NASCAR can go ask a former organization named CART how that worked out for them...they put on boring races in big markets like their sponsors wanted and the racing became crap.

7/13/2006 11:07:37 AM

Quote :

"That canadian track is a 5/8 mile track and supposedly they are putting 80k seats around it."

What Canadian track? If there is going to be a Canadian race, it's going to be on the F1 road course in Montreal (which is a street course, funny huh?).

The best oval in Canada is Sanair in Quebec. It seats 50000 around a 9/10-mile trioval. Oval racing in Canada isn't able to support anything larger. And if a "NASCAR-quality" oval was built, it would host a NASCAR weekend and that would be pretty much it. Canadians are road racers pretty much. There are some ovals here and there but it's of the quality of the track in Kenly. Their best race track is Mosport, a very fast road course in Ontario.

[Edited on July 13, 2006 at 11:14 AM. Reason : .]

7/13/2006 11:11:46 AM

Quote :

"Canadian Track to be upgraded to NASCAR Standards: Cayuga International Speedway [currently Cayuga 2000 Raceway] will undergo a major re-construction after the final race of the 2006 season to bring it up to NASCAR standards. An investment group has purchased the 5/8ths-mile oval with the hopes of attracting a NASCAR Busch Series or Craftsman Truck Series race as soon as 2008. The finished track will seat 60,000 fans. "The new ownership team has retained the services of Baskervill Motorsports Design, one of North America's premier track designers and builders, and Cooper Construction of Oakville, to start construction of this exciting project in September," a release from the new track owner said. The final race on the old track will be the CASCAR Super Series Hot and Heavy 200 on Labor Day.(Toronto Sun) MORE: Baskervill’s Motorsports Design team has been retained to design a new, out of the ground race facility in Ontario, Canada, at the site of the current Cayuga 2000 Raceway. The new track, re-named Cayuga International Speedway, will become a state of the art, mixed-use race facility. The Toronto-based owners have asked Baskervill to design a “world class facility.”(baskervill.com)(7-12-2006) "

7/13/2006 11:13:47 AM

^ Sounds like a Kentucky to me. It's not owned by ISC or Bruton Smith, so it will never get a race date.

The guy in Montreal that has the F1 weekend has already had discussions with ISC. Plus, he only has the track, a street course, two weekends a year. So if NASCAR went there, they could kick CART out of Montreal (they're the second weekend), and Canada still likes CART, so NASCAR can increase their racing share by moving there.

Busch is possible for that track, but that's because Busch charges such exorbitant fees for a race date that very few tracks that don't already have a Cup date that weekend want Busch. Not sure if there's enough support for NASCAR racing in Canada when it's the B series to make ends meet.

[Edited on July 13, 2006 at 11:20 AM. Reason : .]

7/13/2006 11:17:00 AM

Quote :

"NASCAR can go ask a former organization named CART how that worked out for them...they put on boring races in big markets like their sponsors wanted and the racing became crap."

I agree with you completely. I hate the fact that we go to places like Pocono twice a year. The race sucks and the track is a dump...but, you have all the TV markets nearby and sponsors like it.

7/13/2006 11:21:48 AM

so who watched the re-air of the Trading Paint Montoya/Gordon special....it looked to me as if Gordon did a hell of a lot better in the F1 car......they kept comparing braking over and over again.....the F1 has so much downforce that it slows itself down when you left off the throttle and the brakes are carbon fiber.....oh and also those bitches got traction control.....when i was working at RYR they had a road course instructor Chris Cook come to VIR and teach Jarrett and Sadler how to drive a road course properly....he said a Cup was the hardest thing he had ever been in before....

7/15/2006 10:41:18 AM

Quote :

"One week after Formula One driver Juan Pablo Montoya announced he was abandoning his F1 career for NASCAR; open wheel driver Patrick Carpentier visited New Hampshire hocking his wares for a ride. While nothing is inked yet, Carpentier hinted that before the end of this weekend he may have a deal worked out to run the Busch Series next season. It wouldn't be much of a jump to think that Carpentier might be headed to one of Toyota's fledging Red Bull teams; who are planning on having one Busch ride next season. While he is unsure of some of the details, Carpentier hopes that he has something to announce within the next few days as to what his 2007 plans are in NASCAR racing.(Motorsport.com)(7-14-2006) "

7/15/2006 11:03:56 AM

Quote :

"UPDATE: Two NASCAR teams have contacted Montreal's Patrick Carpentier about a future in the stock car series. A refugee of the Champ Car and Indy Racing League, Carpentier has had offers to join a NASCAR Busch Series team and a Craftsman Truck series team this season as a prelude to a full season deal in 2007. It is believed Carpentier will race a couple of ARCA events this season to show NASCAR teams his prowess on ovals in the big sedans.(Toronto Sun)(7-4-2006) UPDATE 2: One week after Formula One driver Juan Pablo Montoya announced he was abandoning his F1 career for NASCAR; open wheel driver Patrick Carpentier visited New Hampshire hocking his wares for a ride. While nothing is inked yet, Carpentier hinted that before the end of this weekend he may have a deal worked out to run the Busch Series next season. It wouldn't be much of a jump to think that Carpentier might be headed to one of Toyota's fledging Red Bull teams; who are planning on having one Busch ride next season. While he is unsure of some of the details, Carpentier hopes that he has something to announce within the next few days as to what his 2007 plans are in NASCAR racing.(Motorsport.com)(7-14-2006) "

7/16/2006 11:49:03 AM

Carpentier is nothing special, but if he gets a ride in a Toyota he'll pwn some people.

7/16/2006 3:13:55 PM

The real test of NASCAR worldliness if Carpentier gets a ride: will announcers call him "Pat-rik Car-pen-ter" or will they call him "Pah-trik Car-pahn-tee-eh"

(he's Quebecois)

Montoya and Carpentier...this is really nothing more than a side effect of how far IndyCar/CART has fallen down the ladder. At the end of the day, racers need to race to make money and will go where they are going to get paid. Just wait until the Brazilian Armada comes. This could actually liven up NASCAR a bit, a USA-World rivalry.

[Edited on July 17, 2006 at 1:23 PM. Reason : .]

7/17/2006 1:22:51 PM

Quote :

"oh and also those bitches got traction control"

those bitches don't got TC

7/17/2006 1:32:19 PM

Quote :

"oh and also those bitches got traction control"

For awhile so did some NASCAR teams...clandestinely.

7/17/2006 2:06:19 PM

F1 doesnt now???....well they used to....

7/17/2006 6:45:20 PM

f1 most definitely does have TC. drivers can floor it coming out of a turn and not worry about spinning.

7/17/2006 8:14:34 PM

you can tell how much F1 i watch

7/17/2006 8:54:00 PM

update...

Quote :

"Montoya ready to test Cup cars? UPDATE Monday at Talladega: A deal has been struck that will allow Juan Pablo Montoya to begin testing with Chip Ganassi and Felix Sabates' NASCAR operation, possibly as soon as next week, Yahoo! Sports has learned. Montoya has been unable to practice in a stock car due to a contractual issue with his soon-to-be former employer McLaren-Mercedes F1. An agreement releasing Montoya from his contractual obligations to his F1 team is necessary before he can begin testing with Ganassi. That agreement has been reached, according to a source within the Ganassi organization. Details of the agreement have not been disclosed, though an announcement is expected soon. Ganassi/Sabates officials want the former F1 and Indy 500 winner behind the wheel of one of their cars as soon as possible in order to prepare for his entrance into Nextel Cup next season. Tentative plans have Montoya running at least four races and as many as nine before the end of the season, including the Busch Series races at Texas, Phoenix and Homestead-Miami and the Cup finale at Homestead – all markets with large Latino populations. Montoya also might run the ARCA race at Talladega in October, which would give the Colombian experience on a restrictor plate superspeedway.(Yahoo Sports)(9-22-2006) UPDATE: Juan Montoya will get his first taste of stock car racing Monday at Talladega, Ala. and Chip Ganassi plans to run his open-wheel star in a few races before the 2006 season is over. “Yes, Juan has been set free,” said Ganassi on Saturday night when asked if the 1999 CART champion had worked out his contract issues with Team McLaren. “And we’re going to get with a pretty heavy testing schedule real quick starting with an ARCA car on Monday at Talladega.” Asked if the 30-year-old Colombian would do any racing, Ganassi replied, “Absolutely, A-B-C.” That reference was to ARCA, Busch and Nextel Cup – Ganassi fields teams in all three series. Montoya, who shocked the racing world July by announcing he was leaving Formula 1 for NASCAR, was being blocked from changing careers until he settled his contract with McLaren, which was paying him through December.(Speed Channel)(9-24-2006) "

9/24/2006 11:07:15 AM

another update...

Quote :

"UPDATE 2: Montoya could be in a NASCAR event as soon as next weekend's Busch Series race at Kansas Speedway. Montoya, who was released from his Formula One contract earlier this week, will test an ARCA car for Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates on Monday at Talladega. He also will test an ARCA car in Iowa on Thursday. Ganassi plans to get Montoya into an ARCA or Busch Series race as soon as possible, and hopefully at least one Cup race before the end of the season.(NASCAR.com)(9-25-2006) "

9/25/2006 6:57:57 PM

Quote :

"Tentative plans have Montoya running at least four races and as many as nine before the end of the season, including the Busch Series races at Texas, Phoenix and Homestead-Miami and the Cup finale at Homestead – all markets with large Latino populations"

Restating for the dramatic effect.

NASCAR needs to realize that Montoya will draw Colombian fans only (of which they are really only in Miami), not Latino fans. Mexicans couldn't care less about Montoya. Latinos don't look at themselves like blacks (as a race, instead like a nationality).

[Edited on September 25, 2006 at 7:48 PM. Reason : .]

9/25/2006 7:42:31 PM

Quote :

"Latinos don't look at themselves like blacks (as a race, instead like a nationality). "

haha

9/25/2006 8:10:00 PM

Quote :

"Latinos don't look at themselves like blacks (as a race, instead like a nationality). "

Can anyone of hispanic heritage verify this? I know many Mexicans are upset about the large number of Guatamalan immigrants in Mexico, but Univisions world cup coverage made it look like hispanics all pulled for Latin America. Although that could just be because Univision was trying to appeal to all of Latin America. Anyway, it sucks for NASCAR if Mexicans won't pull for a Colombian driver.

9/25/2006 11:07:47 PM

Quote :

"AND Montoya made his first test run as a stock car racer Monday at Talladega, beginning his transition from open wheel racing star to NASCAR neophyte. Montoya ran the Superspeedway in an ARCA Car for Chip Ganassi Racing, with whom he won the 2000 Indy 500 in his first try. Ganassi said he plans for Montoya to log as many miles as possible this season. He has also said he wants Montoya to run in ARCA, Busch and Nextel Cup races by the end of the season, but said Monday he didn't know yet where his first race would be. The Talladega ARCA race is Oct. 6.(Associated Press) and see the ARCA Speeds run by 31 drivers Monday at RacingOne, Mark Mitchell was the fastest at 187.768mph, Steve Wallace was 5th and Juan Pablo Montoya was 6th at 186.667mph.(9-26-2006) "

9/26/2006 7:39:13 PM

How many Mexicans give a shit about racing?

Or How many Mexicans have a television to even watch it on?

9/26/2006 7:52:40 PM

Quote :

"Montoya to test Friday at Iowa: Former Formula One star Juan Pablo Montoya of Chip Ganassi Racing will test a stock car Friday at Iowa Speedway in Newton, Heather Kincel, a public relations contact with Ganassi's organization, confirmed today. Montoya, who signed with Ganassi to drive in NASCAR next season, tested Monday at Talladega Superspeedway. Montoya, who won the 2000 Indianapolis 500 driving for Ganassi, could run ARCA RE/MAX Series, NASCAR Busch and Nextel Cup Series races before the end of this season, according to an Associated Press article. "I'm 100 percent committed to this," Montoya said in the article. ARCA's season finale is Oct. 15 at Iowa Speedway and will be broadcast live on Speed Channel.(Des Moines Register)(9-27-2006) "

9/27/2006 6:09:52 PM

Quote :

"How many Mexicans give a shit about racing? Or How many Mexicans have a television to even watch it on?"

Wow, you're ignorant...or racist...or both.

Lets see, the Baja 1000, the Carrera Panamerica, the great Rodriguez brothers, both of which raced for the Ferrari factory team, Mexico held a round of the Formula One World Championship for many years, and now holds a round of the World Rally Champiunship, top notch road courses in Monterrey and Mexico City, Mexicans have had great success in Indycars for many years with Fernandez, Jourdain, Dominguez, not to mention Mexican companies that support them with sponsorship.

To say Mexicans like racing is an understatement.

9/28/2006 12:00:35 AM

Quote :

"Montoya to make stock car debut in Talladega ARCA race: Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (CGRFS) announced Juan Pablo Montoya will drive the #4 Texaco/Havoline Dodge in the ARCA/REMAX Series event on Friday, October 6 at Talladega Superspeedway. Montoya and the CGRFS team tested at Talladega earlier this week in preparation for the ARCA event, as well as his first start in a stock car. In July CGRFS announced that Montoya would be piloting the #42 Texaco/Havoline Dodge Charger in the Nextel Cup Series in 2007. The 31-year-old Colombia, South America native will become the first Formula One driver in the 58-year history of NASCAR to compete on the circuit full time. He returns to the CGRFS organization with 137 starts competing in CART, IndyCar and Formula One, where he's tallied 18 wins, 26 poles, 60 top-five and 79 top-10 finishes. Over his five complete seasons in Formula One, Montoya has finished sixth or better in the standings. Montoya previously worked with team owner Chip Ganassi in the CART Series in 1999 and 2000. He captured the CART Championship and Rookie of the Year honors in 1999 while visiting Victory Lane 11 times in those two years, including a win at the prestigious Indianapolis 500 in 2000. The Food World 250 is scheduled to start at 4:30pm and will be broadcast at 8 p.m. on Speed Channel.(Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates PR)(9-28-2006) "

9/28/2006 6:12:05 PM