NASCAR hits 'dega.

[JHamilton]

I sense no sarcasm. I agree to a point, especially about the tri-ovals. I hope to God they never hold another open wheel event at AMS. That's insane. That being said, Nascar is quite possibly the safest form of motorsport around (NHRA being at the opposite end of the spectrum).

I was thinking earlier, if they ran unrestricted at the super speedways would we see drastically different racing? The cars are so aero dependent and these days are very different to when Ernie Elliot could squeeze out 50+hp more than the rest of the field. I don't know, but I would like to see a couple of guys run a test unrestricted. I wonder when the last time that happened was?

[Cynic]

I've just noticed that the title of this thread proved to be strangely prophetic - Edwards literally did 'hit Dega'...

Anyway, a lot of the reaction to this reminds me of the hysteria that surrounded Sennas death, and to a lesser degree Schumachers broken leg in F1. (The gravel trap slowed the car from 190mph+ to 60 in the space of 30yds but apparently wasn't effective). People need to throw emotion aside and look at things objectively. Yes the accident was nasty, but it was the second collision with Newman that unsettled the car and made it take off. If Edwards had simply done an exit stage right into the wall, would there still be all this fuss?

I've seen a lot of coments in other forums saying the yellow line rule is to blame and should be removed. This is a bad idea. Give racing drivers an inch and they will take a yard. If the yellow line isn't there you'll see drivers pushing each other up against the apron, the grass, the wall, or anything else they can find that will slow down the person trying to overtake them.

The other thing people are *****ing about is the restrictor plate itself. Now maybe I'm ignorant but presumably these are fitted to slow the cars down? The telemetry feeds I saw showed some of the cars hitting 190 down the straights and IIRC at places like Texas they can manage that without the plates. I don't really want to see what happens if one takes off at 220 or 240.

Having said that, for sure rp racing is an accident in waiting, but i don't think the spped of the cars as such is the problem - it's the whole pack racing thing. Break the pack up and you lessen the risk. I think Nascar need to look seriously at the aero package. Lose the restrictors so the cars can actually have some throttle response and race, and increase the drag to slow the cars down and/or break up the draft a bit. What they can't do long-term is leave things as they are.

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by Racenut7

COULD AMBROSE GET INTO THE CHASE?

no

[fieldodreams79]

would be an interesting test, to go unrestricted....faster, smaller packs would be the result, IMO, but i agree....we need a test. and please JHamilton, spell Elliott with two ts next time . and i agree...i think IRL will be facing the same questions soon about their races on the high banks.

i like plate racin because it keeps you on the edge of your seat and always has close finishes, something the nascar CUP races have had very few of since the CoTerrible came along. i hate the wreckin part.

Cynic is right about hysteria...that's exactly what it is. this has and always will be about fan safety....carl edwards RAN from the wreck. fans in the front few rows were hurt. what to do? i think plate, which is a 21 year old solution, has run it's course. i'd like to see the plates taken off, build a strornger, taller fence and back the crowd up (don't sell tickets for the first few rows). none of which will happen.....

if nothing happens, maybe the long tracks will go the way of the board tracks from early 1900s...fan safety, among other problems, shut those places down...why should anyone stand for their fans, the most important aspect to their sport, to be injuryed from watching an event.

[nickyf1]

Originally Posted by Cynic

Lose the restrictors so the cars can actually have some throttle response and race, and increase the drag to slow the cars down and/or break up the draft a bit. What they can't do long-term is leave things as they are.

The thing is though, the threshold for a blow-over take off is around 195mph. Having that much drag to bring a car from 240mph down to 190mph would not be good. Although im not that in-the-know about how much speed drag can shave off.

[JHamilton]

How about they make them use the actual front and rear clip off the street cars? That will both increase drag and improve the aerodynamics and fuel mileage of street cars.

[johntt]

Originally Posted by nickyf1

The thing is though, the threshold for a blow-over take off is around 195mph.

Thats why the most changes we'll see from Nascar will probably be just a smaller plate.

[R59]

Probably a gurney flap on the rear wing too.

They once said that if they made the restrictor plate any smaller, you wouldn't be able to get a knitting needle through the holes!

Though they might decide that what they need to do is improve the spectator safety a little, since that's where the casualties were.

Maybe smaller mesh in the catch fence, a few more restraining wires, deeper SAFER barrier along that stretch, and less/no junk attached to the fence and it's supports.

To quote Carl Edwards when asked if it will lead to changes... "I don't know, It's just a spectacle, I can deal with that, but it shouldn't be worth points"

[Matt]

Originally Posted by R59

Probably a gurney flap on the rear wing too.

They once said that if they made the restrictor plate any smaller, you wouldn't be able to get a knitting needle through the holes!

Though they might decide that what they need to do is improve the spectator safety a little, since that's where the casualties were.

Maybe smaller mesh in the catch fence, a few more restraining wires, deeper SAFER barrier along that stretch, and less/no junk attached to the fence and it's supports.

To quote Carl Edwards when asked if it will lead to changes... "I don't know, It's just a spectacle, I can deal with that, but it shouldn't be worth points"

They're not THAT small of openings.

[Knowlesy]

Figure of speech...