Here in North Carolina an attack on NASCAR is considered a religious confrontation. Here is a little of what makes it important: It is clean. The players are polite, not rude. Like players in the NFL, they all report to the mother organization. Unlike the NFL, they either respect the rules or go away. It is a team sport. Even pit crews have fans. Institutions of higher education provide coursework in motorsports. It contributes a great deal to the economy. It is designed as entertainment and the spectator is king. It is safe. In spite of past disasters, the greatest risk at a NASCAR race is getting there and back. It is ingrained in the southern US culture. I don't watch much racing anymore but I have a lot of respect for the NASCAR Guys and their families. I am not a big race spectator anymore but I have fond memories of the past... Like that Memorial Day holiday where I sat in my '66 Corvair on a hill at Lime Rock watching a road race while listening to the 500 on the radio.... John Ferrell http://DixieNC.US ----- Original Message ----- From: "Russell McMahon" To: "Microcontroller discussion list - Public." Sent: Sunday, November 13, 2005 1:28 AM Subject: Re: [OT][WOT] Rally - Audi 4 wheel drive > I'm not a NASCAR fan (have hardly seem more than glimpses of it out here > at the start of time) and it is not my favourite style of racing BUT I've > seen enough of it to know that you people are doing it a disservice. > >>> > > Audi (he says) rally stage - all on seal. > >>> > Nice, although, personally I find less grippy surfaces MUCH more fun >>> > to >>> > watch. Gravel is good, snow is the best. > > Gravel is my preferred personal medium. Grew up playing on gravel roads > (motorcycle and car). Alas they are far far rarer here now than then. > > BUT > >>> ... NASCAR's "50,000 laps of the same unchallenging circuit > > Clearly written by someone who has a different meaning of the word > "unchallenging: than I do :-). One may not find the sport interesting, but > ANY top competition is challnging by definition. You push the driver and > machine to the utter limts that will get you home fastest or you don't > win. If you don't do it, someone else will. And N others will push past > this illo defined limit and not finish, or finish forever. From what I've > seen of NASCAR those are very very very real limits that they are seeking > to just not exceed and it does a disservice to their bravery (and > stupidity :-) ) to say it is unchallenging. Interesting is another matter, > and a personal one. I'd far rather watch a gravel rally, but not everyone > would. > >> I don't personally respect a motor-sport where the vehicle is SO >> specialized it can't possible run under "normal" conditions. > > I can certainly respect such. It may not be interesting to watch, but if > the modifcations mean that it goes significanty faster in a dedicated > environment then it may have its place. > >> That's why rally cars impress me so much. > > And me. > >> They have heavily modified cars, that >> have to run insane speeds on VERY bad surfaces, and all at the same time >> must remain completely street legal (since they drive regular roads >> between stages. > > I just respect such even more than a decicated environment vehicle ;-). > >>> --Danny, who thinks of NASCAR as the pro wrestling of motorsports > > Pro wrestling is also far far from my favoutite sport, but it sound slike > you may need a session behind the wheel of a NASCAR car AND another (if > you survive the first) in a pro wrestling ring :-). > > > RM > > -- > http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive > View/change your membership options at > http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist > -- http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist