All I ever hear is how important NASCAR is ? What did it achieve other than the development of the left turn signal ?

I don't really care for the sport, but my father is into it. It is amazing how much the sport has grown in the last 10 years.

All I ever hear is how important NASCAR is ? What did it achieve other than the development of the left turn signal ?

About 7 years ago when it signed a mega deal with Fox and NBC.

When George Pyne started running NASCARs' marketing dept. in the 90's.

It is the most watched sport in the u.s. I don't know why, but once you leave the New york area, it seems like everyone is into it.

The newer cookie cutter 1.5 mile tri-ovals are turning it into a snoozefest. Put the Montgomery Ward catalog clothes model in the $$$fastest car$$$ and tell me he's an incredible driver, yeah sure. No wonder the ratings are falling off.

I've still got my renewable tickets to Darlington for the spring race, but much of the time I end up thinking about past races when NASCAR was NASCAR when I'm there anymore. Yeah, I'm bitter.

you fucking yankees only wish you had a real sport to follow.

They should dig a moat around the track, fill it with water and fish.
And the drivers could troll out the window as they drive around.

The Hillbilly Biathalon would kick ass

I used to say I watch every sport except NASCAR...then met a girl who loves Dale Earnhardt Jr and watches it every week, I've been a big fan since giving it a shot.

I'm watching the last ten laps of this thing. Three observations/questions.

1. I thought Mark Martin retired?

2. What makes this a "Shootout?"

3. I never noticed the fake headlights on the cars. Seems sort of stupid to me.

I'm watching the last ten laps of this thing. Three observations/questions.

1. I thought Mark Martin retired?

2. What makes this a "Shootout?"

3. I never noticed the fake headlights on the cars. Seems sort of stupid to me.

1. He no longer runs full time, he'll do spot appearances and run trucks.

2. It's shorter than a regular points race, and this is for money and not points anyway.

3. Close your eyes and pretend they're real.

All I ever hear is how important NASCAR is ? What did it achieve other than the development of the left turn signal ?

The same as baseball & football with the development of fake grass.

NASCAR is fucking AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Go Harvick!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!

The newer cookie cutter 1.5 mile tri-ovals are turning it into a snoozefest. Put the Montgomery Ward catalog clothes model in the $$$fastest car$$$ and tell me he's an incredible driver, yeah sure. No wonder the ratings are falling off.

I've still got my renewable tickets to Darlington for the spring race, but much of the time I end up thinking about past races when NASCAR was NASCAR when I'm there anymore. Yeah, I'm bitter.

Those tracks really suck, bring back the Southern 500 and Rockingham!!!

Those tracks really suck, bring back the Southern 500 and Rockingham!!!

I do miss Rockingham

I don't get Nascar all they do is drive around in circles. Its too boring for me and I don't consider it a sport.

LOL

I don't get Nascar all they do is drive around in circles. Its too boring for me and I don't consider it a sport.

That's what people say who don't no what it takes to make those circles.

Try putting yourself in a car for 4 hours drving at 180-200 mph, with 42 other cars feet and sometimes inches away from you. Also, not to mention that it can get to 115-120 degrees inside the car, and drivers can lose up to 10 pounds during a race.

When you can crank that steering wheel for hours on end in the above situations, and then get out and say it's not a sport, I will then believe you!

FROM www.captainthunderracing.com


"Smoke" & Captain Thunder Do It Again!


Tony Stewart won his 10th career race at the Daytona International Speedway and it was Captain Thunder who predicted it would happen two days earlier. Thursday night on the Scott Ferrall Show on Sirius Satellite Captain Thunder predicted that Tony Stewart would win the Bud Shootout and his sleeper pick would be David Gilliland. Thunder, long known for his Nextel Cup predictions, came through again to kick off the 2007 NASCAR season with a 1-2 finish.

"Smoke" Stewart won the race and the rookie Gilliland finished second. Maybe Thunder should have stayed in Las Vegas an extra week!

For Stewart the victory seemed bitter sweet. As happy as he was to be in victory lane at Daytona again, he is now reminded every time he visits the champagne bath that he is still without a Daytona 500 win. Stewart is 0-8 in the 500 and has only come close once when he finished second in 2004 behind race winner Dale Earnhardt Jr.

But, the Daytona 500 is still a week away and tonight was all about the Shootout and the #20 Home Depot Chevy. "Smoke" ran behind the #5 car of Kyle Busch for a short time but there was really no doubt who had the fastest car under the Daytona lights. Stewart got close to Busch in turn one and Busch's Chevy got loose forcing the young Las Vegas native up the banking of turn two. Busch made a tremendous save as his race car got sideways and nearly spun out of control. Stewart went right on by while Busch lost a handful of spots and fell as far back as 10th before finishing 7th.

"I finally got a chance to really push him hard into (turn) 1 once, and it got him loose and he went up the track a little bit," Stewart said. "Then when he tucked it down, I caught right there and didn't touch him, but caught him enough."


Busch said Stewart got in to his rear bumper ever so slightly.

"He wasn't on me hard, it was just that little bit enough to where I just kept getting loose, kept getting loose and kept chasing it," he said. "And by the time you get so far you're pretty much gone and I was able to keep it. So thankfully for that", Busch said.

It was not a good night for either of NASCAR's most popular drivers. Jeff Gordon's #24 DuPont Chevrolet was out of the race early with electrical problems, the Hendrick Motorsports driver finished dead last.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., NASCAR's most popular driver for the fourth year in a row, ran well most of the night and worked his way up to 2nd in the first segment of the event. But, a botched pit stop by Jr. dropped the #8 Budweiser Chevrolet from 5th to 11th. The mishap was all Jr.'s fault as he over ran his pit stall and cost himself and his team valuable track position. He finished 14th.

The checkered flag signaled more mishaps for Dale Jr. as he got in to the rear end of Elliott Sadler and started a multi car wreck that included Jr., the #19 of Sadler, the #9 of Kasey Kahne, and the #11 of last years Shootout winner Denny Hamlin. Jr. stood up like a man though after the race ended and took full responsibility as he often does when it's his fault.

"I got in back of Elliott trying to bump-draft, trying to help a friend of mine, and I got a little overzealous and overdid it," Earnhardt said.

Another Bud Shootout is in the books and the Daytona 500 is only one week away. Don't miss qualifying for the big race on Sunday afternoon at 2:00 PM e.s.t. on Fox Sports - CTR


WOULD YOU LIKE TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE? E MAIL Captain Thunder at captainthunder@captainthunderracing.com


www.captainthunderracing.com

When I got really turned off by pro baseball and basketball I turned to watching this. I won a free Rookie Experience at the Petty Driving School and it lasted half a day at Vegas Motor Speedway. That was one of the most intense experiences I've ever had. Anyone who says these aren't athletes should try that(you're only doing about 80% the speeds of the REAL drivers and you grip the wheel for life). Now during summer it's all I'll watch on Sundays, except for the majors in golf.

Ever since the sanctioning body sanitized Nascar for the mainstream, it just hasn't been the same. They put cameras in drivers faces right when they get out of the car and then if they show emotion they get fined. The racing has been really boring the past couple years and there really aren't any rivalries being allowed to develop.

I wish they'd get rid of all the smiles and thank yous and ass licking patriotism and just get to racing.

I agree with ya Dave about the emotion part. Smoke must really get tired of having to bite his tounge. Racing is an emotional sport. Lets face it some one hits ya doing 185 and you're gonna be emotional.

Two words....Jeff Gordon, he brings in the corporate $$, the female fans and when he talks, you never hear "Y'all" in any of his sentences.

And the fact that cookie-cutter tracks at Fontana, KC and Chicagoland replacing short tracks at North Wilkesboro and iconic tracks like Rockingham can be factor as well.

Two words....Jeff Gordon, he brings in the corporate $$, the female fans and when he talks, you never hear "Y'all" in any of his sentences.

And the fact that cookie-cutter tracks at Fontana, KC and Chicagoland replacing short tracks at North Wilkesboro and iconic tracks like Rockingham can be factor as well.

I agree with you regarding the tracks they are at now. The move to KC, Chicago, and giving two dates to Texas and California is certainly about the money.

I hope the next new track is not a 1.5 mile replica of KC, Chicago, Lowes, or Atlanta.

Two words....Jeff Gordon, he brings in the corporate $$, the female fans and when he talks, you never hear "Y'all" in any of his sentences.


I would say that used to be true about Gordon. (I'm actually a fan!) But even though his "corporate" image is slick, it's not as slick as some of these others, like say a Jimmie Johnson.

Dale Jr is what's pulling the boat now. It's amazing, really.

I just wish guys like Kyle/Kurt Busch, Stewart, Harvick were allowed to just be themselves.