CrashTest, although I agree with your comment that NASCAR and F1 are as different as Apples and Oranges, I can't agree with your assumption that F1 drivers are vastly superior than NASCAR drivers.
David Pearson, Bobby Allison and others fared pretty well in IROC in comparison to F1 drivers. In fact, check out how they did racing against current WDC Emerson Fittipaldi and 1967 WDC Denny Hulme racing in Porsche Carreras when all four of these races were on road courses. Click here:
www.irocracing.com/1974History.htm
NASCAR driver Donnie Allison, who wasn't even selected as one of the top fifty greatest NASCAR drivers by NASCAR for its 50th year anniversary, placed 4th in his first attempt in the 1970 Indianapolis 500. He followed this up with a 6th place finish in his second attempt. Click here:
www.Indy500.com/stats/drivers.php3?drivername=Donnie+Allison
Your statement that if these drivers want to be the best then why don't they take on Schumacher in F1 is ridiculous. Who would want to leave their own country where they can be the second and third richest drivers in the world to race in a series where their ride is a more important component of their success, where team orders exist and where there are only four or five decent rides in the whole series that they would be lucky to get a shot at even if they produced in inferior equipment?
Any top NASCAR driver would be stupid to give up fame and fortune here in the U.S. to become a couple of fine print lines in the Monday morning newspaper.
[This message has been edited by Joe Fan (edited 10 February 2000).]