2015 NASCAR Season Thread

[dfwabel]

mod edit

[sportzfan]

i get the channel, but i see numerous complaints on Facebook about it, it is definitely something that should be concerned about when you are a sport like nascar that is already losing fans.

[Dalcowboyfan92]

This is the last race on FS1 for the year at least. And NASCAR now has to share Sundays with Golf on Fox because Fox purchased a package to broadcast a bunch of golf events, sometimes the races get second picking and are forced to be shown on Fox Sports 1.

[dfwabel]

This is the last race on FS1 for the year at least. And NASCAR now has to share Sundays with Golf on Fox because Fox purchased a package to broadcast a bunch of golf events, sometimes the races get second picking and are forced to be shown on Fox Sports 1.

While FOX bought the rights to USGA events, they are far from replacing NASCAR with golf.

While the USGA holds numerous championships (12 overall), 146 hours of championship golf, including a minimum of 70 cumulative hours of live event coverage of the three Opens (Men's, Senior & Women's).

Plus, USGA championships start with the US Open on Father's Day weekend and Women's is around the Fourth of July and go through the summer to the US Amateur, which were weekends which FOX never televised NASCAR anyway.

[sc49erfan15]

Tangentially NASCAR-related:

We had today's ARCA race on one of the TVs at work. What happened?! I feel like ARCA used to be just a slight notch below the Busch/Nationwide/whatever series. Today, it felt like it was Ken Schrader vs. young talent and a bunch of weekenders. Nothing wrong with that, but it wasn't what I remember.

Granted, I haven't watched ARCA since it was dominated by Tim Steele, but it just seemed so... watered-down.

[Dalcowboyfan92]

A fuel cell issue soured AJ's attempt to win from the pole at Sonoma. He limped to a 38th place finish.

Another disappointing finish at Sonoma, but there's always Watkins Glen. AJ and JTG-Daughtery Racing will once again circle that date on their calendars to possibly bust a bubble and get back into the Chase.

[cubsfan2015]

That may have been the loudest roar of a Kyle Busch victory.....ever.

[rvrdgsfn]

Results from Sonoma:

1. Kyle Busch

2. Kurt Busch

3. Boywer

4. Harvick

5. Logano

6. Johnson

7. Earnhardt Jr.

8. Khane

9. Newman

10. Hornish Jr.

The Busch brothers finish 1-2 today & what a race from both! I still say if Jimmie pit, he would've won. Now all Kyle has to do is stay in the top 30 in points & he's in.

On another note, it'll feel weird not hearing Larry Mac doing commentary anymore, a true end of an era with Nascar on Fox, although I think Gordon will be a good replacement. Next up, Daytona!

[dfwabel]

Tangentially NASCAR-related:

We had today's ARCA race on one of the TVs at work. What happened?! I feel like ARCA used to be just a slight notch below the Busch/Nationwide/whatever series. Today, it felt like it was Ken Schrader vs. young talent and a bunch of weekenders. Nothing wrong with that, but it wasn't what I remember.

Granted, I haven't watched ARCA since it was dominated by Tim Steele, but it just seemed so... watered-down.

ARCA paid for the air time and for production costs.

[sc49erfan15]

Tangentially NASCAR-related:

We had today's ARCA race on one of the TVs at work. What happened?! I feel like ARCA used to be just a slight notch below the Busch/Nationwide/whatever series. Today, it felt like it was Ken Schrader vs. young talent and a bunch of weekenders. Nothing wrong with that, but it wasn't what I remember.

Granted, I haven't watched ARCA since it was dominated by Tim Steele, but it just seemed so... watered-down.

ARCA paid for the air time and for production costs.

Doesn't surprise me.

[dfwabel]

Tangentially NASCAR-related:

We had today's ARCA race on one of the TVs at work. What happened?! I feel like ARCA used to be just a slight notch below the Busch/Nationwide/whatever series. Today, it felt like it was Ken Schrader vs. young talent and a bunch of weekenders. Nothing wrong with that, but it wasn't what I remember.

Granted, I haven't watched ARCA since it was dominated by Tim Steele, but it just seemed so... watered-down.

ARCA paid for the air time and for production costs.

Doesn't surprise me.

Know that CBSSN isn't rated by Nielsen because they don't pay to be rated by them. There is no real audience for CBSSN since there is no measurement. FOX also sublicenses races to CBS.

[Unocal]

FX used to air NASCAR races back in thei heyday. This ain't new

[jc...]

Results from Sonoma:

1. Kyle Busch

2. Kurt Busch

3. Boywer

4. Harvick

5. Logano

6. Johnson

7. Earnhardt Jr.

8. Khane

9. Newman

10. Hornish Jr.

The Busch brothers finish 1-2 today & what a race from both! I still say if Jimmie pit, he would've won. Now all Kyle has to do is stay in the top 30 in points & he's in.

On another note, it'll feel weird not hearing Larry Mac doing commentary anymore, a true end of an era with Nascar on Fox, although I think Gordon will be a good replacement. Next up, Daytona!

They took the wrong "analyst" out of the booth. I could tell the last couple of seasons that it sounded like Larry Mac has had enough of DW's buffoonery.

[LAWeaver]

The Rainbow Returns! Jeff Gordon will run the Rainbow Warrior scheme one last time at Bristol in August.

http://jeffgordon.com/the-axalta-rainbow-24-chevrolet-ss-returns/

Should've been at Darlington, but oh well.

[sportzfan]

The Rainbow Returns! Jeff Gordon will run the Rainbow Warrior scheme one last time at Bristol in August.

http://jeffgordon.com/the-axalta-rainbow-24-chevrolet-ss-returns/

Should've been at Darlington, but oh well.

No it should have been at Indy, where he drove it to win the inaugural race there

[Needschat]

The Rainbow Returns! Jeff Gordon will run the Rainbow Warrior scheme one last time at Bristol in August.

http://jeffgordon.com/the-axalta-rainbow-24-chevrolet-ss-returns/

Should've been at Darlington, but oh well.

They should run it at Darlington, too.

The ignorant supposed fans on the internet are showing their lack of education over this scheme. I read a few that Dale Sr was rolling over in his grave over this "Gay" scheme. I'm tired of educating people.

[PSUcelticsWON95]

The Rainbow Returns! Jeff Gordon will run the Rainbow Warrior scheme one last time at Bristol in August.

http://jeffgordon.com/the-axalta-rainbow-24-chevrolet-ss-returns/

Should've been at Darlington, but oh well.

I never liked Gordon as a kid, but he's really started to grow on me the last few years, and I'd love to see him contend for a title this year. I've been waiting for him to bring the famous rainbow design back. Heck, I'd even like to see his flames make an appearance as well.

[See Red]

As a kid, I remember watching the Daytona 500 with no knowledge of any of the drivers or really anything about the sport. My father and brothers liked Earnhardt, but compared to that rainbow #24, I found the #3 car to be so boring (as an adult, I can appreciate the iconic design). As a result, I cheered for Jeff Gordon and have been a fan ever since. Even in the years my interest in the sport wavered (which, interestingly enough, is when the sport was at it's peak popularity), Jeff Gordon gave me a reason to take some interest in it. In recent years I've gotten back into the sport and I'm not sure that would have happened if Gordon wasn't still competing today. In some sense, my interest in the sport today is a result of that rainbow paint scheme and it's going to be great watching it take the track at least one more time.

He had such awesome paint schemes earlier in his career and I think it's too bad he's ended up in some of the boring schemes he's had in recent years. I like the Drive to End Hunger designs, I just don't like them for someone who drove this:

and this:

[rvrdgsfn]

http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/nascar-is-considering-additional-road-courses-for-sprint-cup/?v=2&s=1

But the question remains, if road courses provide some of the best venues for stock car racing why hasn’t NASCAR added more to the schedule or even considered a circuit for the Chase to the Sprint Cup?

“It is something that is being considered maybe more so for a longer term basis,” NASCAR executive vice president Steve O’Donnell said on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio on Tuesday.

O’Donnell would not put a timeline on when fans could expect a road course race in the Chase or an additional circuit on the schedule.

While he acknowledge there had been “general dialogue” with Sonoma Raceway regarding the possibility of moving the Toyota/Save Mart 350 into the playoffs, O’Donnell added that the current date for the race is “really a home run for the series”.

Plus, track president Steve Page has been adamant that he doesn’t wish to go up against the NFL.

“It’s really a balance for us,” O’Donnell reiterated. “But it’s something that we’re looking at.”

As for expanding the 36-race schedule O’Donnell says the current number “is right for the series at this point”.

Well at least they're talking about it. I would love to see a road course in the chase & I think most would as well. I still say replace one of the races like New Hampshire or Pocono & put in a road course like Road Atlanta or Virginia International Raceway or Road America... We can dream...

[raysox]

I really wish they would take away a second weekend from some tracks like Dover and Pocono and replace them with other oval tracks or road courses. Personally, I think Road America and Road Atlanta are "meh". Ideally I would put a race in Montreal and Austin. Texas' owner is a dumb redneck who thinks the fans would be confused by a Tri-oval and Road Course race in the same state, so it's likely COTA won't ever have a race, but damn that's such a nice facility.

Junior fastest in first practice. Big pile up too with the 2 and 18 crashing the field.