Standardized start times next year...

[DownNDirty]

Glad to see it - seems like I am looking every week on Jayski to see exactly when the flag should drop. I like the plan - all daytime races in the Eastern and Central time zones will start at 1:00 PM EST. Green flag will fall 15-20 minutes later. For West time they will start at 3:00 EST. Night races, save for the Coca-Cola 600, will start at 7:30 PM EST.

I've already read a bunch of belly aching on other boards though about this and how its unfair to the West Coast fans. I say boo hoo get over it. This is the way it SHOULD have been and stayed from the beginning of the new TV packages. Plus, these morons that want the Daytona 500 to end at night to make it feel more "big time" are just that IMO - complete morons. Do they not realize this later start time has made 2 of the last 3 500's not go the whole way? If they would have started this years 500 at 1:00 PM the race would have been well over before that rain got there and I'm fairly sure Kenseth wouldn't have won the race. With it going back to 1:00 PM that gives more room for potentially getting the race in full distance.

And that's not just at Daytona that's at all of these other tracks as well. I love the 1:00 PM start times - I see nothing but good things from that announcement. At least its one step in the right direction for NASCAR. Maybe they will finally start listening a little more - the double file restarts and now standardized start times are a good start.

[doozer]

you can't say use something as unpredictable as the weather to prove your point that a race should have started earlier.

the weather doesn't give a damn when the race starts or finishes.

that's just dumb.

[DownNDirty]

I guess we will just agree to disagree. I realize that the rain could always get there earlier but with races next year starting anywhere from 1 to 3 hours earlier it gives more time in there in case weather is coming later in the day.

Maybe the rain doesn't care but at Daytona the fact still remains if it would have started at 1:00 PM instead of 3 whatever its started the last several years they would have got the full 500 in twice more now.

Yeah, next year it could start raining at 11:00 AM and it wouldn't make a lick of a difference but if it starts raining at 5:00 PM it would make a huge difference.

Plus a few tracks still have no lights and earlier start times just helps out in case of rain moving in later in the afternoons.

[doozer]

Originally Posted by DownNDirty

Yeah, next year it could start raining at 11:00 AM and it wouldn't make a lick of a difference but if it starts raining at 5:00 PM it would make a huge difference.

thank you for proving my point.

you can't predict, when the start times are set, what the weather is going to be like in each city on the day of the race. if it's going to rain it's going to rain. mother nature doesn't plan the weather around NASCAR start times.

what about the year Waltrip won the rain shortened 500? when did that race start? oh, it was when you think it should have.

come on now. you're smarter at racing than this.

[DownNDirty]

Maybe you are right..........

Perhaps I have a misguided way of thinking about these start times. At least we can discuss things like this civilly with one another.

[TennesseeFan07]

Finally Nascar does something right. Maybe it's the start of trying to reconnect with the fans.

[doozer]

Originally Posted by DownNDirty

Maybe you are right..........

Perhaps I have a misguided way of thinking about these start times. At least we can discuss things like this civilly with one another.

i'm all for standardized start times. i can't even begin to recall the number of times i've asked, while at the track, when the race starts because i failed to look before i left or just plain forgot.

Originally Posted by TennesseeFan07

Finally Nascar does something right. Maybe it's the start of trying to reconnect with the fans.

double file restarts were wrong?

[TennesseeFan07]

Originally Posted by doozer

i'm all for standardized start times. i can't even begin to recall the number of times i've asked, while at the track, when the race starts because i failed to look before i left or just plain forgot.



double file restarts were wrong?

If used right they would. Instead, Nascar will throw a "debris" caution normally with 25 to go, bunching up the field and creating massive carnage. It irritates me to no end. Also, with the double file restarts came the wave around rule(stupider than the free pass). So no matter what happens you're pretty much guranteed to finish on the lead lap.

[doozer]

Originally Posted by TennesseeFan07

If used right they would. Instead, Nascar will throw a "debris" caution normally with 25 to go, bunching up the field and creating massive carnage. It irritates me to no end. Also, with the double file restarts came the wave around rule(stupider than the free pass). So no matter what happens you're pretty much guranteed to finish on the lead lap.

[rbroyles]

Originally Posted by TennesseeFan07

If used right they would. Instead, Nascar will throw a "debris" caution normally with 25 to go, bunching up the field and creating massive carnage. It irritates me to no end. Also, with the double file restarts came the wave around rule(stupider than the free pass). So no matter what happens you're pretty much guranteed to finish on the lead lap.

Those not on lead lap last 5 races.
24, 17, 19, 23, 25 = 108

Those on lead lap.
19, 27, 25, 20, 18 = 106

Guaranteed?

[jhen713]

Now if they could get a stadardized channel to show all the races on...

[TennesseeFan07]

Originally Posted by rbroyles

Those not on lead lap last 5 races.
24, 17, 19, 23, 25 = 108

Those on lead lap.
19, 27, 25, 20, 18 = 106

Guaranteed?

With S&P's, crashes, and other troubles there's going to be people who are laps down. My point is that it appears new fans want more lead lap cars, more cautions to bunch up the field, and fighting. I love to see the field get spread out, the tires wear, and let the real racing begin. I think by the addition of double file restarts, Nascar is just telling the fan base they're setting everyone up for carnage. I could care less about excitement, I want to see the best people win races. For example, at Loudon, Martin had the field blown away until the "debris" caution with 20 to go. Now he still one, but he and JPM almost crashed and it could have killed both their chase chances all because Nascar wants to provide a demolition derby out there.

[jhen713]

Originally Posted by TennesseeFan07

With S&P's, crashes, and other troubles there's going to be people who are laps down. My point is that it appears new fans want more lead lap cars, more cautions to bunch up the field, and fighting. I love to see the field get spread out, the tires wear, and let the real racing begin. I think by the addition of double file restarts, Nascar is just telling the fan base they're setting everyone up for carnage. I could care less about excitement, I want to see the best people win races. For example, at Loudon, Martin had the field blown away until the "debris" caution with 20 to go. Now he still one, but he and JPM almost crashed and it could have killed both their chase chances all because Nascar wants to provide a demolition derby out there.

Excitement is what keeps any sport going. If it's not exciting then people aren't gonna watch it and they aren't gonna spend their money. I'm not for fantom cautions and bunching the field up just because they want to. I want to see the best car win too(unless its JJ) but that doesn't always happen.

[doozer]

Originally Posted by TennesseeFan07

With S&P's, crashes, and other troubles there's going to be people who are laps down. My point is that it appears new fans want more lead lap cars, more cautions to bunch up the field, and fighting. I love to see the field get spread out, the tires wear, and let the real racing begin. I think by the addition of double file restarts, Nascar is just telling the fan base they're setting everyone up for carnage. I could care less about excitement, I want to see the best people win races. For example, at Loudon, Martin had the field blown away until the "debris" caution with 20 to go. Now he still one, but he and JPM almost crashed and it could have killed both their chase chances all because Nascar wants to provide a demolition derby out there.

just when i think you say something so stupid that there is no possible way you can get any dumber, you drop one of these gems on us.

[TennesseeFan07]

Originally Posted by jhen713

Excitement is what keeps any sport going. If it's not exciting then people aren't gonna watch it and they aren't gonna spend their money. I'm not for fantom cautions and bunching the field up just because they want to. I want to see the best car win too(unless its JJ) but that doesn't always happen.

Excitement could be manufactured in different ways than a junkyard though. The sport made it plenty of years without fake caution tactics.