Forum Activity for @ernest-sutton

Brickyard 400

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I was thinking the same thing, PK, regarding NASCAR's biggest (historically speaking) races (Daytona 500, Southern 500, World 600, Talladega 500). I know the Southern 500 is the granddaddy, Daytona 500 born in '59, Talladega approx.10 years later, but I don't remember the date of the first World 600.

I absolutely agree with your opinion of that track in Fontana and I believe NASCAR's moving the Labor Day Southern 500 away from Darlington is one of the very worst mistakes they have ever made. I also understand that money talks and BS walks............and NASCAR's efforts to expand itself into other market areas, but there were numerous choices other than killing such a time-honored tradition. I also believe that NASCAR's decisions to run races on Fontana-style tracks (snoozers)has contributed to the declining attendance and declining TV ratings (along with all the other things we have discussed in the past). But, alas, those opinions seem to fall on deaf ears at NASCAR headquarters.

Regarding the Indy tire debacle of 2008, that was probably the absolute worst NASCAR race I have ever witnessed..........and those fans who paid for tickets to that one should have been given free tickets to another Cup race, but I suppose Goodyear took most of the blame for that one.

I've rambled here more than I intended to - but my thinking when I asked the question was that, while I won't argue with the decision to run the stockers at Indy, I believe it should take more than a pocket full of money to classify a race as one of the crown jewels of the sport.

Brickyard 400

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I understand the significance/history of the Daytona 500 and the history of Indy - but should the Brickyard 400 be considered one of the "Crown Jewels" of NASCAR Cup racing?

updated by @ernest-sutton: 12/05/16 04:02:07PM

Who Crossed Over Successfully from Drag Racing to NASCAR?

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Kyle Busch was doing neither.

Who Crossed Over Successfully from Drag Racing to NASCAR?

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The only NASCAR racer I remember seeing on the drag strip was Richard Petty - but that was after he was an established NASCAR star and spent 1 year drag racingbecause Chrysler had boycotted NASCAR & Petty was under contract to them.

Debris Caution is thrown

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That hauler was obviously getting a little loose as he came out of turn 3.

It Really Was Different Back Then

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That's because Tiny was driving Marvin Panch's '63 Holman/Moody Ford in the '63 Daytona 500. Marvin had been injured in a practice accident in another car and Tiny helped pull him from the wrecked car, so Marvin recommended him for the 1-time ride and he won the race.I was fortunate enough to be there for that one. I liked Tiny but was not a Ford fan............and they finished 1,2,3,4,5 that year.

Robert Turner said:

Speaking of Tiny Lund, this is his car from the '64 Atlanta 500. A lot different than driving the winning car at Daytona in '63 to a year old Ford in '64. This is when I was a 15 year old witha $2 camera. Notice it sometimes took me a while to take my film for processing.

It Really Was Different Back Then

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Nope, it's good stuff, Dave............and brings back many great memories. I have no idea what kind of memories today's younger fans will have about the sport of stock car racing - but there's no way today's track experiences can even hold a candle to the "good ole days".

The fans and the sport has changed. Does it really matter?

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Maybe if NASCAR had never come up with the templates, the picture might be different.

The fans and the sport has changed. Does it really matter?

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This sure is a strange looking Plymouth.

Dave Fulton said:

We can have a million discussions and this will still never look "right" !!!

The fans and the sport has changed. Does it really matter?

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I guess I'm a little late responding to this question......because I really can't say anything that hasn't already been said. I agree with most of your responses, and especially PattyKay in that the only thing that can hold my interest from year to year is the drivers. Everything else changes too often. I used to be brand loyal as far as the cars go............many years ago. I was a hugePontiac fan when Fireball Roberts was driving them - and even liked the fact that Joe Weatherly, Jack Smith, Bobby Johns, and Marvin Panch were driving them, as well. I believe David Pearson even drove a Pontiac 1 year for Ray Fox. Then, after Fireball switched to Fords and Pontiacs became less competitive ('63-'64), I loved watching Junior Johnson wheel that #3 '63 Chevy (with the mystery engine) - still maintaining my GM loyalty. Then, somewhere around the mid-'60s, the more I saw Richard Petty drive, the more I liked him......and became a stronger and stronger Petty faneach year - especially when they started driving those winged rockets, the Superbirdsalong with other drivers in the Charger Daytonas. I have always been a Petty fan, but when Dale Earnhardt came along in the '80s, he stole my heart and it was back to the Chevys (I liked him in the Wrangler Ford, too, but was never much of a Ford fan). Then, starting sometime in the '80s, it started getting harder and harder to tell the difference between the brands of cars............which brings us to today. If I weren't familiar with most of the drivers numbers (which is getting harder to keep up with, too), I couldn't possibly tell you what brand of car they're driving - they all look the same. At any rate, my conclusion is that the logos on the cars change too often to keep up withor develop any loyalty for, all the cars look the same, if you buy jackets, caps, shirts, etc., they're obsolete within 6-12 months, so the only thing left to hold fans loyalty is the drivers................and today's younger fans are way different from the days when it was mostly just thecar brands and drivers that held our loyalties.