NASCAR Restrictor Plates, Sound-Off

[Georgia Griz]

This should be a great topic of discussion with arguments coming from both directions. Please keep it clean.

I'm a NASCAR fan who really, really enjoys the four Restrictor Plate races we get a year.

1. As a fan, what's not to love about seeing the 43 best stock car drivers in the world traveling at speeds in excess of 170 mph, inches from one another, in a tight pack. I absolutely love to see the tight packs, the bump-drafting, and the big wrecks. Sure it's tough when "The Big One" claims your favorite driver. But really, how hard is it on YOU at the end of the day? If your favorite driver Kevin Harvick is claimed by a restrictor plate race wreck, are you going to be able to get up and go to work the next morning? You bet you are.

2. Another claim that I hear a lot is that "It's just not racing". Sure it is. It still involves very skilled drivers, race cars, and a racetrack. Sounds like racing to me. Restrictor plates actually add some excitement to tracks that are so long they would be completely boring to the spectator if the field was spread out. Driving in those tight packs require a ton of skill. As a matter of fact, the restrictor plate races might be the true test of a driver's ability. If you look at the results from every restrictor plate race, you don't see very many "chumps" who won the race. The cars aren't traveling at their top speed. So what? If you are looking for pure speed, watch drag racing. Drag racing is an entertaining sport that will quench your desire for speed. And I'm not claiming that the restrictor plate is the way to go on every race at every track. It only works for Talladega and Daytona, four times a year. I would be upset if they tried to implement a restrictor plate at Atlanta or Las Vegas.

3. Some claim that restrictor plate racing is dangerous for the drivers. Of course it is. Every Sunday they strap their bodies into their machines, regardless of track or race, they are preparing for what is one of the most dangerous competitions that exists. Let me tell you what else would be dangerous: The speed that these race car drivers could reach at Daytona and Talladega if there were no restrictor plates. Can you imagine a car wreck at 230 mph, as compared to 170 mph?

4. Has anyone checked the attendance numbers for the restrictor plate races. First of all, attendance is up at all NASCAR venues. That is clear. The sport is expanding and growing so fast that the tracks with inadequate grandstands are losing races. But, the two racetracks (Daytona and Talladega) that host these restrictor plate races are also attracting the most fans. Of course they have more seats than the other tracks. But, do you think that Homestead could attract more visitors than Daytona if it had the same number of seats? No way. The only track that I can think of that would attract more fans than Daytona and Talladega if it had the same number of seats is Bristol. And no, I'm not recommending restrictor plates for Bristol. Just more seats. :)

5. One of the great things about NASCAR is the variety of the playing field each week. You can go from Superspeedway to Short Track to Road Coarse to Intermediate Track in the course of a four week span, with each track having it's own characteristics. How fun would Talladega and Daytona actually be without the restictor plates? Pretty fun. As fun as Atlanta, Homestead, Phoenix, Fontana, Kansas, Las Vegas, Indianapolis, Michigan, ...etc. The restrictor plates maintain individuality for Daytona and Talladega.

There are my arguments. This should be a fun and informative discussion, with intelligent arguments coming in all shapes and forms. Let's just keep it clean. This is a real issue that NASCAR will have to address in the very near future. Go at it guys.

[polsongrizz]

Forgive me for not reading the whole thing. I am not a big fan of any type of racing where they slow cars down to race, for whatever the reason. One thing I think they need to do is get rid of cookie cutter tracks ie Chicago, Kansas etc. and add some more road tracks.

[Georgia Griz]

Forgive me for not reading the whole thing. I am not a big fan of any type of racing where they slow cars down to race, for whatever the reason. One thing I think they need to do is get rid of cookie cutter tracks ie Chicago, Kansas etc. and add some more road tracks.

But, polson, I know that you are a NASCAR fan, in general. And NASCAR has implemented several other restrictions on car parts that slow the vehicles down. Some of these other restrictions are placed on the cars at EVERY race. The restrictor plate is just the most obvious constraint.

A NASCAR record 6.6 million households tuned in to watch Fox's coverage of the Aaron's 499 at Talladega this past Sunday. These kinds of numbers aren't going to deter NASCAR from implementing restrictor plates.

[mlbowl]

Restrictor Plate races...

Don't like 'em :mad:

[grizbeer]

I'm not a fan of them. There is something about the fact that a car can go from the back to the front in 3 laps. It can be exciting though, I will give you that, and it would probably be great to watch in person because the cars are running so close and there is so much tension the whole race.

[mlbowl]

I'm not a fan of them. There is something about the fact that a car can go from the back to the front in 3 laps.

Ditto. It's not about "your" car it's about who are your "friends" and can you avoid the inevitable 20 car pile up caused by the ridiculous "bump draft"

[polsongrizz]

But, polson, I know that you are a NASCAR fan, in general. And NASCAR has implemented several other restrictions on car parts that slow the vehicles down. Some of these other restrictions are placed on the cars at EVERY race. The restrictor plate is just the most obvious constraint.

A NASCAR record 6.6 million households tuned in to watch Fox's coverage of the Aaron's 499 at Talladega this past Sunday. These kinds of numbers aren't going to deter NASCAR from implementing restrictor plates.
Ita one thing to shorten the wicker change the body and whatever else they do. But to change things so much that they cannot get away from each other is bull. And I really don't believe it is for driver safety at all. I think nascar thinks it provides more entertainment. Well, not from where I sit :bang: :( :mad:

[Georgia Griz]

I'm not a fan of them. There is something about the fact that a car can go from the back to the front in 3 laps. It can be exciting though, I will give you that, and it would probably be great to watch in person because the cars are running so close and there is so much tension the whole race.

But, how can you find something really exciting and not be a fan of it? And you are right, it is great to watch in person. That's why Talladega had its largest crowd ever this past weekend. I didn't hear one complaint among the fans until "the Big One" claimed their favorite driver. And then, when they got over that, they went back to enjoying what turned out to be a great race.

[Georgia Griz]

Ditto. It's not about "your" car it's about who are your "friends" and can you avoid the inevitable 20 car pile up caused by the ridiculous "bump draft"

I would say avoiding the wrecks are probably more about how well the driver performed in qualifying, and then how well they drove in traffic once the race began. And the car does have a huge effect on who wins these races. It's not a mystery that Hendrick and DEI field the best cars almost every weekend. And those two teams seem to do really well at these races, as they do elsewhere.

And surely you're not opposed to what is now called "bump-drafting". That has been a part of NASCAR since its inception. It's part of that circuit. No one had a problem with it when Dale Earnhardt, Sr. was doing it.

[Georgia Griz]

Ita one thing to shorten the wicker change the body and whatever else they do. But to change things so much that they cannot get away from each other is bull. And I really don't believe it is for driver safety at all. I think nascar thinks it provides more entertainment. Well, not from where I sit :bang: :( :mad:

But, NASCAR has implemented more restraints than just adjustments to the height of the car, and there are other aspects that keep the drivers from separating from one another. Of course entertainment is a huge factor. Why else would these drivers make the money they make? It doesn't pay just to race cars. It pays to entertain people. Surely the drivers understand that. I respect and understand your opinion that these races are no fun to watch. But NASCAR is making tons of money off of people who do like to watch these races. That's not to say that things might change drastically once another driver is killed.

[grizbeer]

But, how can you find something really exciting and not be a fan of it? And you are right, it is great to watch in person. That's why Talladega had its largest crowd ever this past weekend. I didn't hear one complaint among the fans until "the Big One" claimed their favorite driver. And then, when they got over that, they went back to enjoying what turned out to be a great race.
I don't know Georgia Griz. Maybe if Mark Martin and Greg Biffle ran up front all day I would like it better :D Seriously, if Mikey ran at the back would you like it (you might get to find out next year).

Here is the thing I really dislike about restrictor plate racing - your guy gets to the front (assuming it isn't DEI or Jeff Gordon), and you start feeling good. Then you watch Junior drive by 5 cars all lined up in a bump draft without any help, and suddenly your guy is back to 15th a lap later, and you realize that the only chance for someone besides DEI or Gordon to win is a timely wreck, and you just want to turn it off.

Yes the race is exciting when cars go 4 wide and very close together, but after several years of DEI/Gordon winning nearly every race you feel like maybe there is an unfair advantage, or possibly some cheating going on, and the races become ones you hate. Nothing personal, just how I feel about the race.

[polsongrizz]

Of course entertainment is a huge factor. Why else would these drivers make the money they make? It pays to entertain people.
Then at what point does it become a "pro wrestling" sport and not a real sport where the out come is not fixed. :confused:

[mlbowl]

1)And surely you're not opposed to what is now called "bump-drafting".
2)No one had a problem with it when Dale Earnhardt, Sr. was doing it.

1) Yes, I am.
2) Although I can't speak for everyone, I certainly had a problem with DES' style of racing.

[Georgia Griz]

I don't know Georgia Griz. Maybe if Mark Martin and Greg Biffle ran up front all day I would like it better :D Seriously, if Mikey ran at the back would you like it (you might get to find out next year).

Here is the thing I really dislike about restrictor plate racing - your guy gets to the front (assuming it isn't DEI or Jeff Gordon), and you start feeling good. Then you watch Junior drive by 5 cars all lined up in a bump draft without any help, and suddenly your guy is back to 15th a lap later, and you realize that the only chance for someone besides DEI or Gordon to win is a timely wreck, and you just want to turn it off.

Yes the race is exciting when cars go 4 wide and very close together, but after several years of DEI/Gordon winning nearly every race you feel like maybe there is an unfair advantage, or possibly some cheating going on, and the races become ones you hate. Nothing personal, just how I feel about the race.

I get used to Mikey running at the back of the field in just about every race :D , but I still enjoy watching NASCAR. I'm pretty sure that DEI will be done with Mikey at the end of the year, but I'm not upset about it. I actually would like to see Waltrip win a few races with his own Cup car (he already has a Busch Series team). Then maybe people would realize he's not completely terrible :) .

As far as the possible cheating goes, I really don't know what to think about that. I hope Mikey is not involved in any cheating. Honestly, I just think that his driving style suits those Superspeedways. I think that he is one of the most cautious drivers on the track every Sunday. That kind of style kills your results at almost every other track except for Daytona and Talladega.

[Georgia Griz]

Then at what point does it become a "pro wrestling" sport and not a real sport where the out come is not fixed. :confused:

At the point where Brian France announces at the driver's pre-race meeting who he wants crossing the finish line first. :D I really don't know, polson. That's a good question. But it is happening in every other professional profit-making sport. Why wouldn't NASCAR follow suit. If that is the case, I am very concerned.

[Georgia Griz]

1) Yes, I am.
2) Although I can't speak for everyone, I certainly had a problem with DES' style of racing.

I can respet those answers and understand where you are coming from. But, one of the reasons that NASCAR has become so popular is because of the car contact. It has been a staple of the circuit forever. Otherwise, Indy car racing would be much more popular than NASCAR in this country, as it showcases driving skills better than stock-car racing does.

[mlbowl]

I can respet those answers and understand where you are coming from. But, one of the reasons that NASCAR has become so popular is because of the car contact. It has been a staple of the circuit forever. Otherwise, Indy car racing would be much more popular than NASCAR in this country, as it showcases driving skills better than stock-car racing does.

That's all fine and good until these major sponsors decide they're tired of spending 8 mil a year just to watch their car end up in a 25 car pile-up week after week........if it's excitement you crave, take the restrictor plates off and let er rip


btw GG - I know some contact cannot be avoided.......but bump drafting is not neccessary (IMO)

[Georgia Griz]

That's all fine and good until these major sponsors decide they're tired of spending 8 mil a year just to watch their car end up in a 25 car pile-up week after week........if it's excitement you crave, take the restrictor plates off and let er rip


btw GG - I know some contact cannot be avoided.......but bump drafting is not neccessary (IMO)

But that's the thing, you don't have the 25 car pile-up week after week. And if you do, you can't blame it on restrictor plates. There are only four restrictor plate races a year, and Talladega seems to have larger accidents than does Daytona. So basically, you're just talking about two races (four, at the most) a year that might have a huge wreck caused by restrictor plate racing. Sure, the sponsors would rather see their car finish the race. But, if you are a sponsor and have a car in the race at Talladega and run only one lap, you just got your money's worth of advertisements. There were over 200,000 people at the track and 6.6 million households watching the beginning of that race this past Sunday.

Taking the restrictor plates off at Talladega and Daytona would not add excitement. NASCAR journalist Marty Smith comments about Talladega and Daytona... "Both tracks sell out and host four of the season's biggest, most suspenseful events. To borrow a line from 50 Cent (sort of), fans love Talladega like a fat kid loves cake." Then a fan responds... "Of course, if and when they separate the packs at the two tracks, ticket sales would go down dramatically. The real choice is this: racing or entertainment. If they choose racing, something needs to get done. If they choose entertainment, nothing needs to change."

[Georgia Griz]

Greg Biffle's comments on "The Big One" at Talladega: "Bump drafting had nothing to do with it. Restrictor plates had nothing to do with it. It was orientation to where you are on the racetrack and where the other cars are.''

Although I don't completely agree with Biffle's statement, his opinion goes back to what I said about qualifying and driving in traffic.

[mlbowl]

Greg Biffle's comments on "The Big One" at Talladega: "Bump drafting had nothing to do with it. Restrictor plates had nothing to do with it. It was orientation to where you are on the racetrack and where the other cars are.''

Although I don't completely agree with Biffle's statement, his opinion goes back to what I said about qualifying and driving in traffic.

Well if Greg Biffle said it.........

[Georgia Griz]

Well if Greg Biffle said it.........

Don't get testy! :D I'm just letting you know how some of the drivers feel. Other drivers feel differently. For example:

Johnson said the 25-car accident at Talladega was more a result of restrictor-plate racing than any other factor.

"NASCAR's in a corner where they can't allow us to run any faster to separate us because of safety issues of the cars taking off and we just kind of concede," he said. "We know that we're going to Daytona or Talladega and there will be a 20-car wreck and we just hope we're not in it."

"It's what we have to do there, unfortunately, and I don't think it's anybody's fault. We're racing hard. NASCAR, for safety reasons, has to keep the rules like they are. And we just hope we're not in the big wreck."

And NASCAR.com's Power Rankings on Matt Kenseth:

"He called Talladega “silly racing,” and after watching dozens of cars get destroyed on Saturday and Sunday, we tend to agree."

[mlbowl]

Don't get testy! :D

Don't take me too seriously.....I don't ;)

[mlbowl]

from the Athens-Banner Herald




Bump drafting leads to 'Big One'
NASCAR notebook



By Adam Van Brimmer
Morris News Service


TALLADEGA, Ala. - NASCAR officials spoke softly to drivers about bump drafting prior to Sunday's Aaron's 499 at the Talladega Superspeedway.

Don't engage in the dangerous practice except on the mile-long backstretch, they said.

What the message lacked, according to Rusty Wallace, was the carrying of a big stick.

"They were kind of nonchalant about it," Wallace said. "I would have been up there with a baseball bat."

The bashing came later, and involved more than half the cars in the field.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. bumped Mike Wallace going into Turn 1 on lap 132, touching off a 25-car crash. The pileup knocked five cars out of the Nextel Cup race and delayed the event by 46 minutes.

"It was nothing but smoke from where I was sitting," said Brian Vickers, one of 10 drivers involved in the crash who visited the infield care center.

Talladega is notorious for multi-car wrecks, so much so they have a nickname: "The Big One." A 27-car crash marred the track's spring race two years ago, and a not-so-big one collected nine cars a year ago.

Many consider the pileups inevitable at Talladega and its sister track, the Daytona International Speedway. Cars are equipped with restrictor plates at those two tracks, and the thin sheets of metal restrict air flow into the engine.

The plates limit speeds but also lead to pack racing, with cars unable to pull away from one another. They line up nose to tail and draft each other around the track, often bumping each other down the straightaways to pick up more speed.

"They want us to quit bump drafting, take the plates off," Tony Stewart said.

Bump drafting became a big issue leading up to this year's Daytona 500. Kevin Harvick bump drafted Jimmie Johnson during one of the Gatorade Duel qualifying racing, causing a big wreck and plenty of bruised feelings and egos.

That led NASCAR officials to try and discourage the practice in Sunday's pre-race drivers' meeting. They stopped short of issuing a warning, however, much to the chagrin of drivers like Wallace.

[Georgia Griz]

from the Athens-Banner Herald




Bump drafting leads to 'Big One'
NASCAR notebook



By Adam Van Brimmer
Morris News Service


TALLADEGA, Ala. - NASCAR officials spoke softly to drivers about bump drafting prior to Sunday's Aaron's 499 at the Talladega Superspeedway.

Don't engage in the dangerous practice except on the mile-long backstretch, they said.

What the message lacked, according to Rusty Wallace, was the carrying of a big stick.

"They were kind of nonchalant about it," Wallace said. "I would have been up there with a baseball bat."

The bashing came later, and involved more than half the cars in the field.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. bumped Mike Wallace going into Turn 1 on lap 132, touching off a 25-car crash. The pileup knocked five cars out of the Nextel Cup race and delayed the event by 46 minutes.

"It was nothing but smoke from where I was sitting," said Brian Vickers, one of 10 drivers involved in the crash who visited the infield care center.

Talladega is notorious for multi-car wrecks, so much so they have a nickname: "The Big One." A 27-car crash marred the track's spring race two years ago, and a not-so-big one collected nine cars a year ago.

Many consider the pileups inevitable at Talladega and its sister track, the Daytona International Speedway. Cars are equipped with restrictor plates at those two tracks, and the thin sheets of metal restrict air flow into the engine.

The plates limit speeds but also lead to pack racing, with cars unable to pull away from one another. They line up nose to tail and draft each other around the track, often bumping each other down the straightaways to pick up more speed.

"They want us to quit bump drafting, take the plates off," Tony Stewart said.

Bump drafting became a big issue leading up to this year's Daytona 500. Kevin Harvick bump drafted Jimmie Johnson during one of the Gatorade Duel qualifying racing, causing a big wreck and plenty of bruised feelings and egos.

That led NASCAR officials to try and discourage the practice in Sunday's pre-race drivers' meeting. They stopped short of issuing a warning, however, much to the chagrin of drivers like Wallace.

Funny how it was obvious Junior was "bump drafting" and now he is blaming the whole accident on J. Johnson.

Tony Stewart's comment was kind of stupid though. It sounds like a threat to NASCAR officials. Trust me, if the plates came off at Talladega, Stewart would still be "bump-drafting", with a little less "drafting" and a lot more "bumping". :)

[mlbowl]

Funny how it was obvious Junior was "bump drafting" and now he is blaming the whole accident on J. Johnson.

Tony Stewart's comment was kind of stupid though. It sounds like a threat to NASCAR officials. Trust me, if the plates came off at Talladega, Stewart would still be "bump-drafting", with a little less "drafting" and a lot more "bumping". :)



True that!

[grizbeer]

So GG you were there, if Junior had not been able to finish the race and JJ was, would we have seen the Giant Bud can throw II last Sunday?

I am not advocating that type of thing, but I have to admit watching replays of last years finish watching those Bud cans explode when they hit the track was pretty awesome.

They must let you bring your own beer into Talladega. They didn't let you bring beer into the track at Las Vegas, and at $6/can and if people had to pay that at Talladega last year then lots of people threw their life savings over the fence at Gordon. :D

[polsongrizz]

from the Athens-Banner Herald




Bump drafting leads to 'Big One'
NASCAR notebook
Dale Earnhardt Jr. bumped Mike Wallace going into Turn 1 on lap 132, touching off a 25-car crash.

Wow the truth...

[Georgia Griz]

So GG you were there, if Junior had not been able to finish the race and JJ was, would we have seen the Giant Bud can throw II last Sunday?

I am not advocating that type of thing, but I have to admit watching replays of last years finish watching those Bud cans explode when they hit the track was pretty awesome.

They must let you bring your own beer into Talladega. They didn't let you bring beer into the track at Las Vegas, and at $6/can and if people had to pay that at Talladega last year then lots of people threw their life savings over the fence at Gordon. :D

After the cooler & can throwing incident last year, Talladega Superspeedway responded by saying that they would only be allowing small soft-sided coolers (it's actually more like a bag) into the track. You know, the kind that will hold a six-pack. When my brother and I get to the gate at the track, everyone was carrying the soft-sided coolers. The problem was that most people had the larger soft-sided coolers. Speedway personnel were making the fans drop the larger coolers at the gate and carry whatever beer that they could in their hands or plastic bags. The funny thing is it's not the coolers that could have caused problems last year, since they were just styrofoam. It does seem to me, though, that the Speedway was, in a round-about way, trying to limit the number of cans coming through the gate. They sell beer for $4.50/can, and make a huge profit off of alcohol sales.

I actually thought that we were going to see the can throwing again last Sunday. The crowd at that track seems to favor Earnhardt, Jr. With Gordon dominating the race, and Jr. claiming that Gordon's teammate Johnson had wrecked him on the backstretch, I was preparing for Armageddon! Thankfully, that never happened. You just don't know how dangerous 200,000 angry drunk rednecks from the Southeast can be! I can now honestly say that "The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party" is not in Jacksonville, Florida at the Georgia/Florida football game. It's at Talladega during the spring race!

I commend Jeff Gordon for the way he deals with the hooligans at Talladega. He knew what was happening last year, and I'm sure that he heard the boo's this year. He has been very professional about the whole thing, and has acted very classy. Just like a true champion.

[LacesOut]

I love the plate races. Hate the road courses and the cookie cutter 1 or 1.5 mile tracks that don't bank, even though I go to the Dover races. But at least the Monster Mile has the high banked turns and is a concrete surface, which can provide a bit more excitement.

Wrecks happen. On all tracks. And drivers make mistakes, whether their name is Jeff Gordon or Dave Blaney. Drivers know this. They should just shut up and race, and if they have a problem with another driver, well keep it in the garage, don't take it to the media. And granted, I don't want to see caution after caution during a race, but a spin out here and a spin out there is ok. lol

[desertgriz]

It doesn't pay just to race cars. (georgiagriz)

tell the nhra that!!

[grizbeer]

I commend Jeff Gordon for the way he deals with the hooligans at Talladega. He knew what was happening last year, and I'm sure that he heard the boo's this year. He has been very professional about the whole thing, and has acted very classy. Just like a true champion.
It kills me to agree with you on this, but I can't argue. I really want to hate Gordon but just can't do it anymore. :o

[Georgia Griz]

It doesn't pay just to race cars. (georgiagriz)

tell the nhra that!!

All I can say to that is: NHRA doesn't even bring in a significant portion of the profits that NASCAR does.

[mlbowl]

I really want to hate Gordon but just can't do it anymore. :o



I know what ya mean.

[LacesOut]

Never really understood the hate or dislike of a particular driver (nor a specific sports team).