2022 Nascar Big 3

[rustyfan]

Hell yeah Bubba! Great race overall, a lot of awesome racing all day long.

[Adam43]

Nice.

Win for the 43 last week, win for Bubba this week. Cool.

Missed it with all the football. I’ll try and find highlights.

[Alfisti]

So 43, then 45... so if we follow a numerical pattern then Wrecky Spinhouse next week.

And if that happens I'm getting me a #49 car for the week after

[Alfisti]

Well I liked Childress's watch gag.

Gonna be interesting to see if this more mature Busch is going to be permanent or if he'll become the angry teenager when things aren't going right.

[tux]

This race is carnage. Tyres failing on multiple cars, power steering problems for multiple cars. Not even halfway and it feels like a race of survival.

[Alfisti]

Well happy to see Chris Buescher collect the win, tyre gamble worked.

Can't believe KFB lost another engine - what the heck are Toyota up to? I mean, I can't imagine driver error 2 weeks out of 3 for such an experienced hand.

Still hate this playoff crap, it's garbage. Go back to proper season amassed points like every other form of motor racing I can think of.

[broadrun96]

It feels like teams are messing with parts or otherwise trying to out think the car. Action Express helped with development of many of them and testing without problems and it's been generally the same cars over and over with problems and whinging. I understand car builders can't help but tinker but it seems they don't know what they are doing when they do

And Toyota has done something or down the wrong path, something is missing

[Alfisti]

Yeah, Chevy has hands down been the best so far this year, multiple drivers, multiple teams. Ford has generally been a bit off on the pace. Toyota are just terribly inconsistent, you can see pace, then it all goes to heck or a rubber band snaps. Ho hum!

[Alfisti]

Chase!

Thought Jonesy was gonna take the W, Chase got the lead right when it mattered.

[Alfisti]

Just read that Alex Bowman's concussion is keeping him out this weekend and Cody Ware's foot injury from Texas is ruling him out too.

So that's 3 Cup regulars crocked due to this car... am I being harsh?

[rustyfan]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

Just read that Alex Bowman's concussion is keeping him out this weekend and Cody Ware's foot injury from Texas is ruling him out too.

So that's 3 Cup regulars crocked due to this car... am I being harsh?

Nope, there's a clear issue with the new car. Which is a shame, since I really like it and the racing it has produced. But it's obvious NASCAR has made it too much like a tank, much like vintage racing at Indianapolis where the belief was that a strong, sturdy car was the way to go when in reality it meant the driver took the brunt of the energy during crashes.

[Alfisti]

Yeah, glad I'm not alone in my thoughts.

In my opinion it needs to crumple up more to dissipate the energy, that way the drivers body doesn't take so much of a hit.

Rumour is that Noah Gragson is in the #48 for Vegas with the Dinger in the #16.

Get well soon Alex, Kurt and Cody.

[chernaudi]

Kurt Busch announced today that he'll miss the rest of the 2022 Cup Series season and will enter semi-retirement in 2023 and only run a partial schedule.

[rustyfan]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

Kurt Busch announced today that he'll miss the rest of the 2022 Cup Series season and will enter semi-retirement in 2023 and only run a partial schedule.

It's a bummer he wasn't allowed to take that decision on his own terms. All due to a hit that looked like nothing - and that's with the SAFER barrier.

I also just read that Bowman will miss at least another three races due to lingering concussion symptoms. Not good.

I sure hope NASCAR is taking a long, hard look at this.

[rustyfan]

They'd never admit it in a million years, but it's quite obvious the NBC crew is reacting more simply because it's Bubba Wallace. Of course the retaliation was a bad idea at those speeds, but I can guarantee you that the NBC crew hadn't put a spotlight on it and the following shove the way they did if it had been two white guys going at it.

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by rustyfan

They'd never admit it in a million years, but it's quite obvious the NBC crew is reacting more simply because it's Bubba Wallace. Of course the retaliation was a bad idea at those speeds, but I can guarantee you that the NBC crew hadn't put a spotlight on it and the following shove the way they did if it had been two white guys going at it.

The actual on track incident was pretty egregious on Bubba's part; one of the most egregious I've seen in sometime, IMHO. Bubba is twice the size of Larson and I'm not sure I've seen an ontrack confrontation like that in sometime and one that was so one sided as that, so I'm not sure if they should've reacted any differently.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by rustyfan

They'd never admit it in a million years, but it's quite obvious the NBC crew is reacting more simply because it's Bubba Wallace. Of course the retaliation was a bad idea at those speeds, but I can guarantee you that the NBC crew hadn't put a spotlight on it and the following shove the way they did if it had been two white guys going at it.

Yeah, I think you are WAY off there with your assumption

In a real series with actual officials Bubba would be parked if not outright banned for that move. It was pathetic and worthy of sponsor's leaving. Sadly it will probably in fact get him more sponsors for the 87 people who are still watching. NASCAR needs to learn the season is just too damn long and has the same fans as NFL, the ratings show it clearly as does late season attendance

[Alfisti]

Only caught up with this race late Monday. I have very few polite words to describe Wallace's actions to me it was worse than when Kyle Busch blew his top at Texas years ago and shoved Ron Hornaday into the wall. I say worse as he took Kyle Larson out at racing speed and wrecked Christopher Bell's race and potentially championship run.

Park him. Fine him. Do it now NASCAR, his skin colour should not be akin to a get out of jail free card.

[broadrun96]

Announced last night, Wallace has been suspended from the race at Miami, John Hunter Nemechek will run the car. Guess they didn't believe they "everyone knows you get close and the cars get loose, it was his fault I hit him" statements either.

https://racer.com/2022/10/18/nascar-...-vegas-fracas/

[fieldodreams79]

Interestingly enough, Bubba is the first driver since Matt Kennseth dumped Logano at Martinsville to be suspended. Kennseth got two races for a relative low speed incident. Should be more than one race for Bubba, who said something broke on his steering after hitting the wall:

https://sports.yahoo.com/nascar-susp...210731310.html

And no points penalties, that I can see. Wrist slapped.

[broadrun96]

I can see the no points taken, his actions alone in the car shouldn't dent the team for this type incident. And points would hurt the team as much as him.

But yeah, I was thinking 3-5 races for the speed involved. He didn't wait and dump him on a cooldown or caution, directly went down the track with intent. even video games don't allow that nonsense but NASCAR finally had to admit that wasn't ok with them

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

I can see the no points taken, his actions alone in the car shouldn't dent the team for this type incident. And points would hurt the team as much as him.

But yeah, I was thinking 3-5 races for the speed involved. He didn't wait and dump him on a cooldown or caution, directly went down the track with intent. even video games don't allow that nonsense but NASCAR finally had to admit that wasn't ok with them

Disagree on the points and the team; he's a part of the team and if a punishment is meant to curtail future infractions, banging the team on points could help them 'police themselves' in the future, but I get it.

And let's not forget that this went pretty much unpunished, with Edwards fully admitting to wrecking Keso:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2j7wUSosPw

[Alfisti]

Yeah, a punishment is good but it is not severe enough in my opinion. Big speed vs the Kenseth/ Logano which was fairly slow turn 1 after a restart. Also add the fact we've got drivers being hurt in this new car: Alex Bowman is out still and sadly Kurt is done other than maybe an odd outing. Larson and even the Imbecile could have taken a concussion from that, lucky nobody did.

NASCAR needs to sort it's standards as much as driver safety in this car. I'm not hopeful of seeing either.

[PointDSM]

I'm good with the no points deduction, as the suspension itself means Bubba won't earn any points for Homestead, so against the field, it will be similar to a deduction. It also means the cars owners points will continue on with JHN driving, so the crew won't be affected.



A money fine to Bubba on top of the suspension would have been good, however those are often paid by the team (maybe not in this case), so the suspension itself is the most direct punishment.



I feel this is a new standard going forward (you can't compare to prior races/events/years/etc.). Time will tell.

[broadrun96]

For NASCAR fans in the SE, or anyone willing to travel.

HSR's The Mitty at Road Atlanta next spring will celebrate the 75th anniversary of NASCAR. I would expect lots of cars, it's already a fairly well subscribed Cup car field of 20ish newer cars and some retired guys named Awesome Bill and Front Row Joe. They have run an old Buddy Baker car and other older cars but usually for a parade lap. It is in late April and entry list would be expected usually 2-3 weeks ahead.