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dksuddeth · 02-22-2005, 03:48 AM

For anyone that is even remotely interested in considering NASCAR a sport, lets take a look at how many things need to be done in 1 lap on a short track at, say martinsville speedway. Martinsville is a very short .5 mile oval track thats relatively flat.

At the drop of the green flag, two lines of cars are accelerating out of turn 4 to cross the start/finish line. Theres enough space down the stretch to accomodate MAYBE 4 cars, but to get out of 'line', thats the optimum place for a driver to be to maintain the fastest speed yet have the most control, is a sure way to drop back in spots. As you cross the start/finish line approaching 125-130 miles an hour you ease off the gas and apply the brake. Ease off the gas too fast and your car gets a much shorter rear end while everyone slams into you from behind. Don't ease off fast enough and you're in for an abrupt stop as you slam into the wall because you missed the turn. Too much brake into the turn will give you the breathtaking view of the car that WAS right behind you now t-boning you right in the drivers side door at 70 miles an hour. Too little brake in the turn and you'll slide UP the track towards the wall missing the turn while the entire line behind you dives for the inside track and passes you. Do that too many times and by lap 10 there won't be enough rubber left on your tires to make a pencil eraser. IF, I stress the word IF, you managed to make the turn without being passed you now must accelerate OUT of the turn and down the backstretch. I remind you, this NEXTEL cup car weighs 2 tons.....thats 4,000 pounds of metal being driven by a 720 horsepower engine and the harder you mash that gas pedal, the better your chances of spinning your tires instead of accelerating down the stretch, so do it right the first time. Make sure that as you're navigating this turn, braking into it, speeding out of it, that you don't hit anyone on the left or right of you. That will create a case of road rage the likes of which you've never seen and theres no parking lot to escape to.

So, in the distance of less than a 1/4 mile you've accelerated from 65 to 130 and then decelerated back to around 70 whipping the car through a hairpin turn of 180 degrees just to do the same thing again, and again, and again trying NOT to use up all your tires or burn out your brakes(because slowing down 2 tons of metal is about as easy as standing up to 100 mph hurricane winds). Do this for 500 laps, let me know if it was easy for you because if it was, I've got a job for you.

02-22-2005, 03:48 AM	#72 (permalink)
dksuddeth Junkie Location: bedford, tx	For anyone that is even remotely interested in considering NASCAR a sport, lets take a look at how many things need to be done in 1 lap on a short track at, say martinsville speedway. Martinsville is a very short .5 mile oval track thats relatively flat. At the drop of the green flag, two lines of cars are accelerating out of turn 4 to cross the start/finish line. Theres enough space down the stretch to accomodate MAYBE 4 cars, but to get out of 'line', thats the optimum place for a driver to be to maintain the fastest speed yet have the most control, is a sure way to drop back in spots. As you cross the start/finish line approaching 125-130 miles an hour you ease off the gas and apply the brake. Ease off the gas too fast and your car gets a much shorter rear end while everyone slams into you from behind. Don't ease off fast enough and you're in for an abrupt stop as you slam into the wall because you missed the turn. Too much brake into the turn will give you the breathtaking view of the car that WAS right behind you now t-boning you right in the drivers side door at 70 miles an hour. Too little brake in the turn and you'll slide UP the track towards the wall missing the turn while the entire line behind you dives for the inside track and passes you. Do that too many times and by lap 10 there won't be enough rubber left on your tires to make a pencil eraser. IF, I stress the word IF, you managed to make the turn without being passed you now must accelerate OUT of the turn and down the backstretch. I remind you, this NEXTEL cup car weighs 2 tons.....thats 4,000 pounds of metal being driven by a 720 horsepower engine and the harder you mash that gas pedal, the better your chances of spinning your tires instead of accelerating down the stretch, so do it right the first time. Make sure that as you're navigating this turn, braking into it, speeding out of it, that you don't hit anyone on the left or right of you. That will create a case of road rage the likes of which you've never seen and theres no parking lot to escape to. So, in the distance of less than a 1/4 mile you've accelerated from 65 to 130 and then decelerated back to around 70 whipping the car through a hairpin turn of 180 degrees just to do the same thing again, and again, and again trying NOT to use up all your tires or burn out your brakes(because slowing down 2 tons of metal is about as easy as standing up to 100 mph hurricane winds). Do this for 500 laps, let me know if it was easy for you because if it was, I've got a job for you. __________________ "no amount of force can control a free man, a man whose mind is free. No, not the rack, not fission bombs, not anything. You cannot conquer a free man; the most you can do is kill him."