From the Marbles - NASCAR

From the Marbles

Wed Oct 28, 2009 9:24 am EDT

Wreck of the week: Special 'Is NASCAR too safe?' edition

By Jay Busbee

With Talladega and its impending Big One on the horizon, we bring you a special "Wreck of the Week" this week -- a spotlight on whether NASCAR has gotten too safe with all the protections now in place. Former driver Ricky Craven and Y! NASCAR editor Jay Hart discuss the ins and outs of wreckin', with bonus video:

I feel certain that we'll have some new material to put in this space this time next week. Not that I'm hoping for that or anything, but, you know ...

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31 Comments

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  1. Rudy88
    1. Posted by Rudy88 Wed Oct 28, 2009 11:32 am EDT

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    Of course it's part of the excitement! There is an anticipation on every lap and you must admit the there was spectacular excitement when Edwards crashed there, earlier in the season. How many people watched that crash, over and over again. (that's a rhetorical question)
  2. shark 1
    2. Posted by shark 1 Wed Oct 28, 2009 11:42 am EDT

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    If you could add jet fuel to Jeff Gorden's tank and it added 50 horsepower his crew chief would find a way to slow it down!
  3. NostraChronus
    3. Posted by NostraChronus Wed Oct 28, 2009 11:56 am EDT

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    Rudy88, agreed, and especially because the wreck was the result of a mad dash to the finish line.
  4. brinirmess
    4. Posted by brinirmess Wed Oct 28, 2009 12:27 pm EDT

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    Rudy and Nostra..we all agree, scary sheit
  5. Dani
    5. Posted by Dani Wed Oct 28, 2009 9:56 pm EDT

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    'Dega scares me to death and yet I have to watch... you know the big one is coming... just don't know which lap, ugh. It's endurance, trying to survive, not racing.
  6. Albert
    6. Posted by Albert Thu Oct 29, 2009 6:22 am EDT

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    The combination of the COT and restrictor plates has caused the cars to all be grouped together increasing the risks of the big one. The length and width of the track has added to it as everyone can run flat out. I don't have the stats, but I suspect a a lot of the wrecks involve younger or inexperienced drivers who aren't used to the speed or running that close together. We don't see many "big ones" in the Nationwide series, but there are always new drivers no one has heard of in the Sprint Series. Talladega still provides the best racing in Nascar but maybe some thought needs to be given to who can run in it.
  7. Rudy88
    7. Posted by Rudy88 Thu Oct 29, 2009 7:39 am EDT

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    Dani - It's racing! Racing to the finish line before they crash!
  8. david a
    8. Posted by david a Thu Oct 29, 2009 11:17 am EDT

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    "scares you to death", wow do you ever leave your house,dega is probably the only race i watch most of,not because of the "big one" necessarliy,but just to watch 43 drivers race that close,that fast, that long,you gotta admit its facinating. by the way they dont just let anyone race there,you need credentials to prove you can do it, then you have to qualify,then comes the practice which is almost as good as the race, just not that many cars in a bunch. with that many cars going that fast you dont need much of a screw up by someone,just a wiggle here or there and kaboom looks like we have a "big one" , ooohhhh no is that jimmie in the middle of it.
  9. Dani
    9. Posted by Dani Thu Oct 29, 2009 2:37 pm EDT

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    Rudy - Only on the last lap are they racing to the checkered flag. Before that they're holding their breathe trying not to wreck.
    david a - You just explained why 'Dega scares me. Any driver that qualifies is allowed to race. That doesn't mean they're good drivers!
  10. bill
    10. Posted by bill Thu Oct 29, 2009 4:26 pm EDT

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    I have to admit that talladega is fascinating to watch but i do think that nascar is taking the fun out of racing.....(racing) the restrictor plates cause the cars to bunch up together and then uh-oh the big one. that takes out 12-14 cars or more.......let em race i say.....i dont hear too much about the nhra using retrictor plates at 340 mph in a quarter mile.....these drivers chose to get into the car and drive ..they were not forced to do this but this is what we pay money for..hard earned money ......let us enjoy the race nascar please.......lets go back to the old days...all or nothing
  11. Stephen L
    11. Posted by Stephen L Fri Oct 30, 2009 1:35 am EDT

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    i think just let them race ,each driver knows what the danger is befofe getting into the car before long they will be putting restricter plate on the shuttle let them race i say
  12. jnk01
    12. Posted by jnk01 Fri Oct 30, 2009 1:36 am EDT

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    nascar started wearing panties when they initiated that supid lucky dog pass.....
  13. jnk01
    13. Posted by jnk01 Fri Oct 30, 2009 1:40 am EDT

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    nascar started wearing panties when they initiated that supid lucky dog pass.....
  14. Sticks
    14. Posted by Sticks Fri Oct 30, 2009 3:52 am EDT

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    Yes it is too safe. They might as well play vidio games at home. What hapened to the real men of real STOCKcar days? The only thing exciting left is KYLE BUSCH !!
  15. Lenard E
    15. Posted by Lenard E Fri Oct 30, 2009 9:24 am EDT

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    a sport can nver be too safe...its perposterous to want to see crashes, thats what demolition derby is for. i love racing, not wrecking. cowards like the late dale sr. made people think sending someone into the wall was ok when in fact it is a lack of skill and speed. lets race to the checkers and not to the grave.
  16. ryan
    16. Posted by ryan Fri Oct 30, 2009 9:31 am EDT

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    yeah its became too safe when the car of tomorrow came out thats when i quit watching nascar cause there was no true crashi9ng
  17. 원석
    17. Posted by 원석 Fri Oct 30, 2009 9:57 am EDT

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    this is insane baby!!!!!!!
  18. 원석
    18. Posted by 원석 Fri Oct 30, 2009 9:57 am EDT

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    this is insane baby!!!!!!!
  19. 원석
    19. Posted by 원석 Fri Oct 30, 2009 9:59 am EDT

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    If it get's too safe then I'm sure I'm gonna ride nascar
  20. RICK
    20. Posted by RICK Fri Oct 30, 2009 10:28 am EDT

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    post #2 lmao
  21. wesleyp
    21. Posted by wesleyp Fri Oct 30, 2009 11:57 am EDT

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    theres nothing too safe and it is great that they have made the cars safer, BUT. when nascar forces EVERONE to have cookie cutter cars ( slot cars) this is where I get pissed off, ( sorry) when one pound of air in a shock will get you threw out or put to the end of the pack, give me a break, where is the spirit of letting the person who makes their car go fast WIN. If nascar wants to run things like this then (as they almost allready do) make a set of 42 slot cars and on the day of the race let everone do a drawing for which car they get and them all will be fair. all will be fair & equal
    It should be like it was and build the best car put as much power in it as you can and go raceing, OH YA like they do in drag raceing..
    Cant wait to see the day they limit drag racing like they do nascar, Talk about killing something fast.
  22. scottjones1983
    22. Posted by scottjones1983 Fri Oct 30, 2009 12:23 pm EDT

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    "Is nascar to safe?" I can't belive how dumb this headline is. What are they trying to say? "Are not enough drivers getting hurt these days?" What do they want? Another head injury that ends a drivers career? Or another death?
  23. KandiDaisy69832
    23. Posted by KandiDaisy69832 Fri Oct 30, 2009 12:28 pm EDT

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    To the person who said he hopes something fatal comes to kyle bucsh,it was not very nice to say that.I dont like him either but i would never wish him to crash and die.My how we forget that we lost our beloved Dale Earndhart just not to long ago,and how it affected all of us.I think you need to apolize to all Kyle Busch Fans and geta life ok.And yes i feel NASCAR is very safe now,keep up the good work Nascar.
  24. KandiDaisy69832
    24. Posted by KandiDaisy69832 Fri Oct 30, 2009 12:28 pm EDT

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    To the person who said he hopes something fatal comes to kyle bucsh,it was not very nice to say that.I dont like him either but i would never wish him to crash and die.My how we forget that we lost our beloved Dale Earndhart just not to long ago,and how it affected all of us.I think you need to apolize to all Kyle Busch Fans and geta life ok.And yes i feel NASCAR is very safe now,keep up the good work Nascar.

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