Pothole 500 redux

The big race in Daytona was amusing yesterday....I heard two drivers in televised coverage say that instead of stopping the race for so long, the officials should have put out a cone on the pothole and said, "Don't hit it!" I would have loved to see NASCAR guys dodging traffic cones.

Oh, and I think the last few laps of the race proved that "Rubbin' ain't racin"; i.e. it mostly just causes a bunch of unnecessary cautions.

they should have dealt with it the way our DOT deals with potholes... Back up traffic for an hour, narrow it down to 1 lane to find 1 mexican trying to fill it and 10 dudes standing there watching and drinking coffee...

I liked the high speed demolition derby that was aired yesterday. They took what looked like real cup cars and ran them around a cheap Chinese version of the famous Daytona track and let all the cars bang into everything. I know it wasn't real because two Michael Waltrip Racing cars finished that race in the top 10.

I was at the race yesterday. I never knew that camo had so many fashionable uses.

I think some of those folks like that Dale Earnhart fellow.

Pretty entertaining show though. Took a hellova long time, but the hole seemed pretty knarly. It was pretty darn cold once the sun went down, but we stayed until the end. A ton of folks left after the second red flag, so we watched the end of the race right at the start/ finish line.

It would have been boring as hell on T.V, but in person it was a good time.

I had a horrifying thought yesterday:

What if Michael Waltrip retires at the end of the season and get a job next to his brother in the booth? Ugh! We have to make sure that guy keeps racing until the end of time.

I like Michael in the booth actually. The voice is annoying but the guy is really pretty funny.

Joe Gearin wrote: It would have been boring as hell on T.V, but in person it was a good time.

Actually it worked out quite well. Watched the race for a little while then worked in the garage. Came back, watched the race for a while, then switched to Pebble Beach while they worked on the pothole. Took Mrs. BDT out for a nice Valentine's Day dinner, and then came home and watched the race for a while.

Got to watch the "finish" multiple times as the field took several attempts to complete two whole laps without someone crashing into someone else.

And with no disrespect to McMurray, I don't remember Richard Petty or Cale Yarborough crying in the winner's circle.

bludroptop wrote:

Joe Gearin wrote: It would have been boring as hell on T.V, but in person it was a good time.

And with no disrespect to McMurray, I don't remember Richard Petty or Cale Yarborough crying in the winner's circle.

Ya, what happened to the good ole days when Dick Trickle used to smoke on the Caution breaks?

DukeOfUndersteer wrote: they should have dealt with it the way our DOT deals with potholes... Back up traffic for an hour, narrow it down to 1 lane to find 1 mexican trying to fill it and 10 dudes standing there watching and drinking coffee...

Thought they did...

bludroptop wrote: Got to watch the "finish" multiple times as the field took several attempts to complete two whole laps without someone crashing into someone else. And with no disrespect to McMurray, I don't remember Richard Petty or Cale Yarborough crying in the winner's circle.

Probably because they didn't wonder whether they'd even have a ride for the year. I say good for the kid. He lost his ride last year and got another chance. He came across as humble and genuinely surprised to be there.

I'd also say that Earnhardt Jr. looked good in the closing laps. I haven't watched a ton of NASCAR, but he did look like his dad out there.

I was one of the people who left after the second red flag. Run 120 laps. 2 hour intermission. Run 20 laps another red flag. No thanks I'm going home.

It was a fun experience but I don't understand the attraction. Not really a suprise since I don't really like watching any sport. I'd rather be doing it.

think they should have continued with a footrace...

DukeOfUndersteer wrote: think they should have continued with a footrace...

That would have been cool. I remember that the SCCA used to hold a foot race at the Runoffs during Road Atlanta's mandated Sunday morning quiet time.

How about the footrace to get to the cars like they used to at the start of the LeMans 24?

I tuned in at about 4 to check out the last hour or so....I was surprised to see 78 laps remaining....there went the rest of my evening.

The first intermission then 30+ laps of racing and then second intermission allowed me to take my wife to a non-valentine's dinner and still watch the end of the race. Even though none of the drivers racing for the win were my favorites, it was a good race. ISC and NASCAR will have to decide how to recover their status after this blackeye. $20 mil to repave seems a minor amount at this moment.

JoeyM wrote: The big race in Daytona was amusing yesterday....I heard two drivers in televised coverage say that instead of stopping the race for so long, the officials should have put out a cone on the pothole and said, "Don't hit it!" I would have loved to see NASCAR guys dodging traffic cones. Oh, and I think the last few laps of the race proved that "Rubbin' ain't racin"; i.e. it mostly just causes a bunch of unnecessary cautions.

while watching the race at a friends house we came up with the same idea and my friend said that at a SRF (actually so long ago it was a Renault ) race at Nelson Ledges there was a large pothole in the middle of the carrousel ... the race officials put a cone in the middle of it and told the drivers " it's there you pick your line "

I recall the same thing going on at a Longest Day 24 hr race. In fact there may have been 2 holes. Part of the drivers exchange was info on the status of the holes. You could straddle them for part of the race.

I showed the picture of the construction workers to my wife - she's in the highway paving business. She thought it was great.

Greg Voth wrote: I'd rather be doing it.

that's

what

she

said!

bludroptop wrote: And with no disrespect to McMurray, I don't remember Richard Petty or Cale Yarborough crying in the winner's circle.

In Smokey's book, one of his opinions of modern stock car drivers is:

"They look like they couldn't even answer a simple question like 'Which do you like better, boys or girls?'"

Shawn

John Brown wrote: I know it wasn't real because two Michael Waltrip Racing cars finished that race in the top 10.

I had told you those camrys would be tough to stop. i would have liked to seen Truex Jr win. I've seen his dad race for years and they are good people.