Pedro Martínez:

"GERRY": Restrictor plates, speed limits, and fake cautions, I am thinking that NASCAR has turned into pro wrestling in some ways.

At least it is still fun to pick a driver in a pool for money.

Walter Montego: ah, but restrictor plates in this one leads to the big one at the end, otherwise it would be about as bad as the racing in California or Vegas, just not as exciting when only a dozen or so are on the lead lap at the end

Vikings: What do you mean by as bad as racing in California? I've seen the race there a few times. Usually good races without a bunch of wrecks. Unfortunately they call these fake cautions just when someone is going to start lapping the field. If you're running 1 second faster than a car and a lap is taking 45 seconds, it takes about 45 laps to pass them. Just about 40 laps after no wrecks go by an amazing thing happens. Then they call a "caution" since there's been no wrecks to do it for them, and bunch the field back together for a "restart". How bogus is that? Yeah, a lot of fans like it and now the NASCAR people play to it, but for someone like myself I think it is just cheating and hurts any kind of integrity or pure sports of having the best machine and driver win that day. It really just gets to the lucky guy when a certain amount of laps are complete as to who the eventual winner is. And now they add extra laps when there's a caution at the end of the race. These "innovations" to NASCAR have done nothing to make it seem like an honest sport to me. At least pro wrestling had the integrity to change their sport to be called entertainment a few years back. Same thing with restrictor plates. Isn't the object of a car race to go as fast as possible? And why is it called NASCAR? These aren't stock cars any more. I would like to see an actual stock car race like say back in the sixties or early seventies or before when you could buy the car at the dealer and race it, with allowed modifications.

Oh yeah, some people just like to watch crazy people wreck cars at high speed. That's what restrictor plates are all about. NASCAR silences the drivers when they criticize it in public. I've never heard any of the drivers say they like restrictor plates, whether or not some of them happen to race particular well under the conditions. And don't tell me they don't censor drivers. Just ask Tony Stewart. It's all about money in today's NASCAR. Smaller tracks don't have such problems. Just look at Bristol and see how much fun everyone has. 3 laps down and you're still in the race. Not a chance on a large track without the bogus "Lucky dog", and the fake cautions or a real caution just about guarantee you'll never get back on the lead lap except by being the lucky dog.

I gave up on car racing years ago, but the year before Earnhardt Sr. died I started playing in a pool at a local bar. It was fun and I started to get into NASCAR. The personalities, tracks, and history of it. The year after Senior died is when NASCAR started making changes that in my view ruined it for me and anyone that cared about it. Now it is as it is, and I hope you have your fun. I did however get into today's race, though I don't at present know who my driver is. I made a call right now, but it wasn't picked up. I was out of town yesterday dancing the night away to trance music which is certainly more fun than watching billboards, er cars go in circles and had to send in my money in with a friend. I'm not the commissioner any more, but I still help the new commissioner with making the lineup charts and other things when I'm able to. My friend told me Thursday that he'd be watching the race today, so I might head over there. As you can see, it is hard to get away from it even if I find many faults with it. There's more to sports than the playing and watching of them. I no longer will turn on the television and watch a race by myself. I need people that want to watch and have an interest in the outcome to make it interesting for me.

Walter Montego: Comparing NASCAR to the WWE is bogus in that wrestling has pre determined winners and how they do it where there are no such conditions in racing. Every sport uther than baseball has been doing things to make it more competitive and that's all that NASCAR is doing, Is there censorship, yes there is also in football, basketball and most other sports whether you know it or not.
Maybe I am just not as much as a traditionalist when it comes to racing as I am with football and baseball, I am sure that is because I didn't watch racing much when I was younger like i did the other sports. I just look at the restrictor plates as another variable. You have short, medium, long/restirctor, long/non-restrictor and road track. of these my favorites are short, long/restrictor followed by medium. I tend to turn the t.v. on the other races as do many other people and lets face it without people watching on t.v. the money wouldn't be there.
I am not saying you are wrong, just pointing out the other point of view

Walter Montego: There is nothing FAKE about any kind of racing.Nascar has made it safe so driver,s stand a better chance of staying alive.Also the new car,s they have to drive are the same.Look at all the new team.s this year.No one is ever going to take control of NASCAR. Like most other sport,s It,s the gambler,s of the world that control them & ruined them.As we all no SPORTS has very big money it.:))))

"GERRY": Right. And just what is a competition caution?
That's right, they've codified it into the rules now.

Walter Montego: Just go to Nascar .com & read the rule then you will no:))

"GERRY":


    


     KENSETH WINS THE 500