The Bobcat Nation

OK, I will admit it, I used to be a big NASCAR fan as well as an Indy Car guy. But my interest has waned the last few years to the point where I hardly watch a race, maybe bits and pieces but not a whole race. I don't mind reading up stuff on the internet. My reasoning for my lack of interest is that it has gotten pretty boring. With Jimmy Johnson looking at his 5th straight, it takes a lot of fun out of racing let alone any sport with a streak like that. To me NASCAR (as well as Indy Car) had become a spec series. There is little chance for a team or manufacturer to make any tweaks to give them an advantage without a huge penalty. I have been to 2 NASCAR races, the Brickyard in 97, which was fun due to the history at the track, and Texas in the fall of 2006 where I actually fell asleep cause there was no action. The other think that has really turned me off are the phantom "debris" cautions which usually changes the outcome of the race.

Indy car is just one engine, one chassis and the races are on Versus which I don't get. It used to be you had 3-4 engine manufacturers and several chassis companies involved. I have been to a couple of those races, Vancouver in 93 and Portland in 98. THose races were fun and the pit passes allowed you to actually be right there with the car, crew and driver. When Mario Andretti walked by me at the Vancouver I was in awe that a racing icon could be so small, I think 5'3" or so. Danny Sullivan was gracious when I wished him good luck. At the Portland race my Dad, nephew, uncle and I made it to victory circle with our pit passes. That was pretty crazy watch Alex Zanardi celebrate and we were there.

In general it seems that drivers from both serious have become so vanilla. Anyways that's my rant...

First off, I'm race fan in general. Love stuff with screaming engines, methanol smell(indy cars), burning rubber....AWESOME.

Indy Cars
That said the state of Indy car racing is pretty bad. It's a spec. series without offically being one. It's awefully boring with Penske and Chip Ganassi winning nearly every race for the past two or three years. I really wish the new car in 2012 would be here next spring, because I want to excited for the coming season, but I'm not. Amazing for a me as I've watched every race for many many years, and for now I have no enthusiasm, except to for the Indy 500.

I've attended races in Portland, Laguna Seca, and Indy and they are awesome in person. Pit passes are worth if for any race in my opinion. My brother and I got pit radios for Indy, and that's totally worth it too. It adds a new dimension to the race. You just feel like a dork at first putting the earphones on!

Gil De Ferran practically ran over me running out of his transporter at Laguna Seca. They were gridding the cars and he must have forgot something, because he had a pretty stressed look on his face as he dashed by me. I've seen Mario up close(yes he's short). He's such a legend you somehow thing he's physically tall! Montoya( before he began wasting his time in NASCRAP) and Franchitti, buzzed by me on scooters so close I could've pushed them off.

NASCAR(aka NASCRAP)
There so much that's hokey about NASCAR I could fill a book. "Phantom Cautions" are way up there on the list i.e no visible reason to do so. Pulling a caution so you can bunch the cars again seems so opposite of my idea of what racing is...um you're supposed to RACE....duh! That leads me to the other rule they have awarding starting spots based on owner points. Again not RACING to get into the race!!! Amazing. The big teams already have a budget advantage, they don't also need to be gauranteed to be in the show.

I could go on an on, but I'll spare you the rest and my rant here!

Anyone else care to step up?