The Talladega Race - Was it?

Opinion by Bruce Simmons

I've read and heard a lot of opinions, from fans and drivers alike that the Talladega race was not a race at all, but just a boring ride around the track, as Dale Earnhardt Jr put it in a post race interview.

To some degree, it's quite disappointing to see a 200 mph train of cars doing lap after lap, hearing NASCAR putting the squash on bump drafting and watching 160 of 188 laps go quietly by with a mishap here and there.

This event, despite our expectations, can't go much differently while we see restrictor plates and even more restrictive rules designed to squash the driving style needed to combat the restrictor plate.

Though it was boring, it was not disappointing for me. The last 30 laps was what this race was all about, and those last laps provided a fairly good level of frustration, anticipation and excitement as you said: "Huh, where'd he come from?" on that last lap.

Me for one, it gave me my 3 to 4 hours of ME time at home that I can take without guilt, because that's the way it is. It wasn't as exciting as it could be, but then again, who remembers the all green Talladega race a few years ago?

Check out Ryan Newman's perspective at this scenedaily.com article.

Update:

I'm watching the replay of the race today on SPEED, (10/11/07) and I need to add a thought.

A perspective I don't think we give any credit to: The race looks boring because these guys are that good.

At those speeds, there's more to it than just putting your foot down and holding the steering wheel still. A tiny wheel turn requires a counter turn.. of comperable measure. The tires aren't sitting on the ground like our tires do when we drive to work and around the block. These tires want to break loose, being on the edge of their speed ratings / parameters.

At those speeds, the car can break loose ever so lightly, that it takes the skill of these drivers to recognize it before it becomes physically apparent to us, the observer, and counter that manuever before it gets out of hand.

If you have it on tape, or the next time a restrictor plate race happens, watch the straight-a-ways very carefully... the cars bounce around because they are in the draft. The wind is not directly pushing the car down, they have to keep it in line under the vacuum of the air going over them and coming down behind the car behind them.

Just food for thought.