The State of the Sport
10-16-2014, 02:27 PM
#21
Supporting Vendor
I was at the dinner when he gave this speech.
Two minutes after he started I could tell this was going to be a "everything was better back when" speech.
Two minutes after he started I could tell this was going to be a "everything was better back when" speech.
10-16-2014, 04:33 PM
#22
Safety Car
My wife now refuses to attend any more "Old Guy Dinners" She claims listening to a bunch of old guys talk about how much better is was back then kills brain cells.
Richard Newton
Richard Newton
10-16-2014, 06:13 PM
#23
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
Racing was better back then. At least in Nascar, Indy and Sports Cars.
Teams designed, engineered and improved racecars.
These days, if you're good, if you're fast, you get penalized to maintain the politically correct.
That and the cookie cutter mentality of Indy, Nascar and the DP's stinks.
Teams designed, engineered and improved racecars.
These days, if you're good, if you're fast, you get penalized to maintain the politically correct.
That and the cookie cutter mentality of Indy, Nascar and the DP's stinks.
10-17-2014, 06:46 AM
#24
Safety Car
The same thing happened in "the old days." Porsche was always the best at lobbying in sports car racing.
Think back to Smokey. He was the most creative rules breaker in NASCAR. That meant that NASCAR had rules even back in the 1950's. A designer has always raced the rule book. It's just that now you have to have a Ph.D. and a huge computer.
There's a reason that teams hire so many design engineers. We can't go back. This is where we are. Make the best of it.
Richard
Think back to Smokey. He was the most creative rules breaker in NASCAR. That meant that NASCAR had rules even back in the 1950's. A designer has always raced the rule book. It's just that now you have to have a Ph.D. and a huge computer.
There's a reason that teams hire so many design engineers. We can't go back. This is where we are. Make the best of it.
Richard
10-17-2014, 07:16 AM
#25
Racer
The same thing happened in "the old days." Porsche was always the best at lobbying in sports car racing.
Think back to Smokey. He was the most creative rules breaker in NASCAR. That meant that NASCAR had rules even back in the 1950's. A designer has always raced the rule book. It's just that now you have to have a Ph.D. and a huge computer.
There's a reason that teams hire so many design engineers. We can't go back. This is where we are. Make the best of it.
Richard
Think back to Smokey. He was the most creative rules breaker in NASCAR. That meant that NASCAR had rules even back in the 1950's. A designer has always raced the rule book. It's just that now you have to have a Ph.D. and a huge computer.
There's a reason that teams hire so many design engineers. We can't go back. This is where we are. Make the best of it.
Richard
Grassroots-level participation will carry the sport, as it always has. In particular, the evolution of LeMons, Chump, and WRL, and the GRM $xxxx challenge. Each one is different from the other, but all are in the same spirit and are focused on "racing on a shoestring".
10-17-2014, 09:31 AM
#26
You pretty much nailed it. Where the professional series are is a natural evolution of where they were.
Grassroots-level participation will carry the sport, as it always has. In particular, the evolution of LeMons, Chump, and WRL, and the GRM $xxxx challenge. Each one is different from the other, but all are in the same spirit and are focused on "racing on a shoestring".
Grassroots-level participation will carry the sport, as it always has. In particular, the evolution of LeMons, Chump, and WRL, and the GRM $xxxx challenge. Each one is different from the other, but all are in the same spirit and are focused on "racing on a shoestring".
On the other hand, the average guy like you and me has ever more options for running races that are meant to be affordable and sustainable. It's far easier to successfully manage these participant-funded events than to count on spectators and corporations to fund the events. Because of this grassroots resurgence, racing is going nowhere and I do foresee a bit of a revolution in professional motorsports as more and more people become familiar with actually racing, rather than just spectating.
10-17-2014, 10:10 AM
#27
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
The same thing happened in "the old days." Porsche was always the best at lobbying in sports car racing.
Think back to Smokey. He was the most creative rules breaker in NASCAR. That meant that NASCAR had rules even back in the 1950's. A designer has always raced the rule book. It's just that now you have to have a Ph.D. and a huge computer.
There's a reason that teams hire so many design engineers. We can't go back. This is where we are. Make the best of it.
Richard
Think back to Smokey. He was the most creative rules breaker in NASCAR. That meant that NASCAR had rules even back in the 1950's. A designer has always raced the rule book. It's just that now you have to have a Ph.D. and a huge computer.
There's a reason that teams hire so many design engineers. We can't go back. This is where we are. Make the best of it.
Richard
And Smokey was one of the first "engineers".
But that has NOTHING to do with: "the cookie cutter mentality of Indy, Nascar and the DP's stinks. "
And I do make the best of it.
I haven't been to a pro race in years.
I was at 20 track events this year.
I'm a SCCA Chief of Tech, driving coach, HPDE instructor (18 years) and Crew Chief on "Grassroots" cars.
When I'm not at the track, I build open wheel cars and restore Corvettes,
So, my comments are only about the big 3 cookie cutters.