After watching the big three races on Sunday, it reaffirms why I like NASCAR better

[Joe Fan]

After watching the Monaco Grand Prix, the Indy 500 and the Coca Cola 600 yesterday, it only reenforces the very reasons why I am now a bigger NASCAR fan. My first introduction to motorsports was watching local sprint car races as a child. And then I became a race fan and always watched the Indy 500 every year. But now I know why open wheel racing got replaced in my heart with stock car racing.

The Monaco Grand Prix was essentially over when David Coulthard had to go to the back of the grid for stalling and when Mika Hakkinen wasn't able to beat Michael Schumacher to the first corner. Technology is great in every day life but too much of it in motorsports ruins racing.

Up next was the Indy 500, a more level playing field which also boasted to have the deepest driver talent on the grid in years. But the strength in driver talent was negated by one team who dominated the event, like he did his own series last year--Roger Penske. Why? In open wheel racing, the car still means so much more because there are way too many variables to control in order to level the playing field. It should be obvious that teams, not drivers dominate open wheel racing with greater regularity.

Then finally, came the Coca Cola 600. Where we actually got to see the driver make more of a difference. Jeff Burton/Roush Racing hasn't dominated anything all year long but Jeff won one of the crown jewel NASCAR events yesterday, which was a much needed victory after the luck he has had this year.

I guess the real proof in the pudding to what I am trying to point out here, is that Roger Penske and Chip Ganassi took turns dominating the Indy 500 in successive years, but neither was close to doing the same in this year's Daytona 500. And for that I am extremely grateful for.

[Lee]

Have to say that I fully agree with you that the 600 was far superior to any of those open-wheel races! The 600 was the only race I watched, and the only one worth watching from what you said in your post. I obviously made the right choice for my viewing!

[Lee]

Joe,

I'm in full agreement with you there. The 600 at Charlotte, was far superior to anything offered by the open-wheel camps. It's the only race I watched yesterday, and judging from your reviews of the other two, it just confirmed what I have known to be true all along, the only form of racing worth watching, IMO is stock cars!

[Lee]

sorry for the double post, for some reason, my computer indicated that the first reply didn't post.

[domaza]

Yes it's cool and INDY isn't anymore the same it was. F1 has been too boring for ages... My favorite series is CART to due I like openwheel racing more and CART is competitive... These words about Penske's and Ganassi's domination in INDY is true to due they and Andretti were only CART outings there and they showed their butts to those IRL guys CART is competetive like NASCAR and this season there hasn't been a double winner yet...

[Raoul Duke]

Well F1 will always remain my favourite type of racing. But as far as the most competitive type of racing goes, there is no doubt in my mind that it's Nascar. Nascar is also the most unpredictable form of racing that exists also. During the california Race the commentators mentioned how Jeff Gordon seems to do well at that track every odd number of years. And this being an odd numbered year then it should be his race, he then said "thank god racing isn't that simple". The thing is, though, in F1 sometimes it IS that simple. If a driver/team happens to do well at a particular track then it's pretty much garantied that they will do well again unless there is a mechanical failure. But in Nascar you can't rely on past statistics to bring you success.