With the saftey record as good as it is, why don't they remove the restrictor plate on the big tracks? Maybe the cars don't respond very good at speeds over 200.

Rusty Wallace tested without the plate a couple of years ago. Think he ran around 230mph, and said he probably wouldn't want to do it again.

Thats pretty fast for a tire that narrow and the new car that has a lot less downforce.

With a record number of cautions today I don't think Nascar can justify letting the guys run faster...

It's also a safety / insurance issue , they don't want cars jumping the fence into the stands!

I just wish they didn't have sooooo much pre-race coverage. Most of it is soooo boring. Start the broadcast, do the proliminaries (anthem/flyby) and start the race. Coverage began here locally at 1:30, and the race was over at 7:30, with the exciting promise of "more post race action" when we return..... I actually left during the prerace coverage, went to the mall, went to the Farm/Fleet, got gas, went grocery shopping, and caught the last half of the race. The pre-race coverage is just way out of hand. Plus, the stands were about half full. I love the action , but could do without all of the other junk.

Somebody please get rid of the stupid cartoon gopher (Digger), I'm trying to watching racing. I know NASCAR is trying to hook a younger crowd but give it a rest.

Rusty Wallace tested without the plate a couple of years ago. Think he ran around 230mph, and said he probably wouldn't want to do it again.

Thats pretty fast for a tire that narrow and the new car that has a lot less downforce.
that "couple of years ago" was sometime in the mid 90's in one of his Penske Thunderbird race cars. it wasn't an official test- if i remember correctly, they were filming a commercial or something at Talledega and had one of the non restrictor plate motors in it for the "race" footage and Rusty just kind of cut loose. said it was one of the scariest things he's ever done.

that "couple of years ago" was sometime in the mid 90's in one of his Penske Thunderbird race cars.

He may have done it in the mid-90's, I don't know, but the one I was thinking of was in June of 2004 (sorry, it was more than a couple of years ago) :

http://www.nascar.com/2004/news/headlines/cup/06/10/rwallace_talladega/index.html

It's not like it was when you had the good rivalries,Dale and Rusty were probably the most recent good ones.Now you got a bunch of kids,advertisements,commercials.Why do they spend so much time and how much money on TV time? No wonder teams can't afford to race,sponsors can't afford the teams,but NASCAR has to get the money from somewhere.They need to cut back right there on TV time.

Somebody please get rid of the stupid cartoon gopher (Digger), I'm trying to watching racing. I know NASCAR is trying to hook a younger crowd but give it a rest.
And add to that Darrel Waltrip, if I hear him say "boogity boogity boogity" one more time I'm going throw something at my television. That was tired after the first time.
Actually in general I'm tired of Nascar, they have added so much fluff and non race related crap it's ridicules. Plus it's a bunch of young guys that seem to have a sense of entitlement, they have spent little or no time racing on the small local tracks working their way up like the old timers. They go from shifter carts to a full on ride now it seems.
I almost never watch it anymore actually, I will switch over to it if there is no better racing on and I happen to be in front of a TV. They have been slowing them down since Bill Elliott went 200+ in the Thunderbird back in the early 80's. I hate that the fuel cars in NHRA are only going to 1000' but at least they are going faster every year in the other classes, but they have slowed Nascar down a little every year. And all they have done is pack them together forcing the inevitable "big one" because every driver knows if they lift or try to drive the car a bit they will be swiftly left in the back of the pack.
Sad, I miss Nascar of the 80's, and 90's even.

And add to that Darrel Waltrip, if I hear him say "boogity boogity boogity" one more time I'm going throw something at my television. That was tired after the first time.
Actually in general I'm tired of Nascar, they have added so much fluff and non race related crap it's ridicules. Plus it's a bunch of young guys that seem to have a sense of entitlement, they have spent little or no time racing on the small local tracks working their way up like the old timers. They go from shifter carts to a full on ride now it seems.
I almost never watch it anymore actually, I will switch over to it if there is no better racing on and I happen to be in front of a TV. They have been slowing them down since Bill Elliott went 200+ in the Thunderbird back in the early 80's. I hate that the fuel cars in NHRA are only going to 1000' but at least they are going faster every year in the other classes, but they have slowed Nascar down a little every year. And all they have done is pack them together forcing the inevitable "big one" because every driver knows if they lift or try to drive the car a bit they will be swiftly left in the back of the pack.
Sad, I miss Nascar of the 80's, and 90's even.

Agree 100%. :) It (CASHCAR) is making WWE look realistic, and watchable, which it surely is not.

The kid they have driving the #20 is a joke. I'd bet there are guys on our local dirt tracks that could whip this kid. He is being "made" via commercials and a company (Home Depot) that is desperate for a gimmick.

I did enjoy seeing Mother Busch giving both of her boys a hug after the race yesterday. :) That sort of redeemed all of the other crap I endured to get to the end of the broadcast.

Lets put grump jenkins in a nascar and test it to see what he says

Lets put grump jenkins in a nascar and test it to see what he says

Grumpy never raced Nascar, so he wouldn't be that great of a test......

How did a decent sport make it from transporting booze to the biggest joke in America (like wrestling etc...)?

Agree 100%. :) It (CASHCAR) is making WWE look realistic, and watchable, which it surely is not.

The kid they have driving the #20 is a joke. I'd bet there are guys on our local dirt tracks that could whip this kid. He is being "made" via commercials and a company (Home Depot) that is desperate for a gimmick.

I did enjoy seeing Mother Busch giving both of her boys a hug after the race yesterday. :) That sort of redeemed all of the other crap I endured to get to the end of the broadcast.

Exactly, your telling me theres not a Nationwide or Nascar vet/ newcomer that isnt better than this kid? Im not knocking him at all but theres more experienced better drivers out there that should be in that seat imo

Ever since Hendrick hit paydirt with Gordon all of these team owners are betting the farm on young unproven drivers-trying to hit the lottery. Lagano is a likeable kid, he just had the best equipment in ARCA last year.

Indeed NASCAR is a laughingstock of real racing. Too many rules. And if a loose cannon does make it in 'Cup' NASCAR pins them down so there is no creativity, it is all cookie cutter. No more personalities sans Stewart, but he was big time before he got to NASCAR.

No more Junior Johnson's, Tim Richmond's, Earnhardt Sr's,...

The cars are cookie cutter and so are the drivers. Like a previous poster wrote, it was a whole lot more fun in the 80's and 90's. Remember when drivers were banging into each other, you could win with a fender hanging off the car and everything. Earnhardt and Richmond body slamming each other, especially at Riverside? Those were the days!

The cookie cutter stuff sucks.

Lets put grump jenkins in a nascar and test it to see what he says

He didn't drive one but he built some motors for Donnie Allison to quote Jenkins : “In 1974 and 1975, I worked mostly with NASCAR’s Chevrolet and DiGard Racing, developing the little block to replace the big block,” Jenkins said. “Donnie Allison won the pole at the 1975 Daytona 500 with my stuff.”