Comments on: Stock Cars Were Not Meant To Race In The Rain

By: Doug in CA

Doug in CA — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 21:02:26 +0000

Good arguments all around, but this fan thought it was a great race, and that the rain racing is an interesting change of pace. NASCAR cars aren’t made to run road courses, but I love watching ‘em try to do it. Hey, I’d watch them run on dirt or ice – anything other than a 1.5 mile paved oval for a change!

By: RevsUp

RevsUp — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 18:57:44 +0000

What do you mean “Stock Cars” were not meant to race in the rain?? Either NASCAR needs to change their name or more realistically get back to their roots. When it rains I drive my “Stock Car” in the rain. I don’t get to call in and say, I’ll drive to work tomorrow when the rain stops, I have to drive my “Stock Car” in all weather, rain, snow, sleet and even occasionally freezing rain!

Yes, I know that today’s Race Cars are no longer stock cars. I honestly don’t see how a race win by Jimmie Johnson’s Impala on Sunday translates into an Impala sale on Monday but imagine if Jimmie really did race a Stock Impala again. Wow, now there would be some serious sales gains.

I’ve always wanted to see a series where the racers have to press on regardless and race no matter the conditions. Use cars that you and I drive and use tires that you and I drive on and in the same conditions you and I drive. Not only that but it could very well have applications that could help real world drivers. Not to mention give us fans something to think about buying on Monday.

By: maytag

maytag — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 15:32:08 +0000

didnt even try to read the stuff above. the driver has a throttle and a brake. USE THEM. I remember when this was stock car racing. these people(drivers,crew members and the MEDIA) are getting to where if theres a lack of grip they whine about it. If it (rains,hot,slick,cold,snows,dark,dirty,weepers,chunks of concrete,walls too hard,surface problems etc) they WHINE. Its OK to talk about it I guess. but race at your ability. get it?(stock car)what your car is capable of.

By: stevec

stevec — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 02:32:11 +0000

TC, it’s obvious that you don’t like racing in the rain, but I have to totally disagree with you, being an ex-driver racing in the rain is a blast. The driver needs to use his head more than he does on a dry track if he wants to finish. yesterday was a prime example the top 6 driver came home clean, there was a huge battle going for the checkered flag. Now I do understand your thoughts with all the torn up cars, that was due to drivers not using their heads and lack of experence. Thats common with anything new to people in general. It happened when Cup started racing riverside and it happened last year at the glen. Whats the difference? a little water.

By: Newracefan

Newracefan — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 00:35:54 +0000

The problem with racing in the rain is that too many of the drivers don’t know how. Those last 10 laps were a joke. Yes they could see better than last year therefore they starting driving over their heads. How many cars got wrecked by the end, hell they were wrecking the before that, I was starting to think we were at Martinsville. If it was something they could practice or do on a regular basis I’d be all for it, they can’t and won’t (it’s way too expensive) so Nascar don’t do me any favors. I’m pretty sure I heard Marcos say somewhere that it rains so much back home that they had to race in the rain. I know the fans in the stands wanted the race to continue for those last 10 laps but really was that wreckfest racing? Not to mention that 5 minue stop, what was that about.

By: Journo

Journo — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 23:45:17 +0000

Larry- Doing 160 mph down one of the straights at Montreal and then dive bombing into a turn is a little different than doing 80 mph in your passenger car down the interstate (especially with modern amenities like traction control and anti-lock brakes; you also probably don’t have 800 hp to your rear wheels). That being said, the argument here isn’t so much about the feasibility, obviously they can do it. The question is do we want to do it? Montreal after the rain tires went on was a bit of a disaster.

By: larry david

larry david — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 23:34:55 +0000

It’s a weak argument. I drive in the rain & snow all the time. You have to slow down and be more careful. It’s not that hard and the same rules apply to any type of vehicle. Most road courses are designed with good drainage since so many other series do race in the rain. I find it very entertaining to see F1 race in the rain. Over the decades they have developed their tires and cars to perform in the rain. Drivers have learned how to handle it. It would be a shame to say our drivers aren’t good enough to do it and we’re too lazy to develop the technology to assist them. With proper drainage and some other considerations I think wet oval racing is entirely possible in the near future. Limiting speeds somehow would be key. If I can drive on the highway at 80Mph in the rain I think the professionals can probably handle it too.

By: Riles

Riles — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 22:46:46 +0000

Montreal puts on a great show, wet or dry. The guys who wrecked were the ones who didn’y have experience in the first place, but I mean they still would of found ways to smash them up if it was dry like we always see. Those guys need to understand that in wet ocnditions your braking points change as well as when you pick up the throttle. 2 of the accidents that happened in the rain werent even caused by the rain itself. Kesolowskis late cross-over/divebomb on papis was an error not caused by rain, as well as steven wallaces 3 wide grass runoff. Those are some of the wrecks that standout to me, and rain wasnt a factor.

But I agree in some aspects. Montreal does put on a good show wet or dry, its a fun track to watch. NASCAR just needs to do a better job with rainsetups. Something that can ride the condensation on the windshield better, and maybe have the light in the back of the cars blind in F! and IRL do. The only boring thing about yesterday was the caution laps. THey need to only run 2 caution laps at that roadcourse if they are only running 35mph under caution

I dont think we’ve gotten enough info from the nationwide cars to run rain races for the cup cars. So in my opinion its definately too early for the COT cars to run in the rain, but nationwide is fine with me

By: marc

marc — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 21:49:10 +0000

T.C. – “To those that think we should race in the rain, did you enjoy yesterday’s crash fest?”

It was a race, so yes I did.

That said, what I didn’t enjoy, and never will, is full course cautions on road courses. NASCAR needs to get5 with the program like all other forms of road racing and utilize local cautions with the exceptions for “extreme cases,” i.e. course blockages.

As to the topic at hand, its not the track, not the drivers or the cars that have produced less than desirable results for some people.

Does Papis, Ranger, Villeneuve, Fellows, Ambrose, Said etc have trouble in the rain? Not much due to vast experience doing it. I liken it to when “ringers” were the exception in the early days of Riverside, there were only a couple and soon enough the “regular” NASCAR drivers made up their minds to be competitive and they had to go to school so to speak.

One of two things needs to happen, NASCAR plainly states there will be no more rain racing, or plainly state there will be and drivers need to get off their collective butts and learn what it takes.

As for the NNS car not being “able” to compete in the rain, I say poppycock.

No better example is Ambrose’s home series. The Aussie V8’s are just as “stock” as NNS, although the V8’s are approx 550lbs lighter due to less HP they have approx. the same power-to-weight ratio.

In summation, there’s nothing wrong with NNS running in the rain that practice can’t repair. Drivers want to race they need to get off their butts and learn to be competitive.

NOTE for Ron Shappy, your last line, “NASCAR stay in the USA,” seems to indicate your problem is not with the cars, fans or the track but NASCAR racing anywhere outside the US. IF that’s the caes, too bad, get over it.

And a further not for Candy Cain… “Racing in the rain should be left to the dirt track drivers–where it is actually fun and exciting!”

What planet do you watch dirt racing on? Because rain will stop/cancel a dirt race long before it will a race held on tarmac.

By: Garry

Garry — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 20:22:10 +0000

…..and they should also NOT race in the snow or on ice ( not that it ever much of a risk of occuring ), Im just sayin, Nascars are meant to do what they do, and that is dry track racing.