NASCAR at Martinsville

[Marswolf]

Almost time for the Goody's Cool Orange 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup race. Try saying that three times quickly.

I'm going to have to get over that way sometime. The track predates NASCAR by a couple of years.

The fridge is stocked with beer. I have most of the stuff cut up for my taco salad.Just have to bake the shell, slice some lettuce and assemble the delicacy. Well, if you have beer with it, it's a delicacy.

BTW, if you haven't tried Tobasco's Chipotle sauce, you need to do that. Not as hot as the standard Tobasco Sauce but with a delicious flavor.

For today, I'd rather watch on TV. The temperature is 37.5 degrees. With a 7 mph wind, the wind chill is 30 degrees and they may get some showers.

Well, off to the races.

[cadillacdude1975]

if you want to see a race, get tickets to Bristol. hands down, that is the best track around. i have been there twice, Atlanta 6 or 7 times and Talladega once. Bristol is hands down the best bang for your buck.

[Guest GUTTERbOY]

Yup, that Tabasco Chipotle sauce is great. A nice smoky flavor with just enough hat building to let you know it's there. Much more subtle than most hot sauces.

[Mike.357]

Martinsville is a great track, it gives you an old timey feel being there. Some of you may remember about 5 years ago when Kevin Harvick was black flagged in the truck race and in anger dang near ran over some people behind pit wall. Well I was one of them he almost hit, but in spite of that I don't dislike him too much.

They always talk about them red hot dogs sold at the track. Well I can testify they are the second most over rated hot dog I have ever eaten. (the smokey dogs at neyland stadium are the most over rated, yuck! )

As for bristol being the best race track, well I dunno about that. There is a track a little south of there called Darlington. That place seperates the men from the boys. I agree Bristol is hairy, but go 165 mph headed towards a cement wall at turn one and then try to go left, takes a lot more nerve and skill than a high banked .5 mile track does. Darlington should be on a national listing of protected and historic properties. It pisses me off to no end that the powers to be at NASCRAP took away a race from there to go to Califruity.

[Marswolf]

Makes me mad they shut down North Wilksboro.

[Guest 2HOW]

Did you say Taco salad,? and Beer ? you are truly a cruel man . Im firing up the grill

[Mike.357]

Makes me mad they shut down North Wilksboro.

That and North Carolina Motor Speedway (Rockingham). Two great tracks with lots of history. It's all about the money. Funny now that NASCAR has peaked ( three or four years ago) you see lots of empty seats at every race track. Especially California and Atlanta. From the looks of things Martinsville is not near a sell out. This in spite of the loud mouth announcer saying how more tickets had been sold than there were people in the stands. Of course the empty seats are the crappiest in the grandstands. They flat out did not sell those seats and Fox in an effort to cover things up lied about it. They want you to think that they sell out every race. The old law of supply and demand yanno!

[cadillacdude1975]

nascar is about the money like everything else. darlington was not being productive with the race dates, so they sent that date elsewhere where more money would be made. atlanta better watch out or it will be the next one to loose a date as well.

[NuTcAsE]

Makes me mad they shut down North Wilksboro.

That and North Carolina Motor Speedway (Rockingham). Two great tracks with lots of history. It's all about the money. Funny now that NASCAR has peaked ( three or four years ago) you see lots of empty seats at every race track. Especially California and Atlanta. From the looks of things Martinsville is not near a sell out. This in spite of the loud mouth announcer saying how more tickets had been sold than there were people in the stands. Of course the empty seats are the crappiest in the grandstands. They flat out did not sell those seats and Fox in an effort to cover things up lied about it. They want you to think that they sell out every race. The old law of supply and demand yanno!

Yeah, that's why I quit keepin up with it. Got too big for it's britches. They got rid of N/W & The Rock. Then you start gittin them Purty Boys drivin, and them feller's with funny names like Juan Pablum Montalban, an that Frechetta boy. Then the next thing y'know they let them foreign cars like Toyota on the track. I'm tellin ya, just ain't right, like two boys kissin', just ain't right...

[Marswolf]

Did you say Taco salad,? and Beer ? you are truly a cruel man . Im firing up the grill

Yeah, pretty much ambrosia to me. But for some reason I wasn't in a beer mood. Only had one.

Hell, the Toyotas are the only car on the track the public can buy that is actually made in the USA.

Bristol always sells out on the main race - Sprint Cup, or whatever they call it this week. Strictly Stock (1949), Grand National (1950-1971), Winston (1972-2003), Nextel (2004-2007), Sprint (2008), Midol (2009)....

The Podunk Cup race (Nationwide this year) always has seats. Same with the trucks.

It just isn't the same as it used to be. Slightly modified real cars, convertibles, no restrictor plates, no pit speed limits. Things started downhill when they mandated roll bars.

[-boatman-]

I agree with everything you said and want to add Rockingham as a great track. Loosing these great old tracks to all the 1.5 mile cookie cutter tracks is just one of the reasons I have quit NASCAR after being a fan since 1967 and going to races since 1974. I do not think they want my money anyway.

[shaftbass]

Nascar WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[saintsfanbrian]

Boatman - by watching the pre-race activities and seeing some of the commercials that are out with NASCAR drivers in them, I would tend to agree about them not wanting my money.

The COT has screwed up the races - 2 wide at Bristol? No way. Restrictor plates? Sure protect the drivers but Elliot Sadler flipping end over end at the finish was awesome. Let's face it, people watch NASCAR for the wrecks. (and the last lap) no one cares about the 499 prior laps.

[Marswolf]

I'd go watch some dirt track races, except I don't think there are any more dirt tracks.

[Mike.357]

people watch NASCAR for the wrecks

I beg to differ with this opinion. Beating and banging is one thing but a wreck is the last thing I want to see at a race. There have been more than a few race car drivers die while competing, no one wanted to see any of that. Ask Adam Petty's mom how she feels about your comment. I had a pretty strong acquantaince die at Texas Motor Speedway in a truck race about 6 or 7 years ago, so I am not a big fan of race crashes. Sorry if i sound harsh but it is a real sore subject with me.

Here is a little bit of info on the subject

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/autotimeline1.html

Mars there are still dirt tracks that run full schedules during spring and summer. Not as many as there once was but they are still out there. My only beef with these local tracks is they never seem to finish up til the wee hours in the morning, as I get older it gets to be too late for me to hang in there. We go to Tazewell and it is great fun, but not getting home until after 2 AM is too hard on my old self.

Edited March 31, 2008 by Mike.357

[saintsfanbrian]

Mike, I did not quantify my statement with ALL people watch NASCAR for the wrecks I said

Let's face it, people watch NASCAR for the wrecks.

I did say

(and the last lap) no one cares about the 499 prior laps.

because let's face it, if the driver/car that you like doesn't win, does it really matter that he led 1 to 499 laps? Sure it helps him with the points but how many races has a driver led the most laps only to be beaten by some one else? If you ain't the lead dog, the view never changes.

My condolences to you and your friends family for him losing his life but truth be told, the majority of the people that watch races on TV are watching for the spectacular wrecks that happen.

It sucks that people die in the sport but then again, how many boxers have died. People die doing EVERY occupation. It's a fact of life, people die. Just some jobs have a higher rate. Ever wonder how many fighter pilots die not in combat? That's why they get hazard/flight pay.

[Mike.357]

like I said, its a sore subject with me.

[Guest eyebedam]

Theres nothing like the Saturday night party at Talladega. Theres some strange birds at that race.

[Marswolf]

Mars there are still dirt tracks that run full schedules during spring and summer. Not as many as there once was but they are still out there.

Actually, I did a quick search and came up with Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap.

http://www.volunteerspeedway.com/

Grandstand seats are normally just $8 and pit admission is $25. Special events are $15 in the stand.

[strickj]

Theres two dirt tracks here in nooga

[Marswolf]

Hey, we want to set up a meet in Bulls Gap next weekend?

[NuTcAsE]

Hey, we want to set up a meet in Bulls Gap next weekend?

Moving targets.. WOOHOO...

If you've not been it's a pretty good show.

[Marswolf]

I haven't been, but I could show up if we have some gun buddies....

[Mike.357]

no can do, wife going out of town and I will have the oldest grandson with me all weekend. sounded like fun though.

[Guest GLOCKGUY]

There's one dirt tracks here in spring city. well the last time i heard it was still open, i might be wrong