Any racing fans out there want to play NASCAR fantasy on ESPN Stockcar Challenge?
Ya don't need to be Chip Ganassi to play!
PM me or let me know if you're interested in being the Racing Champ around here and win the Sprint Cup Trophy. I can start a new group on ESPN.

Daytona is Sunday--Sunday--Sunday.........:woohoo:

rendova: I have a quick NASCAR question for you. When a team wins, how much of the win is because of the driver, the crew, and the car? (the last two are probably linked) It's just something to me as an outsider seemed odd that I never hear about any crew members getting praise when I would imagine that they are a very significant part of every victory.

They are all linked, it's true, but only occassionally does a crew chief like Steve LaTart or Todd Barrier get any credit.

Here's how important the tire changers are--not long ago, Carl Edwards was leading a race with a dominant car. With only a few laps to go, he pulled into the pits for gas and a quick tire change. The jackman got Carl's right rear fender caught on the jack and couldn't get it off. Agonizing minutes passed wihile all the other cars zoomed in and out and back onto the track. Carl ended up finishing near the back of the pack.

The engine builders, design crews and lowly pit guys don't get near the credit the glamourous drivers do--but the driver is the guy risking his life at 190 mph so maybe it evens out. But not even Tony Stewart can make a car go faster.

Where else can you get a tank of gas, 4 tires and a clean windshield in about 14 seconds?

I don't understand why NASCAR continues to use manual jacks when most other racers use onboard pneumatic ones. It's also time for NASCAR to step into the current century and use engines that are more advanced -overhead cams & fuel injection come to mind. There's not a single car out there that offers more than a cosmetic resemblance to what's in the showrooms. In the old days, there was a "... win on Sunday, sell on Monday ..." attitude - one could go to a dealership & actually buy something rather like what was raced - no more.

Where else can you get a tank of gas, 4 tires and a clean windshield in about 14 seconds?

I don't understand why NASCAR continues to use manual jacks when most other racers use onboard pneumatic ones. It's also time for NASCAR to step into the current century and use engines that are more advanced -overhead cams & fuel injection come to mind. There's not a single car out there that offers more than a cosmetic resemblance to what's in the showrooms. In the old days, there was a "... win on Sunday, sell on Monday ..." attitude - one could go to a dealership & actually buy something rather like what was raced - no more.
And yet they still call it "stock" car racing. My ass...

It's also time for NASCAR to step into the current century and use engines that are more advanced -overhead cams & fuel injection come to mind.

I saw an interview with the heads of GM's and Ford's racing programs and they basically said the same thing. They were complaining that they used to learn things in racing an apply it to production cars. NASCAR is so retro that the technology transfer is generally going the other direction.

Where else can you get a tank of gas, 4 tires and a clean windshield in about 14 seconds?

.

DW noted during yesterday's race that once his crew changed his entire engine in eleven minutes.


Last year Ryan Newman's crew changed his transmission in 14 minutes.
Woah, I'd love to have guys like that working on our cars.

Nice & fast. Bet they still charge book hour rather than clock hour.

DW noted during yesterday's race that once his crew changed his entire engine in eleven minutes.


Last year Ryan Newman's crew changed his transmission in 14 minutes.
Woah, I'd love to have guys like that working on our cars.
but they have to do it every 500 miles:lolhit: