Bristol, she's a changin'

Discussion in 'Sports' started by JayVols, Mar 28, 2012.

  1. JayVols

    JayVols Walleye Catchin' Moderator

    Bruton Smith announced today that changes to the progressive banking will be made. No specifics yet other than to say that the change is due to overwhelming fan input to return to the old track and declining attendance. These changes will be completed by the August race. More info to be announced in the next two weeks- per WJHL TV

    Boys, the sparks may begin flying again.....
     
  2. kptvol

    kptvol Super Moderator

    Your old road is rapidly aging.
     
    Last edited: Mar 28, 2012
  3. The Dooz

    The Dooz Super Moderator

    this means tickets are going to cost an arm and a leg again, and nothing is going to change. good job everybody. the vast majority or NASCAR fans might be the single dumbest fanbase on Earth.
     
    Last edited: Mar 28, 2012
  4. JayVols

    JayVols Walleye Catchin' Moderator

    News conference tomorrow.

    Dooz, you in the Bristol area?
     
  5. tidwell

    tidwell Chieftain

    New Bristol was one of the few remaining races left that I still looked forward too. At least now I'll have more spare time on a weekend in March and August again since it's going back to a demolition derby.
     
  6. MaconVol

    MaconVol Chieftain

    I like the idea from an entertainment standpoint. Nothing beats the Labonte/Earnhardt wrecks, but from a pure lap to lap racing stance, I can see why some folks would dislike the move. I personally like it. The biggest reason being that, I hate long green flag runs with a passion, and thats what you were getting a lot of at Bristol lately.
     
  7. MaconVol

    MaconVol Chieftain

    Dumber than Vandy fans who think they are entitled to something because they are decent at basketball and most of them have money?
     
  8. rbroyles

    rbroyles Chieftain

    I'm going on record here, so vilify later if you must, but my prediction is they totally [uck fay] it up to where it is worse in the opinion of the majority of fans than either before or after the latest reconfiguration. Just for your info, there have been five track configurations so far. The original asphalt at 24 degree banking, the rebanking to 36 degrees which also increased the length to .533 mi, the switch to concrete, the moving of the straights farther into the first few rows of the old bleachers, the current track of progressive banking up to 32 degrees. IMO, having seen races at all five, the best racing was in either the original or the current.
     
  9. justingroves

    justingroves supermod

    I grew up watching the demolition derby Bristol race. I don't know if I like it or just expect it. Running two grooves on a track that short did lead to some pretty good racing.
     
  10. MaconVol

    MaconVol Chieftain

    This is where im at Groves. i really liked the old Bristol, but if you really look at it, the new Bristol had some better racing.
     
  11. tidwell

    tidwell Chieftain

    As did I, and it sucked. They followed each other around then decided it was time to go, so they punted the guy in front. Only chance they had of passing the car in front.

    NASCAR's great stand on safety certainly takes a hit as well since they're OK with altering a track so that there are more wrecks because "that's what the fans want."
     
  12. volfanjo

    volfanjo Chieftain

    You don't think bump passing is a core part of short track racing? I get that a part of the NASCAR fanbase is bloodthirsty, but I grew up on the Bristol of the 90s and watching local short tracks where this sort of thing happens frequently. I'm not a purist about stock car racing in this sense. I don't mind the trading paint "rubbin' is racin'" idea.
     
  13. justingroves

    justingroves supermod

    I did enjoy watching a few of drivers I didn't like get punted
     
  14. tidwell

    tidwell Chieftain

    I guess I should clarify. When I say punting a guy, I'm thinking turning the guy around with him ending up in the wall or in the path of oncoming traffic setting off a bigger crash. A little nudge to move a car up the track is OK, this is happens a lot at Martinsville where they're going quite a bit slower and where they can get away with more beating and banging.

    Still though given the choice between that and being able to race and make a pass without having to run through the car in front, I'll take the latter, but I understand that others like the former.
     
  15. rbroyles

    rbroyles Chieftain

    A race car driver is going to do what is required to pass a guy, and what is acceptable by the ruling body and the other drivers. At Old Bristol and Martinsville it was the bump and run. There used to be a certain procedure that was accepted in doing this. When a driver was holding you up and not moving up to let you by, you would first tap his rear bumper a couple of times going down the straight. The leading driver would in most cases give way, when he didn't, then the bump and run was used to move him up the track. There is a fine line between just moving a guy up and spinning him out dependent on how hard he was hit and how well he could save it. All this was thrown out the window when the race reached the final 50 or so laps. You knew tapping the bumper wouldn't get him to move, and it was a question of where you prepared to face the guy after the race if you punted him into the wall, and any other driver who might get caught up in the wreck. Some like Dale, Sr, Cale and DW wouldn't think twice about it. You knew they were going to put the bumper to you. Some drivers like Ned Jarrett and Benny Parsons usually would settle for second if they couldn't get the nose of the car underneath you to root you out and pass.
     
  16. The Dooz

    The Dooz Super Moderator

    'Rubbin is racin' is nothing more that an excuse drivers with poor car control use.

    I agree with whoever said that they'll [uck fay] it up worse than the current or old configurations.
     
  17. The Dooz

    The Dooz Super Moderator

    Also, I'm of the party that thinks if the tires were softer and wore down quicker it would have an impact on the racing. However, the general fanbase is too stupid to realize this so he's hoping this change will hit home.
     
  18. 615 Vol

    615 Vol Chieftain

    People quickly forget all those races where Jeff Gordon, Matt Kenseth or some other driver led all the laps on the old Bristol set up.
     
  19. The Dooz

    The Dooz Super Moderator

    Yep. I saw Kenseth lead 455 or so laps under the old configuration during the fall race. That race hasn't been the same since the implementation of the Chase.
     
  20. justingroves

    justingroves supermod

    Who had great control at Bristol though? It was pretty like dirt track racing in a sense, a controlled slide.
     

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