True or False? "Racing is more exciting with crashes and banging."

[JohnBM01]

GTPlanet, it's time to sound off. NASCAR is known as one of the best racing series in America (or so they say). The most notable elements are the crashes and all the drama. But in this thread, does good racing REALLY involve crashes and drama? True or false?

I'll start.

You have to be an idiot to say that NASCAR is the best because of the crashes and hard-fought action. If I wanted hard-hitting action, I'd rather see the Minnesota Vikings get their revenge over the Arizona Cardinals for knocking them out of the NFL Playoffs this past season... and BLOW THEM OUT 42-3. If you want drama and action, look to the BTCC. Look to the JGTC. You might even want to consider V8 Supercars or the JGTC. But if crashes and action are going to sell NASCAR, I don't know what the hell us Americans call racing. So what? Hockey is good for the fights? The NBA is good for cursing out referees over technical fouls? MLB is famous for their fights on the field? I think it's ridiculous to say that good racing has to entail crashes and drama. It's okay to have both of them, but you can't judge racing based on that. You need professional help if you think all racing should be like NASCAR. Crashes and all. It's too bad I'm not in Japan watching the JGTC live from start to finish (that would be cool, though, but I got school (Finals next week)). The IRL has more dramatic finishes, and even their cars are real race cars compared to the glorified econo-boxes of NASCAR.

So "exciting racing involves crashes and banging" is totally F-A-L-S-E. What do you think?

 

[kart racer]

Unfortunatlly,a lot of people go to the races just to see the crashes and NASCAR is full of them.Hey,it's the only way to make a oval race exciting sometimes.But anyone who knows racing gose to see the drama in the pits and the skill of the drivers.So dose crashes make racing great? I would have to say no,but there are a lot who might disagree.

 

[3rdgenracerX]

Originally posted by JohnBM01
The IRL has more dramatic finishes, and even their cars are real race cars compared to the glorified econo-boxes of NASCAR.

I'd rather be driving the "glorified econoboxes" whilist getting 2 MPG"not so economic at 2 MPG" than driving a IRL injury/death machine. At least your safer in the Cup cars than the IRL cars in the advent of a crash.


BTW crashes suck, thats not what I watch racing for wheter it be american racing "Your oh so hated Nascar" or Formula 1, WRC, BTCC......ect. I watch racing for its racing.

 

[vat_man]

I must confess I am a bit of a fan of the occasional 'monumtenal', but not too often, and without injury, thanks. Nascar strikes me as purpose designed to encourage contact between the cars, and cuts out a lot of the skill aspects I love in circuit racing - passing under braking, cornering, properly constructed passing etc.

It's more than possible to have enthralling racing without contact, and also fantastic races with it - one need only look at the BTCC in the early 90's to see some astonishing racing with rubbing and hits.

 

[Blake]

I am a fan of the occasioanl big bang but I don't watch racing for that. I think that suits my love of Champcar, excelent racing with the occasional crash, but It's not so much that people get seriously injured but it strikes excitemnet. But the racing also strikes excitment so I think it's great to watch.

 

[zoxxy]

This is much better than crashing.

If you think it's fun too watch other drivers
crash and hurt themselfes you really deserve a *****slap.

 

[VIPFREAK]

Nascar + no crashes = No watch

As for real racing, yeah I prefer that there arn't any crashes because I wouldn't want anyone to get hurt but as vat_man said, I've had thoughts of wanting them to happen.

I don't know about everyone else here but I've always been facinated with crashes and think it's "cool", well in a crash testing way.

 

[zoxxy]

The carsh itself, is facinating, because you see the huge forces that are
unleashed, but not when there's a driver in the vehicle.

 

[Blake]

Exactly.

 

[Nasadus]

I don't like crashes.If the race is boring then i wouldn't mind one of them going off the track or spinning out but literally crashing,no.I have seen those Formula 1 cars live in action last year at the Barcelona GP and those thing go freakingly fast,it's scary to just think that one of those guys would crash at such a speed.

 

[zoxxy]

Nothing is as exciting as wheel to wheel racing,
that go on for many laps.

 

[Cosmic]

Originally posted by VipFREAK
Nascar + no crashes = No watch

Agree 👍


But in F1 when they start and they are taking the first curve and they crash , that's funny (imo). But during the race , that's boring.

 

[Solid Fro]

NASCAR isn't all about the crashes. It has just as much skill as any other form of racing. However, it may not be as exciting as other racing if there were no crashes in NASCAR races. NASCAR without huge recks would be just as exciting as your average IRL race.

Around and around...

My grandpa used to say that the week's NASCAR race would be 'a boring race' if there were no crashes. I agree.

 

[millencolin]

for the enthuiests like us...close racing is what we want


for the casual viewer, they want big prangs

allthough i do confess, i like to see crashes in the carrera cup, seeing people write off brand new porsches

but wheel to wheel racing on the limit is what we want....drivers using all of their freekish skill in daring manouvers

 

[Andrew R]

I would much rather see door to door racing with just little bumps and tags. There is alot of this in the V8 Supercars and that is why i love them so much. Its close, hard racing and is really exciting for spectators ( I went to the Indy last year and it was the greatest and most fun day of my life). A few crashes and spins every now and then where people dont get seriouslt injured can be exciting though. The crash at the Clipsal 500 this year down the straight was pretty exciting but i like the close racing with panels rubbing and paint swapped here and there. The V8's are great at this and its awesome to watch them 5cm apart through corners.

BTW: what is IRL?? ive never heard of it.

 

[millencolin]

Originally posted by 3rdgenracerX
IRL injury/death machine. At least your safer in the Cup cars than the IRL cars in the advent of a crash.

i agree...the IRL cars are unsafe. once they get airbourne, the car acts like a bit of plywood in a breeze. when an f1 car gets airbourne, it comes straight back donw (ralf schumacher, australian gp 2002, mark webebrs debut )

 

[Solid Lifters]

I love a good race without any bumping, or crashing. The thrill of watching two racers go head-to-head on the track and watching only one be the victor is what racing is all about. True, sometimes the race is boring but, usually there is a great battle happening somewhere on the track. We don't need the crashes for racing to be entertaining, which is one of the several reasons why I usually dislike NASCAR racing events.

 

[JohnBM01]

I think a thing to remember is that if you race around on ovals all the time, at one point or another, there will be close competition all the time. This is not a knock against oval racers, but when you race an oval, you have little or no room for actually racing a track like a pro. Instead, you are in close-quarters battle almost all the way around. People like to say that street courses are very unforgiving, well hell. Ovals aren't any better. If one racer gets into trouble on an oval, he/she might bring along others for a wild ride. So nobody is as safe on an oval as the person ahead. Just look at the restrictor plate and short tracks. Then, I don't want to call them "short tracks," just a cheap way to not say "oval race." Besides, Lime Rock Park is a short course.

Anyhow, you have to drive hard, that's true. And to me, NASCAR drivers very much know trouble when they see it. When you're on an oval, OF COURSE there will be action. The chances of a caution-free oval race is very rare, and I have heard of caution-free oval races in NASCAR. So in essence, don't EXPECT crashes to happen. Racing is NOT exciting to watch even if drivers crash themselves out. You can't get by in professional road racing by being rough all the time. You usually have a much more expensive car in which you can't afford to have stratched or dinged up. Pull off one of those bogus moves, and you can get into some trouble. Just look at those Daytona Prototypes that rocked Homestead earlier this year. I'm not going to knock on road racing (do I ever knock road racing?), but road racing doesn't need NASCAR-style action. I have tended to be on a field that racing involves taking care of a car and getting it to win races. Sure, there will be bumps and runs, and every now and then you have to play unfair. But for the most part, think of the cars the ALMS and F1 as lovers. You want to defend your lover from others who want to ruin your "lover's" life. Think about that for a moment. "Racing is more exciting with crashes and banging" may apply to ovals, but note that I said RACING, and not just oval, rally, or drag. I'm talking about ALL racing. And no, no, HELL NO do crashes and banging have to make for great racing.

 

[Hell Patrol]

VERY TRUE!!! Crashes and Drama made it all exciting...

 

[wowitfoth]

I had a ticket to the Cart season ender at the California Speedway. But my ride bailed and I got stuck at home pissed! It was Halloween and working on the pc and watching on T.V. and saw Greg Moore crash. I was starting to become a fan and that crash was so violent that he died on impact! I am glad I was not there, I gave my Brother-in-law and Sister Season tickets and they were there. They put the flags at half mast before his body was airlifted out. Sad day and never before or since has a crash affected me like that. The IRL and NASCAR are run by Corporate Greed and I don't want start any fights, but I refuse to even view on the tube! Racing comes with a price, but what these two series are doing is wrong! But I am over Champ car, NASCAR and the IRL. The real racers are at your little local tracks every weekend and doing for fun not glory! Irwindale speedway is 40 min. away and cheap! They have the "Turkey Shoot," every Thanksgiving eve. Midgets on a 1/8th mile and Tony Stewart flies are in for it! 3yrs. in a row and my Niece gets free tickets! With a belly full of turkey and beer, life is good! Keep the shiny side up and rubber side down!

 

[Simon Tibbett]

Crashes suck, I am a race driver and crashes are not your friends, I really hate people who say crashes ,make the sport of auto racing, most NASCAR fans like crashes but look at the sport, its a roundy roundy which is just a crash waiting to happen, but then there are some fans in NASCAR that like the racing, wheel to wheel through turns is a hell lot better then someone totalling their car and their wallet.

 

[GilesGuthrie]

Crashes are part and parcel of racing, and people like to see them because of a morbid fascination, and a desire to see that the driver is actually trying.

They also introduce a random element into the race that can lead to an interesting result, which is another reason why they're popular.

But ultimately, you don't need a big shunt to have a good race, and anyone who's ever been anywhere near racing will agree, they're a very bad thing, and wanting them to happen is unacceptable.

(Hence, by the way, the sticky thread at the top of each of the Motorsport forums)

 

[Roo]

Crashes a good race do not make, however the GP last Sunday certainly benefited from them. But the most exciting bit was when there was no crashes; Button's hunting down of Trulli was great racing.

 

[Firestarter75]

Being a volunteer corner marshall I hate seeing wrecks. After the past 4 1/2 years of doing this I have come to know a lot of the racers. Its tough when you hear a call come over the net for an ambulance now for any competitor... much less a friend. Not only that a torn up race car is a driver who has to spend money which he may or may not have. I really hate seeing someone wreck and being put on the sidelines, sucks 'cuase I know how much they enjoy doing it.

Hey Simon, whats your car number or color? My home track is Road Atlanta. Chances are if you have been racing the past few years I have flagged you a few times, and being in an ITC probably blue flagged ya a few times too