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Old 19 Jul 2001, 13:46 (Ref:119193)   #1
Joe Fan
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Joe Fan should be qualifying in the top 5 on the gridJoe Fan should be qualifying in the top 5 on the grid
NASCAR drivers that would excel in other forms of motorsport

Well, what NASCAR drivers do you think would excel in other forms of motorsport?

Here are some of the obvious:

Sprint Cars:
Ken Schrader
Tony Stewart
Jeff Gordon
Jason Leffler
Ryan Newman
Dave Blaney

IRL:
Tony Stewart

Sports Cars:
Willie T. Ribbs


And if Robby Gordon is considered a NASCAR driver still, then put him down for Off-Road racing and the IRL.
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Old 19 Jul 2001, 19:06 (Ref:119325)   #2
Raoul Duke
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It's difficult to decide what Nascar drivers coult do in other forms of Motorsport, since Nascar is largely emphasised on Ovals and don't focus very much on road courses.

Jeff Gordon, however, I feel could succeed in Cart, because he seems to have a pretty good handle on the 2 road courses that Nascar visit every year. F1?....let's not go nuts.

As for Robby Gordon, he shouldn't really be in Nascar if you ask me and judging by his performance at Sears Point, he seems a lot better on Road Courses than ovals. I think he should maybe return to Cart, or even the IRL(remember the 99 indy 500?.)

Apart from that, anyone's guess is as good as mine.

Last edited by Raoul Duke; 19 Jul 2001 at 19:07.
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Old 24 Jul 2001, 07:38 (Ref:120922)   #3
floid2000
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I would like to have seen Al Unser Jr give Nascar a shot when the CART/IRL thing happened. The way he's driven in IROC(very much like Cup cars) I think he could of done well
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Old 24 Jul 2001, 07:39 (Ref:120923)   #4
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Richard Petty ran in the NHRA in the late 60s/Early 70s
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Old 25 Jul 2001, 18:40 (Ref:121673)   #5
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Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart,Ryan Newman, Rusty Wallace, Dave Blaney, Mark Martin
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Old 25 Jul 2001, 19:00 (Ref:121679)   #6
zealot
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John Andretti is a great drag racer, too.

Most of the guys I think would do well in Trans Am style cars, and a lot of them could fare well in the open wheeled world (after all, Scott Pruett was actually good in CART)
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Old 28 Jul 2001, 01:27 (Ref:122826)   #7
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Quite an intresting question Joe Fan, and truthfully, in all the times that I have been on racing forums, have not ever seen it ask. Always how would other drivers fair in NASCAR, but never how NASCAR drivers would fair in other series.

First a couple of observations, all of the drivers that you named in sprint cars, came from sprint cars.

Second, Stewart came from the IRL.

Third, Ribbs came from road-racing.

What I'm saying is that each of the drivers that you named had already had experience, in fact, in most cases, had excelled in those forms of racing before they went to NASCAR, so what I'm saying is that since they had already excelled in it, it is kind of invalid to name them.

I think a better question might be, of the drivers in NASCAR, that have never driven in other series, which do you think could excel in other forms of racing. Not trying to be nit-picky, but when the question is ask about whether other drivers could excel in NASCAR, your talking about drivers that have in most cases, no experience in stock cars.

That being said, Bill Elliott took a cart around Michigan, back in the 80s, he was there for a round of the IROC, and when he got out of it he said that it was easier to drive than his stock car. I don't think he would have had allot of problems driving it in a race. He was turning laps just a tic slow than the driver that won the pole for the carts at that race.

I believe the late Davy Allison, Alan Kuwicki and Dale Earnhardt, could have driven almost anything, and Mark Martin could have probally done well too.

floid2000, the year that Petty ran the NHRA was 1965, that was the year that NASCAR banned the 426 Hemi engine. Petty ran a 65 Plymouth Barricuda in what was to later evolve into the Pro Stock Division of the NHRA. His domination of that series was so extensive, that when NASCAR lifted the ban on the Hemi for the 66 season, every driver in that division cheered out of shear joy!

Also, while IROC cars may look like a form of stock car, they are nowhere near similar to a Winston Cup car. Engines are nowhere near as powerful, they weigh allot less, suspension and set-up are completely different, and they do not drive at all like a Cup car, or a Busch Grand National car either for that matter.
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Old 29 Jul 2001, 08:33 (Ref:123208)   #8
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So . Lee Do you have a lot of hours in a Winston cup car ?
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Old 30 Jul 2001, 06:06 (Ref:123623)   #9
floid2000
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Guess not
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Old 30 Jul 2001, 20:05 (Ref:123974)   #10
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Floid2000,

Was in the middle of typing a reply, last night, when my computer was knocked off line. I lost everything, and it was too late to begin.
again.

To answer your question, I have several hours in a Winston Cup car. Several years ago, I drove a late-model stock car at local tracks around the Atlanta area. The owner of the car that I drove was approached by a driver that had previously been active, and had actually won a race. He wished to attempt a comeback. He, and the owner had a hand-shake agreement. Owner purchased cars, engines, etc. and had a team assembled, only to learn that the driver decided to drive for another team, owner left holding the bag. I talked him into letting me drive the car. We decided to enter the July race at Daytona. This was shortly after the March Atlanta race. We practiced the car at Daytona, Atlanta, (original configuration, pre-Bruton Smith era) Charlotte, Rockingham, and Darlington. For brevity, I will not go into all of the details of the various tests, suffice it to say, that we ran out of money, due to several rule changes, and owner was forced to sell the team, lack of funds will kill a racing effort faster than you can blink your eyes.

As to my remark, there being vast differences between Winston Cup, and IROC cars, which is why I assume that you are questioning my racing "credentials," no, I have not driven an IROC car, but I have talked to several drivers that have, among them, Mark Martin, the late Dale Earnhardt, and Dave Marcis, who probally knows IROC cars better than any living person on the face of the earth, considering the fact that he tests them, sets them up, etc. for the IROC series, and to the man, they have said that the two types of cars have very little in common! I don't know why, but for some strange reason, I would kind of guess that these individuals might know just a little bit about the differences, and similarities between the two, considering that they A, drive Winston Cup cars for a living, and B, have extensive experience in IROC cars, as well, not to mention that these three, alone, have more than 70 years of combined racing experience!

Now, since we are so intent on interrogation about racing experience, perhaps you would like to enlighten us with your experience in a Winston Cup car!
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Old 30 Jul 2001, 20:47 (Ref:124002)   #11
Joe Fan
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Joe Fan should be qualifying in the top 5 on the gridJoe Fan should be qualifying in the top 5 on the grid
Lee, if you look at the first statement in my post, I listed drivers who came from those series as the obvious ones, just to get them out of the way.

As far as IROC cars, I have heard that they are closer to a Busch Grand National car due to their relatively low horsepower, but the IROC cars have significantly more downforce than a Winston Cup or BGN car due to their rear spoiler. Consequently, IROC cars are much easier to drive than a Winston Cup or BGN car. The higher downforce on a IROC car was designed so that NASCAR drivers wouldn't have an advantage over open wheel drivers since NASCAR drivers race cars with 4-5 times less downforce than IRL and CART drivers.

Last edited by Joe Fan; 30 Jul 2001 at 20:48.
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Old 30 Jul 2001, 23:03 (Ref:124063)   #12
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Quote:
Originally posted by Lee
...
To answer your question, I have several hours in a Winston Cup car.
...
I have found that it is generally not a good idea to mess with the moderators around here. They are, on the whole, quite knowledgable, experienced and diligent. They have my vote of confidence.
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Old 2 Aug 2001, 08:30 (Ref:125105)   #13
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Please ! I didnt want a ****ing contest.All I meant was that an Iroc car is a lot more like a cup car than an open wheel car. Where else do you get to play drafting so much as in an Iroc car.Why do the cup guys do so well in Iroc ?
As for you "Mr. Winston Cup" Who was the owner and why haven't any of us ever heard of you ? I have never driven a cup car . I'm just a fan, like you, without the delusions of grandeur. Why not settle all this right now and put your Nascar license up in the forum ? By the way ..Who signed you off ?
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Old 12 Aug 2001, 01:53 (Ref:129097)   #14
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To answer your questions, in order,

"Who was the owner?" someone who you have probally never heard of before, Jim Stories, perhaps I should add the late, since he died two years ago.

"Why have we never heard of you?" Quite simple, because I did not ever get the chance to drive in a race. As stated we were testing, with the hope of entering a race, but due to rule change, lack of funds prevented team from updating equipment to comply with rules, Owner ran out of money and had to sell entire operation. There are quite a few drivers that have tested cars, and never gotten the chance to do anymore than test, I doubt you've ever heard of any of them either!

"Who signed you off?" The NASCAR competition director, who at the time was Dick Beatty (probally mispelled his name there) since retired from NASCAR, not sure if he is still living or not, if he is he is in his 80s or 90s I'd immagen.

"...delusions of grandeur." "...Mr. Winston Cup..." With statements such as these, if your intention was not to start a p1$$ing contest, lets hope that you don't purposly intend to start one!
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Old 13 Aug 2001, 01:43 (Ref:129460)   #15
floid2000
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and I'm the Queen of England
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Old 13 Aug 2001, 02:31 (Ref:129472)   #16
Lee
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Believe what you wish, to quote Butler, from the movie "Gone with the Wind, "Frankly, I don't give a d@mn!" Queen of England eh, I'm sure the posters from the UK don't appreciate you making that reference, however hope you enjoy wearing your crown and dress! This exchange serves no useful purpose, therefore, I wash my hands of it. As stated, believe whatever you wish.

Last edited by Lee; 13 Aug 2001 at 02:34.
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Old 13 Aug 2001, 02:52 (Ref:129477)   #17
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Just to enter into a forum where I normally don't intrude...

Fireball Roberts, it seems to me, was a bit of a crosser... He was a great NASCAR driver, I think most will agree ... and his record probably does, though I really don't know ... but I also have it fixed in the back of my head that he raced a Ferrari to victory somewhere, teamed with Pedro Rodriguez?

Or am I wrong? I know I developed a bit of a liking for him based on what I read at the time, and that his death hit me fairly hard.
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Old 13 Aug 2001, 04:35 (Ref:129490)   #18
floid2000
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Well............I never
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Old 13 Aug 2001, 17:23 (Ref:129745)   #19
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Ok I think Jeff Gordon and Tony could would do a great job at cart, but I don`t think the are going to move out of nascar, I mean is the all-american series, everybody likes nascar, at least a gross population of USA motorsports fans.
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Old 18 Aug 2001, 03:24 (Ref:132027)   #20
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I simply think that stock car racing is the best outlet for American racing talent. Compared to the costs of running an entire karting formulae and then the junior formulae, running through the junior ranks of stockcar racing is a lot more economically sound. So what ends up happening is that the best talents go to NASCAR instead of being divided up into the various classes of European motorsport. So, making a switch doesn't seem extremely farfetched.

As for drivers that could make it, Jeff Gordon by far. A few years ago when Gordon was dominating NASCAR, it was rumoured that GM was interested in F1 and that Jeff Gordon would be plucked from NASCAR to run the European junior formulae in preparation for an F1 debut. However, GM pulled the plug on the project when they realized the increased sales that an F1-Gordon combo would have brought in were already being brought in by NASCAR-Gordon.

I think that Jeff will eventually run Indy as well as endurance races later in his career. I also thought the late Dale Earnhardt would have eventually ran Le Mans. His driving at the 24hrs of Daytona was quite inspired and I think he would have made a good transition into running GT cars (and I wouldn't have put it by him to run the prototypes either).

I also think that either Gordon, Rusty Wallace, or Ricky Rudd would have a wonderful go at touring cars. All three are the best road racers NASCAR has to offer, and if Jason Plato ever makes the jump to NASCAR successfully, why wouldn't such a switch go both ways.

I could also be really cheap and mention Mario Andretti (he has won Daytona)
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