FightForTheRail

I don't know if this is because there was at least somewhat more respect between drivers or blocking was not as pervasive as what it is now, but the plate races from 20-25 years ago were not the total shit show they are now. Yes, the big one still happened sometimes. But I don't remember every race taking an hour to run the final 10 laps. Two of the years Dale Earnhardt finished second at the 500 were because he could not get by Dale Jarrett and Sterling Marlin.

It is amazing that Newman was able to survive such a horrific crash, but the fact that there has not been any news released beyond he will survive seems ominous, IMO. The situation seems a lot like Robert Wickens' IndyCar injuries in that it was some time before the life-altering nature of his injuries was released.

So was I. I also moved to Grandview when the Park closed following the 1986 season.

He's not at the end of his career or wasn't when that comment was made? Pauch is the greatest short track driver I have ever seen, but that is an average of less than five wins a year from a guy with over 700 wins. All the greats of the 1970s and 1980s, Alan, Danny, Hearn, Pauch, Horton can still win now and again, but they are clearly at the end of their careers and have been for a while now.

There is a gigantic difference between being 16 and being 12. A 16-year-old can legally drive on the street.

Because a competitor can die in the activity being discussed here. What are some examples of those other activities in which the state requires a license, but a promoter/owner does not require competitors to be licensed?

The Chili Bowl is a lot different now than it was even back in the days when Tim McCreadie won. Guys like McCreadie, Cory Kruseman, and Dan Boorse don't win anymore. There are 350 cars there, and it will be a huge upset if someone outside the top three of four favorites wins on Saturday night. It is crazy for a race with such a huge car count that Christopher Bell is going for his fourth win in a row and car owner Keith Kunz is trying for his sixth win in a row (albeit separately this time around).

Scene from "Planes, Trains and Automobiles." Moments after that scene, John Candy and Steve Martin each discover that Candy's left hand is not between two pillows.

Howie's argument is that it is a split field on the preliminary nights, For example, Kyle Larson or Christopher Bell are not eligible to run every preliminary night program.

Go get him, Jumper. LOL I have had a discussion with Howie quite often when it comes to that specific race. A prelim at the Chili Bowl or the Knoxville Nationals s not the same thing as a winner's classic or something along those lines. 😋

Your point is that some teenagers are accountable for their actions and some aren't? When has that ever not been the case in society?

I always thought the winner's classic at Syracuse was completely lame became many teams did not even try . Other than drivers in the first couple rows, a lot of teams used the race to practice pit stops or pulled off shortly after it started. Maybe I am misunderstanding what you are saying. But the winner's classic was all the winners/qualifiers from SDS races throughout the season. The driver with the most SDS wins started on the pole and so on. Along that same vein, the Race of States and Mystery features during the Knoxville Nationals were often lame as well because teams had much bigger priorities that week than those gimmicky races.

Grandview averaged 41 cars weekly and was never under 34 this past season. They will be at least in the upper 50s with the NES/Bridgeport cars that always show up for the Freedom 76.

You are really trying to make a case that having a race and the gates being open for a race that didn't happen are the same thing? What the hell?

That scenario is not at all comparable. The gigantic difference in that scenario is that Derek Jeter was an employee of the Yankees, not an independent contractor. Trying to shoehorn local dirt track racing into comparisons with the major stick and ball sports never really works.