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Given the popularity of NASCAR, I know that I am in the minority when I say "I think it sucks". It's like watching hamsters in a revolving wheel. Round and round and round and round and then CRASH. What's the appeal, the crashes?

Europen Grand Prix racing----------now that has more variety to it at least.

I wonder sometimes if NASCAR fans are mostly Republican or Democract, or if it is pretty balanced out.

I'm probably the wrong one to answer this since I'm pretty neutral on the subject. Yet still, I know I couldn't handle a car doing that and it seems unfair to act as if there's no kind of skill involved. I don't understand what bugs people about the circular aspect. I hear that a lot. What's up with the political party question, Lon? I'm not sure where you're headed with that. There may even be a few Libertarians in there.

Where's K? He can explain it!

I must say I agree with you Lon! I'm a big F1 fan, and I like to see custom built racing machines. Stock saloons, albeit extremely tweaked, don't do a great deal for me! I can see more or less the same thing, if I stand on the bridge overlooking the M42!.. I'm an Englishman so I couldn't possibly comment on US politics.

:yh_rotfl You hussy!

Hmm have you not seen the some of the drivers. Purrrrrrrrrr baby!

Pinky;590833 wrote: I never said I wasn't!!!:wah:


You shouldn't shock a poor old man like that! I thought it was gonna be a bloody racing car or summat!......:wah:

Pinky;590846 wrote: Yeah, I believe that. NOT!!!!:wah:

Like you're complaining about seeing some jubblies????:D


Hoo! not me! :-6

RedGlitter;590810 wrote: I'm probably the wrong one to answer this since I'm pretty neutral on the subject. Yet still, I know I couldn't handle a car doing that and it seems unfair to act as if there's no kind of skill involved. I don't understand what bugs people about the circular aspect. I hear that a lot. What's up with the political party question, Lon? I'm not sure where you're headed with that. There may even be a few Libertarians in there.

Where's K? He can explain it!


I said nothing about skill Red. Multiplying 5 digit numbers in your head also takes skill, but--------------------.

Do you think Jehovah Witnesses like NASCAR?

Don't be so serious-----------I take it you like the races.

Lon;590880 wrote: I said nothing about skill Red. Multiplying 5 digit numbers in your head also takes skill, but--------------------.

Do you think Jehovah Witnesses like NASCAR?

Don't be so serious-----------I take it you like the races.


Lon, I'm not being so serious. It's the way I write.

I don't know, but I would think maybe there are some Witnesses who do. Why wouldn't there be?

I can take the races or leave them. I don't follow them and know nada about who's doing what but it seems to me lately that Nascar's become something to laugh about or rag on as something peculiar to beer swilling, wifebeating, 20 dogs under the porch, hillbilly rivetheads and I just don't get that. Am I mistaken?

RedGlitter;590892 wrote: Lon, I'm not being so serious. It's the way I write.

I don't know, but I would think maybe there are some Witnesses who do. Why wouldn't there be?

I can take the races or leave them. I don't follow them and know nada about who's doing what but it seems to me lately that Nascar's become something to laugh about or rag on as something peculiar to beer swilling, wifebeating, 20 dogs under the porch, hillbilly rivetheads and I just don't get that. Am I mistaken?


Well, I'm not sure that NASCAR has much appeal to the intellectually-academically inclined folk.

Buddist's probably wouldn't watch NASCAR

Lon;590907 wrote: Well, I'm not sure that NASCAR has much appeal to the intellectually-academically inclined folk.

Buddist's probably wouldn't watch NASCAR


See now I think there's that stereotype again...

I do have quite a few intelligent friends and family members who love the stuff. The races have been on in our house for about 20 years mostly because of my college educated mother who tried never to miss one.

I don't know about Buddhists.

Not trying to argue with you if it's coming across as such. Just trying to say something.

To be honest I never used to like to watch the races(NASCAR) on television becuase it never had given the sport any justice...

To go to a live race I'm quite sure your opinion of them would be quite different...Then again maybe not, but the fact of the matter is, is that watching a live race whether it be circle track or not(Although I would like to think watching the circle track races live would be alot better than the road courses as watching the circle track races you would get to see all of the race - depending on the size of the track) is definitely an exciting event...

I particularly never cared for F1 or any of the road course racing because there is never any overtaking...The people who start the race in front usually finish in front...But that's my opinion, and I can see how others would like it...I watch some of it too,..I'm not biased when it comes to racing...

As for the intelligence factor associated with NASCAR I have to tell you, that circle track racing and the suspension and aerodynamic technologies that goes behind it can be some very complex stuff...Did you know that no more than a half an inch of stagger being off on any of the tires will slow the car down by more than a quarter of a second?...There is some very high tech technologies behind NASCAR...Alot that most people don't know about and it's evident when they automatically assume people who are involved in NASCAR type racing events that they are nothing more than beer drinking, ignorant, looking for a thrill dumb ass's...Couldn't be further from the truth...

As for people arguing that it isn't a sport, that's fine they can say that all they want...I know that the skill involved in going the fastest one could possibly go around a race track within that very same race tracks limitations takes some of the most skill anyone could ever fathom...Anyone can go fast around a circle...Not everyone can go the fastest...:yh_wink...

17th reply...

My favorite number is 17,..and I'm running the number 17 on my race car...

How weird is that?

Oh,..and about the crashing...Watching a wreck literally makes me sick to my stomach...Racing is supposed to be about racing...

RedGlitter;591006 wrote: See now I think there's that stereotype again...

I do have quite a few intelligent friends and family members who love the stuff. The races have been on in our house for about 20 years mostly because of my college educated mother who tried never to miss one.

I don't know about Buddhists.

Not trying to argue with you if it's coming across as such. Just trying to say something.


I don't take your comments as arguing. BTW, being a college graduate does not make one an academic or itellectual, just a college graduate.

Lon;591019 wrote: I don't take your comments as arguing. BTW, being a college graduate does not make one an academic or itellectual, just a college graduate.


And being an academic or intellectual doesn't mean you can't be a race fan.

K.Snyder;591009 wrote: To be honest I never used to like to watch the races(NASCAR) on television becuase it never had given the sport any justice...

To go to a live race I'm quite sure your opinion of them would be quite different...Then again maybe not, but the fact of the matter is, is that watching a live race whether it be circle track or not(Although I would like to think watching the circle track races live would be alot better than the road courses as watching the circle track races you would get to see all of the race - depending on the size of the track) is definitely an exciting event...

I particularly never cared for F1 or any of the road course racing because there is never any overtaking...The people who start the race in front usually finish in front...But that's my opinion, and I can see how others would like it...I watch some of it too,..I'm not biased when it comes to racing...

As for the intelligence factor associated with NASCAR I have to tell you, that circle track racing and the suspension and aerodynamic technologies that goes behind it can be some very complex stuff...Did you know that no more than a half an inch of stagger being off on any of the tires will slow the car down by more than a quarter of a second?...There is some very high tech technologies behind NASCAR...Alot that most people don't know about and it's evident when they automatically assume people who are involved in NASCAR type racing events that they are nothing more than beer drinking, ignorant, looking for a thrill dumb ass's...Couldn't be further from the truth...

As for people arguing that it isn't a sport, that's fine they can say that all they want...I know that the skill involved in going the fastest one could possibly go around a race track within that very same race tracks limitations takes some of the most skill anyone could ever fathom...Anyone can go fast around a circle...Not everyone can go the fastest...:yh_wink...


I have to say that most fans don't know that stuff and probably couldn't care less. I am not a race fan and never have been. I live a good piece from Talladega but I can tell you no one gets on the roads before or after the races except those coming to or going from the races. Too many drunks who think they're the next Petty.

In my state you can actually pay extra for a Nascar tag and put your favorite car 'number' on your tag. Good Lord! That's a bit much. I don't see golf tags or basketball tags.

Check out the stands the next time and see all the people w/o shirts sitting in 100+ degrees, drinking beer and watching things go round and round. It's like standing in your bathroom and betting on what goes down the hole first after you flush!

Although, I do have to admit that it is amazing how they can get soooo close to someones bumper and never touch them. And I suppose I would want one of them to drive me to work once in a while. :wah: (Not sure I could get my behind through the window though! :wah: )

Now drag racing is a horse of a different color. It's quick and fast and not so long.

I used to like the Screamer race car games, Screamer 2 Demo was a favourite for years. I also liked one called Superchicks 76.



Not sure if this is the right place to ask, but are those two games available on the net in a form playable on a pc running Windows XP? If so please could someone give me a link because I can't find any XP complatible downloads. There's a few downloads for Superchicks, but nothing I've yet tried works. This might be because these are DOS games & maybe no one's seen fit to update them for modern computer systems? Or it may be that I'm looking in the wrong places!



I like those games because they're simple & enjoyable, they don't take ages to set up, & mostly because the controls respond in such a way that I feel I actually have control of the car. In too many other racing games the car veers from side to side & control is so fiddly it gives more frustration than pleasure actually playing the game. They're also forgiving when you crash, they recover you quickly so you can keep playing rather than having you think oh what's the point & just give up!



If those two aren't available can anyone recommend any others of this type. I'm not looking for hugely complex (& expensive) racing car programs, something fairly simple & basic is all I'm looking for with this particular type of escapism.



Thanks.

RedGlitter;591023 wrote: And being an academic or intellectual doesn't mean you can't be a race fan.


And if you are a race fan, it doesn't mean that you don't eat broccoli.

911;591194 wrote: I have to say that most fans don't know that stuff and probably couldn't care less. I am not a race fan and never have been. I live a good piece from Talladega but I can tell you no one gets on the roads before or after the races except those coming to or going from the races. Too many drunks who think they're the next Petty.

In my state you can actually pay extra for a Nascar tag and put your favorite car 'number' on your tag. Good Lord! That's a bit much. I don't see golf tags or basketball tags.

Check out the stands the next time and see all the people w/o shirts sitting in 100+ degrees, drinking beer and watching things go round and round. It's like standing in your bathroom and betting on what goes down the hole first after you flush!

Although, I do have to admit that it is amazing how they can get soooo close to someones bumper and never touch them. And I suppose I would want one of them to drive me to work once in a while. :wah: (Not sure I could get my behind through the window though! :wah: )

Now drag racing is a horse of a different color. It's quick and fast and not so long.


I've seen alot of 16 year old kids go out and think they are invincible in driving cars, and haven't been to a race in their entire life...Although I will agree with you that reckless driving should be stopped at all costs,..but I think we're diving into a specific stereotype that would be the equivalent to saying that one race of people happen to be more criminalistic because a larger percentage of that race happens to be incarcerated...It's just a bad mistake to be that presumptuous when we could be putting more time into taking care of the real problem,..and that's the individuals themselves...

magenta flame;591379 wrote: Well it's been proven through medical associations here and the courts system that male drivers between 18 and 25 make up the majority of fatals, serious injury, and reckless driving offences so how is that a stereotype .......head out of the sand time I reckon


This is true in New Zealand as well, and probably true in all countries. There is a reason the males in that age group pay through the nose for auto insurance.

magenta flame;591379 wrote: Well it's been proven through medical associations here and the courts system that male drivers between 18 and 25 make up the majority of fatals, serious injury, and reckless driving offences so how is that a stereotype .......head out of the sand time I reckon


Right...And the average age of the NASCAR fan is between the age of 35 and 44...Which adds to my point...Thanks for that fact...

My El Salvadoran amigo on NASCAR : Rednecks watching other rednecks turning left .

magenta flame;591497 wrote: Because their pay packets suggest they stay at home and watch it on TV........



How do you know that K? the 35 to 50 mark age group?


That's the average age group of people who are NASCAR fans...It's a statistic based on the activity of people whom buy NASCAR tickets as well as merchandise and other things affiliated with it...

The average age group of NASCAR fans are significantly older than that of the 18-25 mark and is well known...

magenta flame;591515 wrote: How much is a Nascar ticket? cause there are a lot of young men here that can't afford to go to the grandprix but they are still fans..... many many of them.


It's anywhere from around $100 and up...

But one ticket covers an entire weekend of racing...

Each NASCAR ticket sold allows you to go to the Qualifying sessions, practice, and the Busch series race all on the days before the actual NASCAR Nextel race...It's all one big package...

I read this on the Performance Research site...

"According to the study, nationwide NASCAR fans can be described as predominately males (78%), married (73%), with an average age of 42 years, who owns a home (81%), with 3.4 cars per household. The median household income range is between $35,000 and $50,000 and almost all are employed full time (87%). Some of this may be contradictory to NASCAR's internal data that includes a higher ratio of females, but, according to Bill Doyle, RaceStat's project coordinator, "NASCAR's figures are typically collected on-site (at the races), showing higher percentages of females. Although this information is correct for those attending races, it does not accurately describe the comprehensive audience nationwide which provide a greater number of "occasional or moderate" male NASCAR fans. Marketers must decide which of the several different NASCAR segments to target including: On-site, Nationwide, or the Southeast and among those with a "low", "medium", or "high" interest level; and then identify the appropriate research.""

http://www.performanceresearch.com/nascar-racestat.htm

magenta flame;591524 wrote: Okay man and that's where you have your answer ........doesn't mean you don't have younger fans ...you've just priced them out.


I know there are younger fans...

I'm just saying the majority of NASCAR fans are older that's all...

Hey K!

I heard on the radio this am about a silent aution going on in Charlotte, NC. What's the name of those two guys on the radio? John Boy and Billy or something like that? Do you get them where you are?

Anyway, like I said I'm not a big fan of racing but I thought about you when I heard it. There is so much racing memorabilia up that I thought you might want to look into it. You can bid on a lunch with Petty, get a signed bumper from someone else, take a race drive with another racer and all kinds of stuff. I'm sorry I don't remember the site but it has something to do with getting money for two familys of police officers that were killed in the line of duty recently.

Check it out, you might win! Good luck if you decide to bid!

magenta flame;591532 wrote: trust me K they are not they are just the ones who can afford to go ....do you honestly believe that none of these men havent taken their kids to a race? Your statistics are averaged on attendence rather than actual fans. Nascar is televised here ..do you believe that because an Australian isn't going to a race that there are no fans here?


Honestly those prices aren't bad at all for an entire weekend...

I understand that there may be people who are young who likes and follows NASCAR but I sincerely hope you're not implying that NASCAR has something to do with the majority of fatalities and wrecks associated with every day life...

As for the Performance research site and while I wouldn't place my virtues around their research I do give them the benefit of the doubt when they say "RaceStat, the syndicated NASCAR research project generating these results, was funded by corporate sponsors seeking an unbiased look at the NASCAR audience, and is not affiliated with or hired by NASCAR."


I myself happen to agree with their conclusion in the average age of NASCAR fans...That's debatable I do suppose...Sort of like saying that the majority of the french are Caucasian like alot of Americans but that doesn't mean they drink the same amount of wine,..even though there are plenty of Americans who love to drink it...It's just not comparable...

911;591873 wrote: Hey K!

I heard on the radio this am about a silent aution going on in Charlotte, NC. What's the name of those two guys on the radio? John Boy and Billy or something like that? Do you get them where you are?

Anyway, like I said I'm not a big fan of racing but I thought about you when I heard it. There is so much racing memorabilia up that I thought you might want to look into it. You can bid on a lunch with Petty, get a signed bumper from someone else, take a race drive with another racer and all kinds of stuff. I'm sorry I don't remember the site but it has something to do with getting money for two familys of police officers that were killed in the line of duty recently.

Check it out, you might win! Good luck if you decide to bid!


Bob and Tom?

I haven't heard of that...

We mostly build our own cars so an auction wouldn't be in our best interests...

I hope they accomplish whatever it is they are trying to accomplish...

One of my best friends is training to be a cop right now...

Lon;590907 wrote: Well, I'm not sure that NASCAR has much appeal to the intellectually-academically inclined folk.

Buddist's probably wouldn't watch NASCAR


Do you know anything about cars Lon?

K.Snyder;592246 wrote: Do you know anything about cars Lon?


No, absolutely nothing, and as a male, I know that makes me a bit different from most of my sex. I never had any interest in vehicles as a teenager either, other than just driving them. Over the years, cars have been the least important thing in my life, other than for transportation. I have always driven decent vehicles and kept them in good shape, but other than that, found them no more interesing than my refrigerator. I have had the opportunity to drive Porsche, Maserati & Ferrari (not own), and can certainly appreciate the power and handling, but could care less about why they can do what they do.

I think the fascination for cars with most guys starts at around age three, when they start imitating car engines starting up. Vroom, vroom, vroom. This early fascination really takes hold when as teenagers it really becomes VAAAROOOM, as they try to out do their friends with the loudest mufflers in town. For some reason, I never made the Varoom sound when I was three.

Lon;592271 wrote: No, absolutely nothing, and as a male, I know that makes me a bit different from most of my sex. I never had any interest in vehicles as a teenager either, other than just driving them. Over the years, cars have been the least important thing in my life, other than for transportation. I have always driven decent vehicles and kept them in good shape, but other than that, found them no more interesing than my refrigerator. I have had the opportunity to drive Porsche, Maserati & Ferrari (not own), and can certainly appreciate the power and handling, but could care less about why they can do what they do.

I think the fascination for cars with most guys starts at around age three, when they start imitating car engines starting up. Vroom, vroom, vroom. This early fascination really takes hold when as teenagers it really becomes VAAAROOOM, as they try to out do their friends with the loudest mufflers in town. For some reason, I never made the Varoom sound when I was three.


Right so you take them to someone who is more knowledgeable about them then right?

Pick up a "Circle Track" magazine and read about some of the technologies associated with racing...If not for the intrigue at least for the insight pertaining to the Well, I'm not sure that NASCAR has much appeal to the intellectually-academically inclined folk.

Buddist's probably wouldn't watch NASCAR


Comment...

K.Snyder;592284 wrote: Right so you take them to someone who is more knowledgeable about them then right?

Pick up a "Circle Track" magazine and read about some of the technologies associated with racing...If not for the intrigue at least for the insight pertaining to the

Comment...


I'm just not interested in the technologies associated with racing, anymore than I am interested in the technologies of lawnmowers. If it were Medical Technologies or New Investing or Money Management Strategy I would be interested and find in INTRIGUING. Not everyone shares your particular interests, nor you mine.

Lon;592623 wrote: I'm just not interested in the technologies associated with racing, anymore than I am interested in the technologies of lawnmowers. If it were Medical Technologies or New Investing or Money Management Strategy I would be interested and find in INTRIGUING. Not everyone shares your particular interests, nor you mine.


Absolutely but I don't call your interests ignorant and lacking of intellectual prowess...

Quite simply just because you don't like something doesn't mean you have to bad mouth it...

And the fact of the matter is, is that racing has some very complex dynamics to it...Unless of course you think we've went from this

177 in³ (2.9 L) four-cylinder en bloc motor (that is, all four in one block, as common now, rather than in individual castings, as common then) producing 20 hp (15 kW) for a top speed of 45 mph (72 km/h)


To this

*Displacement is large -- 358 cubic inches (5.87 liters). Not many cars have engines this big, but the ones that do usually generate well over 300 horsepower.

* The NASCAR engines have extremely radical cam profiles, which open the intake valves much earlier and keep them open longer than street cars. This allows more air to be packed into the cylinders, especially at high speeds.

* The intake and exhaust are tuned and tested to provide a boost at certain engine speeds. They are also designed to have very low restriction, and there are no mufflers or catalytic converters to slow the exhaust down either.

* They have carburetors that can let in huge volumes of air and fuel -- no fuel injectors on these engines.

* They have high intensity programmable ignition systems so the spark timing can be customized to provide the most possible power.

* All of the subsystems like coolant pumps, oil pumps, steering pumps and alternators are designed to run at sustained high speeds and temperatures.


simply by coincidence and luck...

I beg to differ...(Not to mention the entire suspension dynamics of it, but you get my point)...

[quote=K.Snyder;592899]Absolutely but I don't call your interests ignorant and lacking of intellectual prowess...

Neither did I if you go back and read my post. I said "I doubt that Nascar has appeal to intellectuals or academics". You can't see the difference?

Quite simply just because you don't like something doesn't mean you have to bad mouth it...

I gave an OPINION. You're taking an activity that you obviously love and the opinions I gave, personally.

Lon;592940 wrote: [quote=K.Snyder;592899]

Neither did I if you go back and read my post. I said "I doubt that Nascar has appeal to intellectuals or academics". You can't see the difference?






That was the way I took it as well. I mean, why state that? There are quite a few of both who enjoy Nascar and I happen to know some. :-6

RedGlitter;592948 wrote: [quote=Lon;592940]

That was the way I took it as well. I mean, why state that? There are quite a few of both who enjoy Nascar and I happen to know some. :-6


It would have been much different if I had said "Intellectuals and Academics do not like NASCAR". Saying it that way would be wrong because it's a blanket statement that can't possibly be true. Instead, I said "I doubt", which is not a blanket statement. Many of the arguments that I have seen on FG stem from a problem with reading comprehension or misinterpretation. As far as NASCAR fans are concerned, I am sure that among them are actors, bankers, morticians, nurses, doctors, teachers and rocket scientists, but overall, I doubt that there are very many academics or intellectuals that enjoy NASCAR and watch it. That sound any better?

I'm sorry, no. It still sounds like semantics. But I'll give you the space to feel any way you wish to on it.