Nascar 2022

[omega man]

One of the things about upcoming NASCAR events is that I feel that the corner has been turned and spring is in sight.

Looks like The Busch Clash is up first....from the Coliseum

Official NASCAR site is here- https://www.nascar.com

Looks like Sunday, February 20th at 2:30PM eastern is the start time for The Daytona 500, NASCAR's flagship race.

If you don't like NASCAR, it's OK skip posting in the thread.

OM

 

[bigjohnsd]

It should be an interesting year with the new car leveling the playing g field at the first few races of the year until the multi-year teams begin to creep ahead from their inherent ability to do more development.

Additionally, all teams seem to be beset with supply chain issues and where by now most teams would have five complete cars for every "Number" many teams have three or less. With the early California swing in the schedule some teams are quite concerned that with just one crash they could easily run out of cars to race, especially when out West far from home base near Charlotte.

 

[henzilla]

That .25 mile short track should be interesting inside that venue. Smaller field with Clash drivers, but still a quarter mile

 

[akbeemer]

NASCAR is about the only sport where drivers can still express their anger and frustrations with their competitors both off and, to a certain degree, on the track. I like that aspect of the sport. The drivers in other forms of motorsports seem to be products of a public relations school.

 

[nickrides]

I grew up in Venice Beach CA and went to a lot of USC games at the Coliseum.
I have a hard time believing there going to host a credible Nascar race there!
Nick
1978 R80/7

 

[henzilla]

Hickory Speedway used to be on the Grand National and Winston Cup schedule, I believe it is a tad over a quarter mile layout. Not a forty car field for the Clash so think it can be entertaining. The absence of decent banking like typical local quarter milers across the country will be a door banging challenge for sure. Not being a points race will make it win or go home get out of my way bump fest.
Take a throwaway car!

A lot of work and cash for a one time event but there it is.

 

[saddleman]

Hickory Speedway used to be on the Grand National and Winston Cup schedule, I believe it is a tad over a quarter mile layout. Not a forty car field for the Clash so think it can be entertaining. The absence of decent banking like typical local quarter milers across the country will be a door banging challenge for sure. Not being a points race will make it win or go home get out of my way bump fest.
Take a throwaway car!

A lot of work and cash for a one time event but there it is.

If your talking about Hickory Speedway in North Carolina I live near it and the weather this time of year is much to iffy. They use to race at Rockingham Speedway the week after Daytona & the weather that time of year had some of the effect on attendance that ended up closing it. There are several short tracks in Florida or any other southern state in the middle section of USA that would be better.

 

[henzilla]

I was just using Hickory as a track similar in size to the LA Colosseum layout.

 

[pettynerd]

I'm super happy that NASCAR is adding back in the short tracks and additional road courses, most of the racing on the mile and a half tracks have been a snoozefest. The Nextgen cars should add a bit of excitement as well.

 

[nickrides]

Some more Beta on the race in LA

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mo...rom-the-norm/ar-AATusc2?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531

Nick

 

[omega man]

Looks like the colosseum event is at 6pm tomorrow the 6th. Everything NASCAR starts at 2pm.
All times eastern. All on the Fox Network.
OM

 

[omega man]

A bit on the work they put into the coliseum to get ready for the NASCAR race at the new venue-

A description at the end of the video-

Should be interesting.

BTW, all done for this event.

OM

 

[20774]

I take it they're not going to revert the coliseum back to its original configuration?? The heat races got to be a little aggressive to get into the transfer spots. I would imagine that the actual Clash Race will be drawn out with more cars and longer race distance.

I don't see any pit road entrance...guess for such short races, they don't expect to pit...you're either in the race or you're out. Another wrinkle is that this Clash Race won't be at Daytona which is the first race of the season. Normally, drivers use the Clash as a way to get practice time. Not this time.

I notice that the cars took a lot more beatin' and bangin'. I haven't been paying attention to the "NexGen" car but I heard they are no longer metal bodies but carbon fiber. Wheels seemed different...mags or something. I had heard they were going away from lug nuts and having a central locking nut.

 

[omega man]

Maybe as it's LA.....seems like they are trying to appeal to a larger audience?
OM

 

[bigjohnsd]

I take it they're not going to revert the coliseum back to its original configuration??

Gets converted back to the original configuration starting tomorrow so the grass underneath doesn't die.
They covered the grass with Plywood, then covered in two feet of dirt, gravel, and four inches of asphalt.
NASCAR claims they spent $1 Million to prep.

I thought they put on a pretty good show. Enough passing to make it interesting.
Not as much crashing and banging as I expected.
The NEXGEN cars seemed just fine and the new composite car bodies really stood up well to the incidental contact.

 

[henzilla]

Newest Gen car has composite body, not CF, though a lot of parts like hood and deck lid may still be CF.
The transmission is now a transaxle and the wheels are aluminum 18” with a central lug. The Infinity series beta tested the bodies for the last few seasons and can take some banging around.

Thought it was a good show and less attrition than I thought a 1/4 mile flat track would provide. Since heat style races, no mid run pit stops planned and would have been crazy trying to turn into infield at speed!
Seems the transaxle was the demise of a few teams.

The pit stops should be in ten second range now with less lugs and need to index them. Not F1 speed but hey, not F1

Some Gen6 info

https://m.nascar.com/news-media/202...veil-next-gen-models-for-2022-cup-series/amp/

 

[omega man]

Gets converted back to the original configuration starting tomorrow so the grass underneath doesn't die.
They covered the grass with Plywood, then covered in two feet of dirt, gravel, and four inches of asphalt.
NASCAR claims they spent $1 Million to prep.

I’m not familiar with grass that can survive a couple of weeks covered up. Maybe it’s special LA grass
OM

 

[bigjohnsd]

I’m not familiar with grass that can survive a couple of weeks covered up. Maybe it’s special LA grass
OM

How did they turn the LA Coliseum into a race track?
The crushed base is covered by asphalt, the final layer. The race track and the layers below its surface were concocted this way so that the grass field underneath can stay undisturbed during construction, the race itself and as the layers are disassembled to return the Coliseum back to a football venue.4 days ago.

How they converted the LA Coliseum into a Race Track

 

[omega man]

How did they turn the LA Coliseum into a race track?
The crushed base is covered by asphalt, the final layer. The race track and the layers below its surface were concocted this way so that the grass field underneath can stay undisturbed during construction, the race itself and as the layers are disassembled to return the Coliseum back to a football venue.4 days ago.

How they converted the LA Coliseum into a Race Track

It’s the lack of sunlight I’m wondering about. Should be interesting.
OM

 

[dduelin]

I will say they are trying hard to reverse the decline in attendance and viewership. Good luck to them. I like riding on DIS now and then so I'm all for their success.