Random Thoughts on Tires, Pocono, and NASCAR in General
August 5, 2008 by Tim Zaegel
Filed under Racing
***
My name is Michael and I wrote over at b5medias’s boxing and pro
wrestling blog, Jab and Grapple. b5’s staff of
writers is guest posting on other sports blogs this week. Look for Tim
over on the sports comedy blog dejuiced.
***
After August 3rd’s long slog of a Pennsylvania 500 one has to wonder
when either:
a) NASCAR joins the rest of the motorsports world and runs races in
the rain with rain tires as the did on August
2 in Montreal, or
b) Removes at least one of the two races at Pocono.
I was amazed to hear Tony Stewart say during a rain stoppage that
Montreal was the first time many Nationwide Series drivers had driven
on rain tires. Greg Biffle admitted to NASCAR.com that “”I kind of was
looking forward to this because I’ve never raced in the rain, but I
don’t think I will be from now on.”
But what’s the real problem here? What racing problems could rainfall
bring about?
More bumping and unsure driving?The Cars of Tomorrow are
indestructible tanks that can bump and skid into other vehicles to
their heart’s content.
More crashes? The COT’s safety is un-paralleled and it’s not as if
they would be going at the high-end dangerous speeds in the rain
anyway.
Wet fans? Football plays in the rain and their fans have great fun in the wet.
What positives would rain running bring?
Exciting and unpredictable racing is sure to occur. There would be
added elements of strategy and NASCAR drivers wouldn’t seem so prissy
while waiting for a vacuum to suction off an itty bitty section of wet
track. Grand Prix Motorcycle racing competes in the rain why can’t
NASCAR?
As far as Pocono Speedway hosting two races a year, that’s only a
function of fortunate geography and it’s proximity to New York and
Philadelphia. It would have been nice to have moved one of the two to
Nazareth Speedway but that one-mile tri-oval sadly shut down for
business.
The Pocono races are usually long and unexciting (although Sunday’s
finish was fun). If I’m off to a NASCAR race from my Harrisburg, Pa.
home I’m choosing the Monster Mile at Dover, Del. over Pocono 10 times
out of 10. They’re both 120 miles from my door.
But again, the chances of only one race at Pocono per year look about
as good as racing on rain tires.
Written by Michael Sedor
T.z
As normal you said what a lot wouldn’t say thats the reason we’ve gotten a long for so long.
Rain why not we can get the tires as you said the cars are safe and the drivers could earn there money by dealing with the elements that all other pro athletes deal they need to sack up.
As ponoco yes please save me from to races a year there kentucky,are nashville both sell out busch races and are good races to watch give it to the mid-west. I’m talked to sunday after the race so you know how i feel about it. But as always you didn’t let the other people opions effect your have a lot of props for that.
Thanks for the compliments, Roc … but, this one was actually written by Michael Sedor from b5 Media’s Jab & Grapple blog. It’s part of a guest blogging promo that b5 put together.
I actually can only agree with the rain tires to an extent. Yeah, I’m thrilled that they’ve been experimenting with the concept, but you have to be careful with how far they push it. Once the weather gets to poor, you’re talking about putting a lot of money in the teams’ equipment at risk. Another thing to consider is the fact that these tires wouldn’t be able to hold on superspeedways, and probably not even intermediate tracks. After a couple more road race experiments, though, we may see them give it a shot one day at somewhere like Bristol.
And, yeah, Pocono – I could definitely live with one trip a year.