New Chevy Cup Car???
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I wish this was the 2013 Cup Car!!! Sad it's just a prank.
updated by @bumpertag: 12/05/16 04:02:07PM
Forum Activity for @bumpertag
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updated by @bumpertag: 12/05/16 04:02:07PM
What was your favorite track growing up and why?
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My first racetrack I went to was Cherokee Speedway in Gaffney, SC. Fast half mile red clay oval. I thought that was as good as it got till I went to Charlotte in 1973. I had grown up hearing my uncles talk talk about the stars of NASCAR so I wanted to see it for myself. I was hooked from the time I climbed the steps and looked across that track and marveled at the banking. Later I went to Darlington and was blown away by the hard racing. Spent 3 years on a Cup crew and got to see many more tracks. Looking back at all the tracks I sat in the stands and watched a race, my favorite was Rockingham. A slick track that had enough room to race and pass on when the tires were fresh and a handful on worn tires. I miss that track.
Devastating News-The Passing of Wanda Lund
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Heartbreaking news. Prayers going out to her family and friends.
Christmas is over but I still have a wish list.
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While doing a little Twitter searching last night I read an interesting post by Darrell Waltrip. He was talking about the differences between the old cars and the new car of today. He was limited by the letter count restrictions and had to break it up into several post, but here are a few of his comments.
The new cars of today will hurt you; the old cars would kill you. I had my wife kiss me before I climbed into the car because you didnt know if you would be coming back. Its safer today. And Not long ago a race team was in the drivers hands, set up and all. Now its in the hands of the Engineers, more people have an influence on the results.
NASCAR has shown the ability to make dramatic change when they wanted to; the COT is proof of that. It would make sense, seeing the decline of the sponsors and fans, that it is time to take a big swing at the issues facing the sport. Here are my picks.
1) The Haves and the Have Nots. It has always been a part of the sport but the distance between the two has grown much wider.
2) Too few teams, too many teammates. The risk of eliminating the small teams and the possibility of team orders is too great.
3) The impact of money and Engineers. Has it helped or hurt the growth and
stability of the sport.
4) The COT, Common Templates. I like the safer car, but do all the panels have to match. Can brand identity be increased.
There are others questions but these are the ones I continually mull over. As Ive heard some of you say before, NASCAR is turning into Indy racing. Everything is custom built and specialized and studied by engineers today. Is there a way to limit what can be done on the cars without giving total control and specs over to NASCAR and have them issue equipment to the teams? Is there no grey area left? I would like to see a more rustic NASCAR myself. How about you.
updated by @bumpertag: 12/05/16 04:02:07PM
State of the sport, now and the future.
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Great point Tim. Deciding onthedemographics to target may be the key to how the sport responses. Its sad to think that the older fans, the ones that carried this sport to new heights, may seem less important to the front office in Daytona. Sad but I can understand.
State of the sport, now and the future.
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As a fan of Stock Car racing I eagerly await the start of the 2012 NASCAR season. I wonder what changes the front office will impose on the teams in an effort to end the practice of tandem racing and if anything can be done to increase the excitement on the track. I hear they are working in several areas that show promise but it will take the teams running in practice to determine if the changes are practical, and that wont be long now. I hope they find that Magic Bullet that will make for great Ol Time racing and excite the fans so the dwindling ticket sells can improve. All things are possible.
I also wonder about the next generation of fans. Will they be just as loyal to sponsors, drivers and teams as many fans from the past? Will they fall in love with a manufacturer now that we have common templates? Will there be older fans 50 years from now reliving the racing of their youth with the same passion as us here at Racers Reunion? I do think all this is possible if NASCAR listens to their fan base and makes changes based on getting stock car racing back to something that closely resembles the product of the 60s and 70s. The fans will be there if the racing excites the fans and the cost of a ticket doesnt continue to grow faster than the economy. There is hope.
I am a GIS Technician for an Electric Cooperative in Gaffney, S. Carolina and most of my duties require the creating and correcting of maps using many tools. One of the most useful tools I have is aerial photos of the seven counties we serve. Every day I load photos of the areas look for the different features to make corrections to my mapping system and I see things that make me smile. I see small ovals cut out of fields and back yards over our entire service area. Young boys and girls creating their own Darlington or Martinsville, honing their skills on their go carts and chasing the checkered flag against their heros. The fan base is there but it must be nurtured and excited or it will dwindle. Im not sure how far NASCAR is willing to go in an effort to replicate the racing of the past or if that is even possible, but it is obvious that the decreasing support is caused by more than just the economy. I understand and expect the usual comments about NASCAR not being willing to listen, but I do hope that Daytona shows us that they are on the right track.
updated by @bumpertag: 12/05/16 04:02:07PM
Benny Parsons' Finest Hour
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Benny was a rare fellow. The first time I met Benny was at Talladega, the year may have been 1982 or 1983. He was the first to qualify for a cup race over 200 MPH and he was quite busy in the days leading up to the race, but this day he came near me in the garage and I spoke, and to my astonishment he stopped, smiled and chatted with a few of us for a brief time. He was so genuine and pleasant and it is for that for this reason I remember that race. Not so much his qualifing speed but because he allowed me to share a few minutes with him between scheduled interviews. Great guy, the sport lost a true gentleman.
I know many drivers and teams reach out to people in need, and they should, but the storyposted by Davegoes beyond a simple need, it addressed a true heartfelt desire to bring joy to the most innocent during the holidays. We need more people in the world today like Benny.
anybody watching that new show moonshine ?
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I've seen 2 shows and for the most part I've enjoyed it. Just wonder about the arrangements they had to make since they follow both the monnshiners and the law. Even with multiple camera crews just seems that it would be hard not to share info.