NASCAR Drivers Criticize Atlanta Reconfiguration
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- Опубликовано: 21 сен 2024
- Atlanta Motor Speedway announced a track repave and reconfiguration last week leading into its doubleheader weekend. The news was met with sharp criticism from drivers who said they were never asked for input. This proved to be a tipping point of frustration among the field as numerous drivers were outspoken about the track changes over the weekend. Hear what drivers including Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick had to say. Plus, the gang analyzes Speedway Motorsports Inc.’s decision-making and what the future Atlanta will look like.
Listen to the full episode on DirtyMoMedia.com or any major podcasting platform.
Things I miss in nascar, qualifying records being broken, cars on edge with power, Short tracks and using brakes on mile and a half tracks
Something nobody really discusses, but back in the day, the qualifying format guaranteed small teams at least 1 minute of guaranteed exposure. And during the top 35 era, the cars on the bubble got even more
Yes. Put the power back in the damn cars
@@alandavis1245 exactly. When we say we want them to look stock we didn't mean the engine. Shoot, let's put leather seats in them with navigation
@@joerob3081 lol and rearview cameras instead of mirrors
220 into corners at Michigan and 150 in the middle of the corner.
“Dale Jr is not a driver, he is a former driver!” 👀👀😂
He ain't wrong
@@tommoustakas His tone was a bit dismissive.
The repave needed to happen, but the reprofiling makes no sense.
I'm against both.
@@DC322 I wish It didnt need a repave but the track was literally falling apart.
There were weepers, it was due sadly. Unfortunately we are in the package era.
Michigan was repaved in 2012. Been almost 10 years of "weathering".
It’s like the cars and tires also play into the racing product on track, we love to always blame the track
@@kloosternator The groove still hasn’t moved up yet. It’s been the same 1 groove in the corners for the past 8 years.
10 years ain't long at all tho
@@allabouthewaves4354 With the lack of horsepower and bulletproof tires it amplifies the poor track design, your right about Michigan and what gets me with the Atlanta situation is a reply of Bristol, track surface gets old and a simple rip up and repave will do but nope we gotta go big and fix what isn’t broke.
@@diychad7268 But it is.
Nascar: let's reconfigure the track and if it doesn't work out like we talked about in private at the bar last night, we'll just throw some PJ1 at it. Done.
Yeah no one is that casual with millions of dollars on the line. People are blowing this way out of proportion.
Bristol reconfiguration was the worst thing in my life of Nascar. Start 1962. I can see Atlanta as another big mistake.
☝️ THIS.
New Richmond was welcome.
NASCAR and the fans need to remember what made racing great Texas and Michigan before they were repaved.
1. The type of pavement used. Michigan's surface is still very smooth
2. The 550 bhp and high drag. If you're able to run flat out in the corner, there's zero need to run the top and the bottom will always prevail, since its the shortest distance around the track. If drivers have to lift and search for grip, they're more likely to spread out in the corner. TJ was close to mentioning this.
3. The tire. Goodyear's tire over the past couple years hasn't really rubbered in the race track like it used to. The lack of rubbering in changes how the track drives throughout the weekend/race and likely has a lot to do with the racing we see today.
PJ One was one of NASCAR's greatest mistakes. They never fretted over this when Texas was brand new.
If we look at what made some of the best racing on the 1.5 mile tracks it was: high horsepower and reduced downforce.
No NASCAR never remembers what got them to where they used to be, just the latest gimmick, Quit watching years ago.
@@Ever443 I've turned into more of a F1 fan. Sure the cars may be hard to pass, but there's gimmicky racing (except for maybe DRS) with stages and traction compound on the tracks they race at.
@@mattbaker87 Agreed, my self as well. Not sure which tracks you are referring to with traction compound in F. Have yet to see or hear that
NASCAR turned onto the road to demise when they changed the point system. And every year they have gotten more ridiculous by going after the casual fan
i agree. its like nascar is purposefully committing suicide
Hit the Nail on the head there they should really start catering to their core fan base
Honestly, It is as if every other form of motorsport is NOT using tournament bracket style championship for a REASON.
it's not about "casual" vs. "hardcore" fans. It is about money. In order to make money, you need eyeballs on the sport. Sponsors and businesses do not care what type of fans are watching or heading to the track, they simply want the masses.
Hardcore fan here who's watched the sport since the early 90s Nascar has abandoned its roots and I barely ever watch now it's pretty bad when u lose a once diehard fan like me
I'm spot on for any change in the sport as long as it's not blatantly stupid, which this isn't. People have been complaining about "cookie cutter tracks" for the last 15-20 years. Charlotte, Atlanta, and Texas are all 1.5 mile D shaped ovals. Atlanta and Charlotte even have the exact same degrees of banking on the turns and straights. If they just repaved Atlanta, what's really separating it from Charlotte? They're obviously pushing for a more diverse track circuit, which people have been wanting for ages, and now all of the sudden they don't want it. Texas adds a lane, Atlanta takes away a lane, Charlotte stays the classic 1.5 mile quad-oval. NASCAR fans just hate any change.
This is actually the first good point I’ve come across. I’m gonna keep this one in mind next time I get a little testy about Atlanta’s change.
Every major decision made by Nascar in the last 20 years has been the wrong decision.
I don't see that changing.
That's because the government is involved
I will stand by my belief that the GWC was the worst one
@@genekleppingerii3804 Absolutely! We live in a libtard banana Republic now!
as soon theyre gone goin more downslide of popularity and might be srx shows up their best racing ever..i predicted that for next 10yrs or more
Do you know what the worst decision they have made in those 20 years? I think it's taking the Busch Series away from IRP and to the big track at IMS, chasing money.
Rusty Wallace was consulted for the design of Iowa Speedway and it’s a great track overall. And he wasn’t the only person with racing experience in the group that was used in it’s design and construction. Computer mock-ups are a good tool for designers but it can never be a replacement for prudently considered experience. This is probably a big mistake.
Well said
@Daniel G Couldn't agree more, Iowa deserves a Cup date.
There's a video of Rusty saying he wanted something "nice and small" and something to avoid the aero push. He won at Richmond a lot and decided on things from there.
@Daniel G Maybe the track will se a Cup date.
I think the days of "the market is too small" are BS.
When a large market track like TMS( DFW) market can't fill half the available seats fir a Cup race, then what difference does the size of the TV market make?
I would Love SMI to Repave and Reconfigure Atlanta to its Old Oval Shape, but keep its Current Banking. As for Texas Motor Speedway, I would Reconfigure it into either a 0.6 Mile, 25 Degree, D Shaped Short Track or a 2.6 or 2.7 Mile Plate Track. And as for Bristol, I would get rid of the Progressive Banking, and Make the Track 33 Degrees and A Multi Groove Track and instead of PJ1, I would use the Resin from Nashville Superspeedway
I would love the idea of a half-mile TMS redo. It would bring more racing other than the big leagues. I hate the current configuration. Turn Two is just a unnecessary death trap
Aldous Coroza - Totally agree. "old" Atlanta was great. New Atlanta is just another D shaped 1.5 mile like Charlotte, Texas, Etc. Yawn.
@@zachariasvega5698 1 and 2 at TMS Are Total BS
@@christopherweise438 Yes
CNC machinist here , these engineers can make anything work on paper .
Actually making it , most have no clue .
Put Atlanta back to the way it was in the Spring of 1997, put Bristol back to the 36 degrees it used to be, loved both of those configurations.
NASCAR just wants every race to look like Daytona and Talladega. Those races are special because we don't see that racing every week.
No they want passing
If u go by the drivers then Talladega would not ever have been built. True
Talladega should never have been built the way it was. It was just Bill France Sr's ego who made 30 degrees of banking. Should have been no bigger than 2 miles.
@@AlonsoRules Your reasoning? PLease expand on those comments. Give reasons why you believe this.
Remember, keep in mind that both Talladega and Daytona both draw the largest crowds , based on percentage of seats occupied, than all the other tracks.
Your turn
I am from Atlanta and have been to several races. The "racing" aspect is awful. They get so spread apart so fast it is mostly single file "racing". Look at the quantity of fans in the stands. It has dropped significantly over the last 10 years because it is boring. NASCAR needs to figure out ways to get fans back in the stands. I remember when they first reconfigured the track; it was one of the fastest. Cars were doing 190mph. Now we are down 15-20 mph in speed. In most cases, within the first 5 laps after the restart, the second place driver is 2+ seconds out of the lead. NASCAR needs to have fans in the stands or they could be in trouble.
The reason the people with the Money didn't ask the Drivers what they thought = the Money people DIDN'T CARE and / or they DIDN'T want to look stupid
Part of the issue with the aging of the tracks is the quality of the asphalt being too good, as far as texture and size of aggregate.
We need another Bristol like track on the circuit out west.
But stay as dirt.. not asphalt
@@FlyEaglesFly19111 The “Cup series” stopped racing on dirt in 1970 for a reason and I se no reason for them to ever return to racing on dirt and as cliché as this might sound I love dirt track racing and go to at least one local (with in a 125 miles of me) dirt track race a month. That said what they need to do with Bristol is change it back to its previous configuration because as far as much as it pains me to say they might as well take that track off the schedule because since the repave/reconfiguration racing at Bristol has stunk.
That's essentially what the California rework is (though a bit longer straights, but definitely still a bull ring)
@@gullreefclub bro Bristol has been the best track in since 2014 idk what you are on
There’s one in Knoxville that’s dirt
15 minutes is great. When will the whole episode be on the RUclips?
Nascar has made it clear that the future in NASCAR is more about the gimmick of manufactured side by side racing with lots of highlight real crashes and not about driver skill. Why don't they just change the name of the sport to monster jam or WWE.
I'm feeling a "split" coming up in the next decade. The signs are all here the last few years.
@@Yoshik379 they're selling out all their old school real race fans who accept that Fields get spread out and not every race can be won by inches to win over a bunch of casual fans who know nothing about the sport don't care to pay attention and just want to see the ooze and the Ahhhhs and then move on in a few years. We've been here before NASCAR quit selling out all your hardcore fans who will love you forever for a bunch of casuals who can give a rats ass. This happened in the '90s when they shut down North wilkesboro and everything else so we could go to California. No California libtard gives a rat's ass about NASCAR. NASCAR doesn't have to be the biggest sport on the planet for me to like it I just wish that the CEOs at NASCAR could understand that. NASCAR was at its best in the mid 80s when it wasn't the most popular sport in the world because it wasn't trying to be everything to everybody. Sell to your hardcore audience and be okay with being the fifth biggest sport in the country.
WWE Racing 😂😂😂 I’m just waiting for everyone to start going over to SRX with Tony Stewart and all those guys
@@jonkeau5155 I quit watching NASCAR years ago.. been ⌚ in a few SRX races.. it's a kick to watch it
yep, Stroker Ace in real life
Let’s not forget the drivers were begging for the Bristol reconfiguration because they didn’t like the beating and banging. Take what drivers say with a grain of salt
I think NASCAR incorporated a lot more thought and data, with consideration to their own long term goals, regarding the reconfiguration of Atlanta than most naysayers have employed. For example, I think people are commenting on the configuration with the current situation in mind. They're not looking at the new configuration and how it will compliment the things NASCAR plans on doing in the future, but they're looking at the new configuration and evaluating how it will mesh with the sport currently. That makes a big difference. The sport is constantly evolving, and the folks who can predict that the best, are those who are implementing the framework in which the sport operates within.
When it was announced that Atlanta was going to be reconfigured in the early 90's, Dale Earnhardt was telling them they had better not mess it up. They did mess it up. It needs to be back to the configuration it was then. They did it to add seating
I mean, Atlanta pre config had one race that was memorable, but it wasn't because of the race itself. It takes both hand and feet to count all the good races at the post config.
Did they consult the drivers when they reconfigured it from the oval in 97 ??????? I doubt it.
Atlanta was great before the reconfiguration in 1997. That was an exciting place to watch a race then. 1/2 mile of straightaways and 1 mile of turns. A premium put on handling. It didn't get any better than that.
I agree 100 %. Now it's like Charlotte, Texas, Las Vegas. Used to go there twice a year.
I just don't see the up side of decreasing the width.
For the life of me, I don't get it. I've been going to and watching races since the early 70's met Tiny Lund, yeah I'm old. Just don't FREAKIN get why you'd ruin how competitive it is.
Thank you for keepin this issue in the spotlight. Stay after um Denny, love what he's saying...
There is enough evidence to show the direct correlation between off throttle time and better racing. No idea who is in NASCAR's ear telling them otherwise
Another scenario where SMI putting another FIX on something that ain't broke...just from a fan standpoint, being an old school guy...I loved the old Atlanta configuration..before Brutton bought it..and made look like Charlotte..but what really ticked me off was they tore down the 3rd turn grandstands(old turn one stands)..that was the best seat in the house to really get the sense of speed as they sling it into the turn at close to 200mph(not any more..hp cuts)..I've been to every track in Southeast beginning in 1976...and seen well run tracks and sorry ones..to his credit Bruton played huge part in making the sport so huge..but has done quite a bit to mess it up over the years ...starting with Wilkesboro/Texas/Loudon...then had a hand in rockingham demise...built up the amazing Coliseum in Bristol and then fu**d up the track...go ahead Smith..screw up atlanta now..go 'head go 'head..🙄🙄oh brother
iRacing should be used to give track owners an idea of the kind of racing a track should produce. Remember Texas was a disaster when it opened and needed an expensive reconfiguration. Homestead's original layout was just bad for racing and it needed a reconfiguration into the track we see now.
My problem is that SMI saw that this reconfiguration at Atlanta created plate-style pack racing on iRacing and thought that's the direction they needed to go.
Homestead was much better to watch as the flat oval in my opinion
I want to see tight Packracing on a 1.5 mile racetrack. Because we never saw this before.
You're lucky they are not selling Atlanta to some developer like all the other tracks are doing!
It’s in the bottom of Clayton County and the top of Henry County. It’s a dump area now. No developer will go in there now, they’ll never get their ROI!
They said the the grandstands at Atlanta are huge, but back before the tornado hit the track whatever year it was and they tore the backstretch stands out, man, I went to a few races there and that place was packed all around the track back in 2003 and 2004. Good times.
Nascar has this crazy ability to constantly do things the drivers don’t like. Changing Kentucky, Texas, BRISTOL and now Atlanta.. none of it was good and I have no reason to think Atlanta will be any better..
Not to mention they refuse to make a better package for the 1.5 mile tracks… And the playoffs which almost invalidate the regular season.
Sounds like more of an SMI problem as far as the tracks go.
Tickets not being sold says: Let's do something different. Drivers need Nascar lots more than Nascar needs Denny Hamlin. Kyle Larson is a good example.
Question: wouldn’t adding banking makes the cars go even faster than the 200mph it hits? And wouldn’t narrower lanes cause more accidents?
Devil's Advocate view: These tracks are trying every trick in the book to get butts back in the seats because the product that NASCAR is selling -- that includes the drivers -- just isn't attractive to 150,000 people any more. So on the one hand you've got the people in the sport cycling through various gimmicks trying to hit the lottery, and on the other hand you have the people in the sport who have their heads stuck in the sand thinking everything is fine.
Stuck in the sand. Yep, it pains me to hear announcers on TV attempt to convince the people who just saw the race which the winner had a 6 second advantage at the checkers was "exciting"....Stop it.
Roy Cooper has proposed giving 10 million dollars of NC’s federal stimulus to the ROCK, north Wilksboro, and CLT. Dale, what are your thoughts on this?
What can we as race fans do to try and make this proposal move forward
They don't seem to understand that most of the tracks drivers love are the most boring to the fans. Of course they wanna ride around the cookie cutter 1.5 mile tracks with huge wide turns.
I will say this....SMI and NASCAR make the mistake of not at least having a sit down with drivers. If you're not talking to the people who's careers depend upon the playing field, then that is elitist.
Now, on the other side of the coin, does a stadium owner consult with players when the new design is released? Nope.
Do PGA Tour members get to have input on how a golf course is designed? Probably not.
Look, I think there should be a balance. The drivers AND the participants should have the ability to make their cases and input ideas.
What's going on is counter productive.
Definitely have to blame the car and engine too
When you have lower horsepower you have less off the throttle time. Meaning less advantages to using any other lane other than the bottom.
The "package" is junk. It was a bad idea from the moment it hit the first conference table.
I'm afraid the new gen car isn't going to be quite up to the hype.
BTW, the drivers who've talked about their experiences with thenew car have been couching their words and answering carefully.
Tells me there are problems.
@@patersonplankrd totally agree. NASCAR since Bowyer trashed their qualifying format a few years back has essentially censored any “wrong speak”.
I wish that Kyle Busch would truly say exactly what he wanted.
They just need to leave the configurations of these tracks alone! That's what makes Atlanta Atlanta and Bristol Bristol! I know you have to repave, but you don't have to reconfigure!
I think the iRacing criticism comes from it being used to confirm the raceability of the track. SM says build this track in iRacing and they use the simulator experience to confirm their decisions when iRacing simulations and reality do not always match up. iRacing is good when they can scan the surface and have something specific to replicate based upon driver input not the other way around.
Same reason I didn't pick up the gen 7 on iracing; what the hell are they comparing it to if it hasn't been tested in real life?
Making a mile and a half Richmond would be ideal.
What the hell are you smoking?
@@TwoAcresandaMule Too many 1-1/2 mile high banked tracks
Noooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!
Too many 1.5 mile tracks. Why the hell make more regardless of banking
Bristol, Texas, Kentucky, so many reconfiguring that are bad. Just re-pave.
I hate how atlanta is going to be reconfigured and the only thing that should be changing is the asphalt.
"If it's not broke, lets fix it"
They had to repair the track in the middle of the race
To me, if NASCAR is to survive, then it needs to go back to way things were done back in the 80's. Use templates on the racecar that fits the actual car you buy off the showroom floor. Get rid of restrictor plates! If you want to slow the cars down, use smaller engines! Get rid of the Chase. Get rid of Stage Racing. Keep innovating car and driver safety. Bottom line, I the Cup series needs to return to the days of "Winston Cup". It worked and worked well!!! The format used now, heck, ain't working! Just my opinion.
Look no further than Bristol for how well track reconfiguations typically go.
I live in Atl and live Nascar. Been to the track 2 times. It is a real pain to drive there. You have to creep along Hwy 41 thru many traffic lights and backed up traffic! Never again. Will watch on TV.
Professional drivers should welcome a change and should be able to,adapt. You’re either a talented driver or you’re not!
It's one of their favorite tracks. When you love something and lose it do you welcome that?
This is stupid . There is no room to race in the corner.
I wonder if this has something to do with getting rid of cookie cutter race tracks without changing the tracks on the schedule.
Every race should be like Tony Stewart said about one of the talladega races. Need to race until at least half the field is crashed out do inverts to shuffle it then have half the cars drive backwards. Nascar fans don't know what they want and neither do the drivers.
Bring.
Back.
Rockingham.
Please.
I think if you add banking that just naturally makes the track more narrow. To keep the same width you either have to raise the wall on the outside or dig out the bottom and make the apron lower. Maybe they just wanted to make it where you can stay in the throttle more but now have to rip the track up any more than I have to. I'm no expert that's just my guess on why they are making it more narrow
You could have Missouri DOT come repave it. It would age 10 years overnight
I think dirt in the dog leg would be rad. Concrete in turn 1. Mud turn 2 . Loop on back straight. Drift pad through 3 and 4. Condos for the stands and a giant empty mall on the infield.
Burton Smith is tying build a high-speed Darlington - just race the track buttercups...
Only reason anybody hates the reconfiguration of Bristol is because Kyle Busch dominates there. That’s a fact. Personally I love the side-by-side racing there and the drivers having options for lanes. Only thing I hate is them putting a bunch of dirt on the track and making it a gimmick.
They won't be happy until every car with every sponsor is just out there riding around and around and around the entire race.
Do these guys actually drive a race car on a weekly basis? Ever?
WTF??
I agree, the drivers have feelings too. If I was an owner of a NASCAR series I would listen to the drivers and pay attention to the feelings of the drivers first. What I really am criticizing is the idea of the schedule being overwhelmed with road courses! This is not Formula 1!! NASCAR is more of an oval sport! Keep COTA and Road America yes. Keep those two tracks on the schedule. But don't let the schedule be too overwhelmed by road courses.
With the " out of the can " cars coming no one knows how the race cars will react. I'll wait till the 1st race to have an opinion.
If it’s not broke, NASCAR will fix it until it is.
Everyone needs to grow up. I don’t think nascar ever went to the drivers about reconfiguring tracks in the past. They need to be just concerned since the decent repave was Charlotte 2006
Shut up.
Anyone have any tissues,cookies and milk for the kids on this show shedding tears over Atlanta 😢
Well when I heard of it my 1st thought was " well maybe they are going to make Atlanta tailored for the next gen car." Then I was like.. no that would make to much sense and they haven't had a lot of that. Bristol was what did me in as far as NASCAR goes. I used to get so excited when it was time to go to Bristol before the re-pave. That and different rule changes is why I only keep up with NASCAR on RUclips and just watch the extended highlights instead of sitting down every race and watching.
I personally think the drivers can stick it where the sun don't shine. Unless they plan on racing at AMS with no fans until AMS is no longer on the schedule, things have to change. From someone who's been to multiple races at AMS, they are painstakingly boring to watch in-person. The best race I've ever seen at AMS was an Indycar race back about '99/'00. That's saying something. Sure, there's been great races there but everything looks better on TV. If it says anything, the last great race at AMS happened 10 freaking yrs ago. I was one who thought it was a great idea that AMS lost a 2nd date b/c it didn't deserve it anymore. Just look at how many showed up for that race last wk and you tell me things don't need to change.
I think they want more series to use their tracks. I did old Atlanta on Nascar 1 it would be amazing.
Atlanta is mini Daytona. Kansas is mini talladega
If all the drivers are mad, they should run the next race entirely as pace laps. Pace car pulls in, just hold formation the entire time.
That'll get some eyeballs on things.
for my two cents......NASCAR is looking at those empty seats and trying to figure out how to fill them.....that's all they care about.....the two new tracks that were races on......there were sell out crowds....then back to Atlanta and half the seats were empty....maybe they need to have a smackdown in the infield before the race.....and then one at the end of the race to keep the fans form leaving after the first one....
The thing nobody is talking about is the new car/schedule and tracks IMO have a huge possibility of turning nascar into GT style racing. We shall see.
Charlotte is 40 ft wide. It's fine. I think people need a Cleanex to cry in.
Search the last 5-10 laps of Havick's first cup win. 5 drivers all battling for the lead using different lanes.
How does TJ not know when Michigan was repaved?? Lol
Don't give drivers a reason to talk bad about NASCAR and that problem would solve itself. In reality, they didn't consult the drivers because they knew what the drivers would say. It's a slippery slope NASCAR is going down. If the racing sucks at Atlanta, now the drivers and fans will have so much ammo.
Change it back to the way it was before the last change
The only reconfiguration of Atlanta I want to see is back to the original oval. Atlanta originally had soul and it was reconfigured into one of those cookie cutter tracks with the soul of a Half Caf Half Decaf Vegan Soy Latte.
Don't like the re-configure idea. Atlanta was faster then restricted Daytona! Why change an iconic and unique track configuration.
NASCAR’s response to make care less aero dependent, by making them more aero dependent. NASCAR’s response to a great 4th of July weekend event in tourist capital of the world Florida, by moving it to the sticks of Wisconsin. NASCAR’s response to racing at Indianapolis(cathedral of racing) by doing the road course.) NASCAR’s response to the best tracks in the sport, by reconfiguring them and ruining them. NASCAR has a HORRIBLE history of doing the exact opposite of what they should. Atlanta Motor Speedway is just another example. Soon the fields will be 35 cars, then 30 cars. Empty stands, money dries up because no fan interest. Soon there will not be a nascar unless it goes back to its roots and produces REAL racing! Not aero crap. Bring back tons of power, low downforce, no side force, small spoilers, and for Gods sake, PUT THE CARS BACK ON THE SPRINGS!!!
I myself have been a lifelong fan. Even worked for teams and pushed cars through NASCAR tech inspections and onto pit road. I’ve lived nascar most of my life, and even fans like me are losing interest. Go woke, go broke. Go soft you lose your hardcore fans. Go PC you lose ME!
Dale won on that surface.
What a shame not getying the drivers opinions/perhaps suggestions.....
No matter what they do Atlanta is no longer a nascar market! The stands will never fill up year after year. If they want a new configuration maybe Brutten Smith should look at nascar friendly areas!
There will always be talking points about tires, asphalt type, modifying track configuration and what and how each affects the sport. Let alone consulting drivers.
Clint Bowyer said it best a few weeks ago on DMM ; make the cars harder to drive, reduce the amount of downforce and make the drivers work harder. Bowyer loved that drivers were beginning to spin out on their own at a few tracks because they were pushing the car too far.
Asking drivers for their feedback is like letting them loose in a bank vault. 💸💸💸💸💸
Stand on it! 🏁
First I want to say I don't understand why most people/fans want to blame NASCAR. I believe this would fall on SMI's shoulders wouldn't it? NASCAR has its own track's do they not? Does ISC have to consult SMI before any reconfigurations?
With that being said unlike SMI said, I believe the driver's do want to put on a good race and would consider what track layout would accomplish that. Driver's should be consulted on all aspects.
Drivers do have a voice, but let's be honest. There is a big disconnect between the drivers and what the fan's NASCAR is trying to attract are seeking. NASCAR is having to produce an entertaining product that is incredibly expensive. This requires reaching MILLIONS of people. The folks not tuning into watch today don't care about sounds, HP, legacy, etc. They want to be entertained. The drivers hate everything NASCAR has done to try to reach the masses.
So here is the deal... You either adapte to the current economic and social expectations, or die.
Great discussion. Thanks for posting this.
Input from the drivers should not matter as long it is not a safety issue. The real drivers should be able to drive on whatever track/surface NASCAR provides. Same with the cars..just drive them! Drivers will like/dislike whatever you put in front of them. That would never change.
With everyone being upset about it being and I racing designed track I think they're correct I racing is just the ones to take the dimensions given and put them to visual or usability but there's nothing wrong with an outside company designing a racetrack look at trial mountain in Gran Turismo that would be a great track in actuality with the same elevation changes and corner widths it would be a great track so video games have been coming up with great tracks for a long time look at Maple valley from Forza there's a lot of great tracks out there that were made by a video game that are realistic and design
I can't understand why they would spend enough money to put the track back to its original configuration, but do this instead. They're putting all their chips on Georgia getting paramutual betting. If they lose that bet, there will be no Atlanta race a decade from now.
Edit: I hope I am wrong and this works out beyond their wildest dreams. Hampton has been an absolutely wonderful partner with nascar for over half a century and it would be a shame for them to lose on the whims of a video game nerd.( not talking about iRacing, talking about the nerd that played the game and said THIS WILL BE GREAT AT ATLANTA)
They probably gave iRacing their inputs and had them modify their track that was already laser scanned. It will never drive like the actual track it will only give a general representation of what racing might be like.
What I dislike is the fact they are trying push pack racing with a car that is totally unknown. If they go do pack racing with the nextgen to understand how it will drive then maybe they might have a better understanding if this reconfig is a good option.
I also think drivers dislike the pack racing like Daytona and Talladega. Because it always seems to come down to who doesn't wreck out of the race.
My favorite racing to watch are the short tracks and the intermediate tracks. Atlanta should have been repaved, but making it race like a super speedway is dumb to me. That last race people were crashing and it was just wild. I don’t personally like seeing crashes. I want to watch hard racing at the end, but seeing people hit hard just isn’t for me I guess. There should be tracks that just aren’t messed with. Atlanta is one of them! Sure tracks will need repaved as time goes on, but to alter what it is and in all it’s greatness shouldn’t be messed with. NASCAR has plenty of variety with all these road courses.. hell, there is no reason to race Bristol on dirt.. it’s just nonsense to me. I know some fans thought Atlanta was boring before, but I never did. It produced some great races that all time greats won.
They jacked up Texas too
Save your 18min of talking heads on this one. Atlanta was ruined in the last config. Want unique? Try a speedway oval where the turns are longer than the straights. Cookie cutter junk. -U10
Apparently these guys aren't watching the same events others are seeing.
They are talking about the 'way the track races"....Fans don;t care about that.
What we want to see is close competitive racing. lead changes and throw in pit strategy.
Notice I left out crashes. If they happen, its because crashes are part of close quarter racing.
Now, to the point. Atlanta Motor Speedway is notorious for stung out fields. Often, the leader is more than 5 seconds ahead of the second place car at the end of a stage. Often, less than half the field ends the race on the lead lap. And that isn't due to attrition. It is due to the disparities in set up.
Also a culprit is the clean air/dirty air aspect of the car design, which by the way, until I see results, not a lot will change with the new design. Mechanically, its the same. Low HP high downforce. Absurdly large rear spoiler.
So, really guys. Lets talk reality here. AMS needed to be renovated or...As one of the panel suggested, turn it into a short track.
I spot a Swindell Speedlabs tshirt 👀
Most 1.5 mile tracks are to boring to watch . 🤮
Theres so much Nascar needs to do and it starts with catering to their core fan base instead of going after new fans
There losing more fans then there creating
Wouldn't be surprised if some secret fines are issued by NASCAR.