Water Water every where and not an all weather tire to be found

by K Walker

As all NASCAR fans know the race at Michigan was postponed due to rain until today. We cannot help the weather but I found it rather interesting what Jeff Gordon had to say about the timing of the race. He said and I quote "well I wasn't awake when I first got into the car and now that I have been in the car for about eleven laps under caution I think I am awake enough to drive the Dupont Chevy to the best of my abilities." 

I have a question..... Since NASCAR is so concerned about safety, isn't it dangerous to have drivers out on the track who are exhausted? My idea would have been to start the event at noon at the latest because the fog did not lift over the track until 11:15 anyway. If one driver complains about this I am sure more then Jeff were feeling like this because these drivers are used to be at home or at the shop right now resting for their next hectic weekend.

Although it would have been very interesting to see a Michigan race on Thanksgiving Day weekend, I am sure NASCAR would not like to drag out the snow plows just to finish the season. The major question is if NASCAR did have to postpone the race till the end of the season would that make the “playoffs” or “the chase” longer and the regular season shorter? If someone knows this rule please let me know I have been following NASCAR for too many years not to know this rule.

P.S.  Also I would like to add on top of all this, its not cool if I have to set an alarm clock for 10:00 am too watch NASCAR, but i did it anyway.      

BigPPupMajor Leaguer

684 days ago

Score 0

The ran the race early because most crew teams are busy at work back at the shop by Tuesday or running test on another track.

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IbeargRed-Shirting

684 days ago

Score 1

what exactly are these "athletes" doing all night that they can't get themselves up for a 10am start?

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Tyrone BriggsHall of Famer

684 days ago

Score 0

Writing letters to sick kids from Make A Wish Foundation.

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J CunninghamVarsity Captain

684 days ago

Score 1

I think the early start time was mostly so everyone could pack up and head down to Bristol ASAP. With the next race being on Saturday night instead of Sunday afternoon, the weekly schedule was tight before the rain delays. NASCAR's mindset was, the earlier we can get out of Michigan, the earlier we can get to Bristol. As for Gordon's sleepiness ... welcome to life with a newborn, Jeff.

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J CunninghamVarsity Captain

684 days ago

Score 0

Oh, and if the race had been moved to Thanksgiving weekend, the following would have happened: -The September Richmond race would've no longer been the race before the Chase cutoff -- that would've gone to the New Hampshire race, which under the current schedule is Race #1 of the 10-race Chase. So everything would've essentially been pushed back a week.

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ChristofMVP

684 days ago

Score 0

Is Michigan-Ohio State played that weekend. It would be stupid to move the race then. And what about the potential for snow?

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Alex HolowczakHall of Famer

684 days ago

Score -1

I don't see why it is dangerous to race in rain on ovals. They race in F1 in the rain (unless about half the field crashes). Crookedcap said how the tyres couldn't cope with it, which is fair enough. But what's wrong, with simply driving slower? So slow that the tyres won't explode? That's the whole point of driving in the rain, you can't carry on as though it's not there. It's the same at the Indy500, they should carry on in the rain, and just drive slower!

They stopped one race in F1 in the rain this year, but that was only for two reasons:

• Seven cars crashed at the same corner, and it was difficult to remove them all.
• The cars couldn't keep up with the safety car! They're designed to work at high temperatures. So when it rained, the temps went right down, so the drivers tyres had less grip, and the surface was less grippy. The safety car was thirty seconds ahead of the pack! So they had no choice but to stop it.

Oval racing should go on in the rain.

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J CunninghamVarsity Captain

683 days ago

Score 0

NASCAR doesn't run in the rain because it doesn't use rain tires -- for some reason I can't recall at this point, it's impossible to run rain tires (i.e., tires with tread) on oval tracks and that only require cars to turn one way. And the tires NASCAR uses are slick enough on dry surfaces ... to run them on a rain-soaked track would be disaster. And since NASCAR only runs two road course races a year, investing in rain tires doesn't make much sense. NASCAR awards the same amount of points for a rain-shortened race that it does for a race that goes the full distance. And though logistically cancelling the race entirely might've made sense, given the dollars and sponsorship obligations so prevalent in NASCAR, doing so would've cost a lot of really rich people a lot of money -- and we all know we can't have that.

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Alex HolowczakHall of Famer

684 days ago

Score -1

As for the 10am start, my attitude is "Shut up and get on with it." Just go to bed a bit earlier, life goes on. As for the postponement of the race, usually in F1 it would just get cancelled, and if <75% of the race was run it would count as half points. I don't know if NASCAR uses a points system or a money list though. The race ought to be forgotten about until next year, in my book.

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