Is an Xfinity Plate Event Even a Race AT ALL?

As long as we are NASCAR bashing, er, critiquing…

Who stayed up and watched the Xfinity (er, Busch, er, Sportsman) “race” last evening?

It was follow the leader for most of the “race” followed by an expensive wreck-fest at the end. Nine cars left on the lead lap. Congratulations to Austin Dillon for his excellent guesses and luck, he came home as the first finisher.

But let’s see–their engines are limited, rather like the go carts at your local public track. I know why (to keep them out of the stands), but nonetheless the engine builders hands are tied, unlike, say, the Modifieds at Showtime. Press the pedal, hear a sickening moan, unlike Josh Todd’s beautiful ride. Is that racing?

Annnnnnd they cannot pass below the yellow line. Again, I know why (same as above), but it is rather like driving down any public highway with a double line, is it not? You are simply not going to pass the guy in front of you by getting under him. Is that racing?

But worst of all, they cannot even go as fast as the car will eventually go. That is, they cannot push the car in front of them for any length of time. Presumably, this is to prevent “the big one”, of which they nonetheless had two or three…

Think about that. They have to lift “just because”. So, per the rules, they have to simply follow the car in front of them.

Between the plate and the aero, one cannot pull out to pass, they drop back like a stone. And you have to get off the gas constantly per the rules. Is that even racing?

Seems to me that the actual “win” is determined by who pushes the longest without getting penalized.

And it appeared that last night, after a “race” of mostly having their hands tied per all of the above, that was precisely what was happening, particularly with Logano, until the inevitable happened, and there were virtually no cars left to do any pushing. So the few that remained simply followed Austin around for the last few laps. Was that racing…?

Share your thoughts and/or “fixes” if you like.

My thought…I love the driving/brain factor. Brian Scott led many laps and did a great job until he stupidly drove up into Sadler for the bonehead move of the race.

Blocking ain’t racing.

The car count for that series always surprises me.

The survivor series…

Your points are all on target, especially the plate and aero package. Sadly I fear little will change as they mistakenly think the viewer is watching close “racing” when in reality they are watching a controlled freight train for the reasons you put forth. For years I have deliberately shunned soccer as not being American. Tonight I am ecstatic that the womens soccer final and the race will be on simultaneously and they will be on adjacent channels. I will predict now that I will watch more soccer and it should be apparent that I have been in love with racing for 65 years. The Frances will ask how can that idiot watch soccer and I will reply you drove me to it.

Along the way I have defended The Chase, the double file restarts, the lap back thing…

But could it be, like the no flag thing (let’s keep that pile separate, eh?), plate racing has become an event for the uninitiated, a politically correct thing for the masses, rather than a race for race fans. A racing product, brought to you by NASCAR.

Howso, you may ask?

The casual/novice/non race fans see all the cars running close, assume it is a fast-and-furious thing, and empathize with the bravado of the drivers driving that close at those speeds (they made it up, as they are all brave and on the edge, but that is neither here nor there).

Meanwhile, the real race fans, eg EG, are watching soccer.

I agree with all of you. The race starts too late for a Sunday, people have to work Monday. start it 5 or 6 oclock . The Charlotte 600 starts early.

Bruton Smith knows how to run races. The Frances specialty is concession stands as they fail at all else.

When they moved away from the V6s and the traditional and smaller tracks on the schedule I lost interest.

To that point, this might be one of the best racing books I own and I own a lot.

Second To None.jpg

It’s obvious you don’t like plate racing and that agenda is driving your posts.

You agree with the baby drivers who think it’s dangerous. I find their comments to show a lack of passion for their job and the sport (Jeff Gordon, Kyle Larson, to name a couple). 4 races per year they can let one of the billions of people who wish they were a race car driver take their seat.

It takes great skill to master the draft and win these races. Why do you think JR keeps on winning them? Luck?

Daytona and Talladega are the best two races of the year because they take driver skill and are independent of who has the most money to build the best engines, crews, and cars. They create side-by-side racing action for the entire race.