Montoya in NASCAR Nextel Cup 2007
- Thread starter dougiemeats
- 124 comments
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- 21,286
- GR-MI-USA
- YSSMAN
- YSSMAN
Roo
Wouldn't SkyNet have some kind of way to getting some of the NASCAR feeds? Being that they are owned by NewsCorp, which owns the American SPEED Channel, I would think there would be some way to get the stuff in the UK.
...You could probably go on NASCAR.com to find out if there is a way, I'm not sure...
- 26,911
- Houston, Texas, USA
- JMarine25
Think about it like this. There are people here in America that (like myself) enjoy the Australian V8 Supercars. Some of us even enjoy DTM and Super GT. We seem to prescribe certain cars and certain series as some of the best in the world even if we are not from that specific nation. It just means that we enjoy a certain form of racing from a certain nation. I don't prescribe to being perfectly happy with a domestic series. Only thing I don't like is for people to say that NASCAR's all of a sudden the best racing series in the world because someone from Formula One came to America to race NASCAR. So what, is DTM the best racing series in the world if Michael and/or Ralf Schumacher raced DTM? I can probably say that people will have more interest and love for DTM over NASCAR. And last I checked, haven't there been a number of F1 racers who did DTM? Like... I don't know... Jean Alesi and Mika Hakkinen for starters? Is this a case of American arrogance to completely downplay F1 or any other pure motorsport series? I probably liked if Juan Pablo Montoya did the IndyCar series or return to Champ Car. He's sort of made a name for himself in open-wheel cars, but I appreciate him wanting to do some saloon car racing.
And my thread on domestic racing issues is this old thread: { https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?t=77816 }. I think Montoya's move adds credibility and prestige, but PLEASE don't say that this series is now the world's premier racing series. I'm not the world's biggest Bill France fan and don't think NASCAR's popularity and focus will finally be acceptable enough to be loved by more people worldwide. So that leads me to ask... why exactly do you think NASCAR's the best racing series in the world (all of a sudden) simply because an F1 guy will be racing in NASCAR? And should we give NASCAR more credit because of Montoya's move to NASCAR?
And my thread on domestic racing issues is this old thread: { https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?t=77816 }. I think Montoya's move adds credibility and prestige, but PLEASE don't say that this series is now the world's premier racing series. I'm not the world's biggest Bill France fan and don't think NASCAR's popularity and focus will finally be acceptable enough to be loved by more people worldwide. So that leads me to ask... why exactly do you think NASCAR's the best racing series in the world (all of a sudden) simply because an F1 guy will be racing in NASCAR? And should we give NASCAR more credit because of Montoya's move to NASCAR?
- 79
- Missoula, MT
Ya' know, the thing about NASCAR is that it's such a mammoth, well-feed hype machine, there's no stopping it. I used to love NASCAR. I started watching it back in the early ninties; only because Tony George, Roger Penske and other billionaires were feuding . . . CART split from the IRL (or vice-versa) Almost overnight there was no more Rick Mears, Danny Sullivan, no more Emerson Fittipaldi. Long story short, I decided to give NASCAR a try, afterall "Days of Thunder" looked good on the big-screen, no matter how hooky it really was. And right around that time--maybe a little later--I started cheering for a young racecar driver named Jeff Gordon. Here was a guy who wasn't from a certain region of the god ole' U.S. of A.--no offense--actually, my mother was born in Alabama--you could understand everything he said, and Ray Evernham seemed like a genius on in the pits.
With all of those things happening--seemingly overnight--I got swept up by the NASCAR monster. But over the last four or five years, or so, my interest began to wane. Why? America's number one racing, and fastest growing sport had no black drivers, no women drivers. We're in the 21st century and the most progressive nation on the planet can't field a minority or even a woman in NASCAR. Oh yeah, there was Shawna Robinson driving a piece of junk Sunkist Orange juice car--how long did she last? I remember one race when she wiped out Dale Jr. and the first thing he said was: "I wish she had better equipment."
That was my main burning point; others include 3 minutes of racing followed by 4 minutes of commercials; BOOGITY, BOOGITY, BOOGITY--If D.W. said it once a year, like during the Daytona 500, I'd be cool with it. But he has to say it at the start of every race--annoying. I can't picture Bob Varsha saying that at the start of a F1 race.
Sorry about the rant, but like John BM01--I bristle everytime I hear a NASCAR commentator state that their drivers are the best in the world. I stare a the television and yell back, "Are you ****'n me!"
Like I was saying, as my interest in NASCAR has waned over the last several years, my interest in other forms of motorsports has gradaully increased. F1 is at the top of the list. But I love DTM, JGTC (SuperGT), the Aussie V-8's! I love them all and I wish the coverage in the States was a lot better. But all you hear about is NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR--even if you turn the channel, NASCAR. Shut of the TV, NASCAR. Even if you unplug the damned thing and bury it in your backyard . . . there's no escaping the NASCAR hype.
Now, after all of this bashing and whining, I'm still gonna watch it--NASCAR's like smoking--you know it's bad for ya' but you can't quit. Why Watch? Juan Pablo Montoya! I have to. Damn you NASCAR! Right when I'm about to quit and get out for good, you pull me back in! And in 2007, Toyota will join the fold. Then there's the rumors of Danica Patrick joining! Jacques Villienvue is considering a switch!
With all of those things happening--seemingly overnight--I got swept up by the NASCAR monster. But over the last four or five years, or so, my interest began to wane. Why? America's number one racing, and fastest growing sport had no black drivers, no women drivers. We're in the 21st century and the most progressive nation on the planet can't field a minority or even a woman in NASCAR. Oh yeah, there was Shawna Robinson driving a piece of junk Sunkist Orange juice car--how long did she last? I remember one race when she wiped out Dale Jr. and the first thing he said was: "I wish she had better equipment."
That was my main burning point; others include 3 minutes of racing followed by 4 minutes of commercials; BOOGITY, BOOGITY, BOOGITY--If D.W. said it once a year, like during the Daytona 500, I'd be cool with it. But he has to say it at the start of every race--annoying. I can't picture Bob Varsha saying that at the start of a F1 race.
Sorry about the rant, but like John BM01--I bristle everytime I hear a NASCAR commentator state that their drivers are the best in the world. I stare a the television and yell back, "Are you ****'n me!"
Like I was saying, as my interest in NASCAR has waned over the last several years, my interest in other forms of motorsports has gradaully increased. F1 is at the top of the list. But I love DTM, JGTC (SuperGT), the Aussie V-8's! I love them all and I wish the coverage in the States was a lot better. But all you hear about is NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR--even if you turn the channel, NASCAR. Shut of the TV, NASCAR. Even if you unplug the damned thing and bury it in your backyard . . . there's no escaping the NASCAR hype.
Now, after all of this bashing and whining, I'm still gonna watch it--NASCAR's like smoking--you know it's bad for ya' but you can't quit. Why Watch? Juan Pablo Montoya! I have to. Damn you NASCAR! Right when I'm about to quit and get out for good, you pull me back in! And in 2007, Toyota will join the fold. Then there's the rumors of Danica Patrick joining! Jacques Villienvue is considering a switch!
Brett
Premium
- 8,632
- Oklahoma
Earth
NASCAR is not anywhere near the premier series in the world. It's not even close. F1 is the most watched form of motorsport in the world. It just so happens that NASCAR is the #1 form of motorsport in the United States and thus the premier series, hardly meaning premier series of the world.
F1 a feeder series to NASCAR. Before JPM, when was the last guy to leave F1 and go to NASCAR? I'm sure it has been quite a while. It's not like two and three guys are jumping ship each year to go to NASCAR.
Thundercat
I tend to agree with most of your post. I cannot stand the complete lack of acknowledgement from the NASCAR commentators of other series and their drivers. Its like drivers in other series have absolutely no ability at all and would not stand a chance in a race in NASCAR. If they were not so completely biased towards their form of motorsport, then I wouldn't have so much of a problem with it; but that is not the case and so my opinion of it.
Being the car nut and motorsport nut that I am, I can appreciate that the drivers in NASCAR have great ability as drivers and that their racing is a form of motorsport; but I do like being force-feed NASCAR and its other spinoffs of "stock" car racing. Plus I like some variety in my forms of motorsport and that puts NASCAR pretty close to the bottom of my viewing list.
- 4,822
- Concord, CA
- kylehnat
NASCAR Nextel Cup drivers are the best drivers in the world for their form of racing.Thundercat
Driving in circles sounds basic, but it is not. Circle-track racing and road racing are very different beasts. Circle-track racing involves a very different strategy, and co-operation from your fellow drivers. Sure, driving around a banked track looks easy, but try doing it at 180 mph, with cars 6 inches from your rear bumper, for 3 hours straight. Not exactly a walk in the park. Now, tell me of another circle-track series in the world that has better drivers. Drawing a blank? That's because there is no peer anywhere in the world.
That being said, I feel that Formula One drivers are the best pure drivers in the world. They drive the quickest cars, are subjected to the highest forces, and drive the most difficult tracks. Even the guys at the back of the grid, who are considered mediocre, demolished the competition in the racing series from which they came. They leave F1, and then go on to be very successful in venues like Champ Car, DTM, ALMS, etc...
- 15,855
- QLD, Australia
- Small_Fryz
I personally think Sebastian leob (and other top top Rally drivers) are up their with the very best drivers in the world.
Brett
Premium
- 8,632
- Oklahoma
kylehnat
I don't know if NASCAR drivers are the very best at their form of motorsport because some of the guys in IRL are pretty good at oval racing too; but I will go ahead and say between NASCAR and IRL, they are about the same ability wise, so the point is moot. Like you said, driving around an oval is not easy and I give it up to the guys who do it. Having said that, its not my cup of tea, but all the respect to those who do the driving and to those who like the series.
I don't know if the F1 drivers are the best pure drivers, some of the guys in WRC are very good. Those guys in WRC also have to be pretty ballsy, more so than the guys in F1; much like before, both the F1 guys and WRC guys are extremely talented at what they do and could probably do very well in any type of car.
kjb
Yes, Juan Pablo Montoya is going to NASCAR. Chip Ganassi has signed Montoya to drive for his team. And yes it is going to be interesting to see what JPM will be able to do in Nextel Cup. Having JPM in NASCAR is going to probably get me to watch a couple more of the NASCAR races, just for the fact that I will want to see what JPM will be able to do with the Cup car; but it isn't going to increase my viewership to the point where I watch every race on the calendar.
YSSMAN
NASCAR is pretty much the only series that gets lots and lots of exposure on TV, at least in the US. Its as if, F1, ALMS, Champ Car, WRC, DTM, Super GT, do not even exist or only to the point where they get a brief mention in the news. Its not because NASCAR is a bad product, because well, it is doing very, very well and that means it has to be a good product; otherwise, it would not be getting the amount of exposure it does. So there really is not any variety and thus we get no other choice, but NASCAR (or other similar car type series). Most people do not like to be pigeonholed into watching only one series (or same type of series) and like a variety of motorsport. With the way programming is at the moment, viewers in the US are missing out on DTM, Super GT, WRC, LMES, etc., etc., etc. ( . . . ). If the programming were to change or another motorsport channel added to the lineup, then there would not be as much complaining about NASCAR (again, other series like NASCAR).
- 1,759
kylehnat
Very well said. I try to say the same when people go around sayin Nascar is so easy to drive but I never word it as well.
And I do agree that F1 drivers are great drivers but I don't think they'd do well in Nascar just like I don't think Nascar guys would do well in F1. Each would take a few races just to develope some of the new skills need and a good while to master it.
- 21,286
- GR-MI-USA
- YSSMAN
- YSSMAN
VashTheStampede
Ahhh, I understand where you are comming from now. It is unfortunate that the Fox network bought SPEED TV and baisically converted it to the NASCAR channel. I rather enjoyed watching WRC and F1 back when I had the channel on my Comcast Cable, but as for today, I belive that I can still catch the WRC on OLN and the F1 racing is occasionally on CBS as well.
Part of the problem is that Americans don't care to learn about sports they have no idea about, and that is for the most part why Soccer/Football is only popular with the younger generations.
I think there could be a more successful viewership of the different racing series' if there was a channel devoted to the assorted sports around the world, but given that our last resort has been taken, American fans must resort to the internets for information...
...It is often noted by the Autoextremist that it is rather unfortunate that companies like GM don't take full advantage of their successes in ALMS, FIA, SPEED World Challenge, etc racing to promote their cars. Maybe if more Americans cared, they would?
Snortin Norton
(Banned)
- 90
Maybe he doesn't like right-handers...
Snortin Norton
(Banned)
- 90
Thundercat
Are you suggesting establishing a quota? Because if they don't have the skill or inclination to do so (join NASCAR or anything for that matter), then they simply won't be there-- and feel free to substitute "they" for any race/gender/nationality.
- 79
- Missoula, MT
KYLENAT:
Yo, don't get me wrong, my feelings about NASCAR are mixed, dis-jointed, and contradictory at best. Ya' know when ever someone at work says that NASCAR isn't a sport, man I jump all over them and use the exact same examples you used in your post. I say, yeah, driving around in an oval "looks" easy . . . but try doing it at 180 mph, in a brick that weighs close to 3,000lbs, that doesn't want to turn one second, then wants to swap ends on ya' the next second. Then, don't forget about the heat in the car--if you get an itch forget about scratching it--you have to stay focused for the better part of three hours. And let's not forget that you'll be surrounded by 42 other drivers in unforgiving bricks banging into you on almost every lap--sometimes they mean it, sometimes they don't, sometimes it's just one of those racing deals.
Then again, when someone down the hall says that NASCAR has the best drivers on the planet, I'll jump all over them too. And I'll come up with a myriad of reasons why they aren't the best in the world. One of reason is they don't have grid girls! What kind of self-respecting racing series doesn't have grid girls--but I digress
I have to get back to work.
Talk at ya' later, KYLEHNAT.
Yo, don't get me wrong, my feelings about NASCAR are mixed, dis-jointed, and contradictory at best. Ya' know when ever someone at work says that NASCAR isn't a sport, man I jump all over them and use the exact same examples you used in your post. I say, yeah, driving around in an oval "looks" easy . . . but try doing it at 180 mph, in a brick that weighs close to 3,000lbs, that doesn't want to turn one second, then wants to swap ends on ya' the next second. Then, don't forget about the heat in the car--if you get an itch forget about scratching it--you have to stay focused for the better part of three hours. And let's not forget that you'll be surrounded by 42 other drivers in unforgiving bricks banging into you on almost every lap--sometimes they mean it, sometimes they don't, sometimes it's just one of those racing deals.
Then again, when someone down the hall says that NASCAR has the best drivers on the planet, I'll jump all over them too. And I'll come up with a myriad of reasons why they aren't the best in the world. One of reason is they don't have grid girls! What kind of self-respecting racing series doesn't have grid girls--but I digress
I have to get back to work.
Talk at ya' later, KYLEHNAT.
Brett
Premium
- 8,632
- Oklahoma
I think kirkis meant more of in the present or in the near future--though I may be wrong about this--not someone in the past, such as Mario Andretti, Dan Gurney, Phil Hill, etc. But I could see someone related to Mario Andretti, Marco Andretti, having a chance in F1. I would really like to see Marco Andretti go to F1 and succeed.
With Montoya leaving F1 for NASCAR, does anyone see any other current or recent F1 driver going to NASCAR?
With Montoya leaving F1 for NASCAR, does anyone see any other current or recent F1 driver going to NASCAR?
- 4,822
- Concord, CA
- kylehnat
Really, the only draw to NASCAR is money and fame. Since F1 drivers already have both of those, there's not a whole lot of reason to go to NASCAR. Montoya was probably attracted by the prospect of coming back to the U.S., and being able to be himself instead of a McLaren drone.Blake
Brett
Premium
- 8,632
- Oklahoma
I pretty much agree that there probably won't be any other F1 drivers, other than Montoya and Villenueve, that would consider moving to NASCAR. Having said that, both of those guys had histories in the United States before they moved onto Formula 1 and that could very well be the deciding reason for making the move.
- 709
VashTheStampede
I was kinda hoping that a NASCAR driver would make the switch to F1. Jeff gordon apeared in the drivers championship? went toe to toe with MS on an international level. how about him? besides he already looks like a male supermodel, thats the only REAL qualification. </joke>
Mind the late reply to this, Yssman...
They ran at Suzuka in 1996 and 1997, and Motegi's oval course in 1998. Another thing Nascar should do to get world interest is to stop delaying races for rain...(except for Daytona and Talladega) everyone knows it would be interesting to see those guys race in the rain at Bristol...Nascar fan or not. Nascar should work with Good Year to make rain tires that Nascar cars and trucks can both use.
Nascar stopped racing in Japan because of two reasons: Poor attendence and short races (100 miles). I don't blame the poor attendence, there wasn't much to see. Nascar only raced on the smaller Suzuka East course instead of the whole circuit...that's lame compared to what JGTC was doing. Same for the Motegi oval compared to the Motegi road course. I think Nascar didn't do enough to popularize themselves, and I think they'll learn from that.
They ran at Suzuka in 1996 and 1997, and Motegi's oval course in 1998. Another thing Nascar should do to get world interest is to stop delaying races for rain...(except for Daytona and Talladega) everyone knows it would be interesting to see those guys race in the rain at Bristol...Nascar fan or not. Nascar should work with Good Year to make rain tires that Nascar cars and trucks can both use.
Nascar stopped racing in Japan because of two reasons: Poor attendence and short races (100 miles). I don't blame the poor attendence, there wasn't much to see. Nascar only raced on the smaller Suzuka East course instead of the whole circuit...that's lame compared to what JGTC was doing. Same for the Motegi oval compared to the Motegi road course. I think Nascar didn't do enough to popularize themselves, and I think they'll learn from that.
