OT Canzano: NASCAR to Portland is a win for the sports scene and city

[Orion Bailey]

NASCAR TRACK FAQs
Are all NASCAR tracks the same?
No, actually. All NASCAR tracks are different. They can differ in length, configuration, surface and banking – even tracks that are the exact same distance (say, 1.5 miles) have characteristics exclusive to that specific facility, making each stop unique to NASCAR. Daytona International Speedway (2.5 miles) and Talladega Superspeedway (2.66 miles) are the only two tracks NASCAR defines as “superspeedways.” Both are humungous ovals, and both have used restrictor plates in the past (and currently tapered spacers) to keep the speed of the car in check.Speedway or intermediate tracks make up the bulk of the NASCAR schedule. Those are defined by any track greater than one mile in length, with the exception of both Daytona and Talladega. Short tracks are less than 1 mile in length – count Martinsville Speedway (.526 miles), Bristol Motor Speedway (.533 miles) and Richmond Raceway (.75 miles) in that category for the Cup Series. Road course tracks are not typical ovals. In fact, they aren’t ovals at all. Road courses add right turns into the mix, with longer courses that often wind through the surrounding scenery. Circuit of The Americas, Road America, Watkins Glen and Sonoma are the road courses the Cup Series currently visits. The Charlotte Roval and Indianapolis Road Course are a combination road course/oval track.
How many tracks are in NASCAR?
The NASCAR Cup Series currently races on 26 different tracks, with the Charlotte Roval and Charlotte Motor Speedway oval officially counting as two separate tracks. Additionally, the NASCAR Xfinity Series races adds one track not on the Cup Series schedule, with the Camping World Trucks adding on an additional three. That makes 30 total tracks for the three national series.
What is the biggest NASCAR track?
The biggest NASCAR oval is Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Alabama. It measures at 2.66 miles. For all NASCAR tracks, Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, is the longest. The road course hosts the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series once per year and is 4.048 miles.

 

[twobullz]

I bet this will be good for the old PIR area, get some publicity and hopefully it will bring other races to Portland. I unfortunately was a Jeff Gordan fan and retired from Nascar when he did. Haven't watched a race since.

 

[Orion Bailey]

I bet this will be good for the old PIR area, get some publicity and hopefully it will bring other races to Portland. I unfortunately was a Jeff Gordan fan and retired from Nascar when he did. Haven't watched a race since.

my father named his parrot Dupont after him.

 

[Orion Bailey]

Why is it depressing? If you love it, that's great news. I love F1, there are tons of people that do not. Frankly, it does not make my enjoyment of it lesser.

There is a difference between voicing a displeasure for a sport vs. lumping all the nascar fans up together and insulting them in a “second hand fashion” jab with a political glove.

 

[Buffalo Custard]

You realize PIR isn't a circle, right?

(blushing) Actually, I did not.

 

[Fairly-Hard]

Getting minor racing back is a big boost. Seriously you don't get the bigger show until you can handle the minor shows. Give it a couple years and you will see them get the big boys here for something. If you have ever been to a true NASCAR event you know this is a big deal.
Portland needs things like this. Try to put it into perspective.

 

[tykendo]

Not a big fan of racing, but this is a great thing for Portland. It's quality exposure instead of the extremist dick measuring contest that gets WAY TOO MUCH publicity nationally. I wish this all the best because I LOVE PORTLAND. To all those who wish to continue bringing it down, "Take The Train".

 

[Eastoff]

As a NASCAR fan, this thread is just depressing. I'm excited for it.

As a person with children, the thought of accelerating the destruction of our planet for someone's entertainment is depressing. The thought of gas prices rising while these guys waste fuel is depressing. If you get an electric only league, fine.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

I like Nascar but I like ovals, not a fan of road courses for Nascar.

Never been a fan of PIR. It's alright for Indy car. It's really fun for a VW GTI and a shifter cart which I've been lucky enough to race both on PIR.

 

[riverman]

Not a fan of watching cars race at all...just my choice....don't like anything about the sport but a lot of folks apparently do. I'm just surprised they choose Portland....I could see this happening in Roseburg or Medford and it would fit...Portland and Nascar to me is an odd match...

 

[Orion Bailey]

As a person with children, the thought of accelerating the destruction of our planet for someone's entertainment is depressing. The thought of gas prices rising while these guys waste fuel is depressing. If you get an electric only league, fine.

do you know what percent of the annual gas consumption in the united states is used for Nascar?

 

[Orion Bailey]

Anyone not liking nascar.
Have you ever drivin go carts on a track?

if so, was it fun?

if so, then really not fair to dis nascar. Its just a supercharged adult go cart.

pats 50 acres in canby has one of the best around.

 

[andalusian]

As a person with children, the thought of accelerating the destruction of our planet for someone's entertainment is depressing. The thought of gas prices rising while these guys waste fuel is depressing. If you get an electric only league, fine.

Frankly, this is not any different (and probably much better) than huge ships carrying plastic toys across the oceans or people boarding jet planes to go to a meeting. I am sure if you list the "pleasures" you enjoy - we can find tons of waste that happens to support them. Racing is just a low-hanging fruit for people.

Most racing series work hard to become more and more environmentally friendly (I assume NASCAR does as well, not sure as I am not really following them). Formula 1 was very early onto Hybrid technology with the KERS system of the late 2000s and early 2010s and the move to the turbo-hybrid era in 2014, 2025 is the next set of engine regulations which will move to have 50% of the power come from electricity (it is likely only 20% now) and the fuel is getting more and more environmentally friendly.

If anything, big league racing series that have such intense technological development and "extreme" testing (racing) often sees trickle down for some elements to road cars which helps in different ways, from safety to handling to environmental issues - the MGU-H system in F1 helped making turbochargers a lot more efficient - which helped seeing so many of today's car having small 4 cylinder turbo-charged engines instead of big, inefficient larger engines of the past.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Anyone not liking nascar.
Have you ever drivin go carts on a track?

if so, was it fun?

if so, then really not fair to dis nascar. Its just a supercharged adult go cart.

pats 50 acres in canby has one of the best around.

We should have a forum race at Pat's Acres.

I WOULD DESTROY ALL OF YOU!

 

[SlyPokerDog]

We should have a forum race at Pat's Acres.

I WOULD DESTROY ALL OF YOU!

Sykart would be better.

I could put all of you in the wall!

http://www.sykart.com/tigard/

 

[riverman]

do you know what percent of the annual gas consumption in the united states is used for Nascar?

In my opinion...far too much...Australia has an electric car race circuit...there's a guy over the hill from my place who thinks our road is a Nascar racetrack...he's got a new Corvette with glass packs that wake up the woods...irritates the hell out of me...growing up in Iowa Nascar is huge and most of the kids I grew up around were into hot rods....I was the nerd with the six cylinder Dodge Dart.....never enjoyed fast moving metal projectiles..as it turns out a lot of my high school classmates lost their lives early from high speed crashes....you can get some serious speed built up on those long straight roads.Few things entertain me less than cars. Also it's not even the fuel as much as the burning rubber they go through racing cars...melting tires to the point you need new ones to finish a race

 

[Orion Bailey]

In my opinion...far too much...Australia has an electric car race circuit...there's a guy over the hill from my place who thinks our road is a Nascar racetrack...he's got a new Corvette with glass packs that wake up the woods...irritates the hell out of me...growing up in Iowa Nascar is huge and most of the kids I grew up around were into hot rods....I was the nerd with the six cylinder Dodge Dart.....never enjoyed fast moving metal projectiles..as it turns out a lot of my high school classmates lost their lives early from high speed crashes....you can get some serious speed built up on those long straight roads.Few things entertain me less than cars. Also it's not even the fuel as much as the burning rubber they go through racing cars...melting tires to the point you need new ones to finish a race

how can you say far too much without knowing the number?

what if its less than 1% but its 5% of gas guzzling trucks in metro areas that do not need a truck(they dont haul anything)for anything but to drive a big truck around?

wouldn't the issue be more on those who need a big truck for image reasons over nascar events?

 

[Orion Bailey]

In my opinion...far too much...Australia has an electric car race circuit...there's a guy over the hill from my place who thinks our road is a Nascar racetrack...he's got a new Corvette with glass packs that wake up the woods...irritates the hell out of me...growing up in Iowa Nascar is huge and most of the kids I grew up around were into hot rods....I was the nerd with the six cylinder Dodge Dart.....never enjoyed fast moving metal projectiles..as it turns out a lot of my high school classmates lost their lives early from high speed crashes....you can get some serious speed built up on those long straight roads.Few things entertain me less than cars. Also it's not even the fuel as much as the burning rubber they go through racing cars...melting tires to the point you need new ones to finish a race

ill add that my mother thought i was super odd when i spent my scholarship money on a four door sedan instead of some hotrod or truck.

 

[wizenheimer]

I'd wonder what consumes more fuel: Nascar or 30 NBA teams jetting around the country for 6 months

 

[SlyPokerDog]

I'd wonder what consumes more fuel: Nascar or 30 NBA teams jetting around the country for 6 months

30 duck-sized horses.

 

[Orion Bailey]

https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-science/nascar-environment1.htm

 

[Fairly-Hard]

I like Nascar but I like ovals, not a fan of road courses for Nascar.

Never been a fan of PIR. It's alright for Indy car. It's really fun for a VW GTI and a shifter cart which I've been lucky enough to race both on PIR.

The Bikes are a lot of fun out there.

 

[Fairly-Hard]

Anyone not liking nascar.
Have you ever drivin go carts on a track?

if so, was it fun?

if so, then really not fair to dis nascar. Its just a supercharged adult go cart.

pats 50 acres in canby has one of the best around.

Bro go to Sky Cart. It's a blast.

 

[Fairly-Hard]

Sykart would be better.

I could put all of you in the wall!

http://www.sykart.com/tigard/

Beat me to it.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Beat me to it.

Closed wheel carts > open wheel carts!

 

[Fairly-Hard]

Closed wheel carts > open wheel carts!

That track at Skycart is fun. You are not supposed to bump people but it's pretty much a moral imperative.

 

[Orion Bailey]

Bro go to Sky Cart. It's a blast.

never even heard of it until today.
Ill check it out. There is a nice indoor one up near federal way(tacoma?) i was at it about a decade ago. Lounge with a cafe.
But umm i flipped my cart taking a corner too tight and rode my right tire right up the barrel and over i went! Lol

there is something to be said about dealing with the elements though, banked curves and what not.
When i was a kid and my parents would take us to ocean shores alot i remember just sending all day at the gocart track and not even hitting the beach!


If i wasn't such a big ass dude i could have been a nascar driver! Lol

 

[SlyPokerDog]

That track at Skycart is fun. You are not supposed to bump people but it's pretty much a moral imperative.

You ever race at Hot Track in Vancouver years ago?

 

[riverman]

how can you say far too much without knowing the number?

what if its less than 1% but its 5% of gas guzzling trucks in metro areas that do not need a truck(they dont haul anything)for anything but to drive a big truck around?

wouldn't the issue be more on those who need a big truck for image reasons over nascar events?

I think gas usage should produce something like move goods or deliver building materials....just burning it up to drive in circles as fast as possible is not the best use of gasoline....I think it's an incredible waste but I also think driving two blocks to get a gallon of milk is a big waste...we're a gas guzzling culture. my truck is parked unless it's moving material like straw or manure,etc...it's all just a life style for me that I've followed all my life...I use gasoline but I also have a Prius and a 4 wheel drive XTerra....the XTerra is my fishing rig and has my kayak racks so I use it to bring fish to the freezer or get down the mountain in the snow....my mechanic is a Nascar guy who has a crew and races down in Roseburg on weekends...I know it's popular and my lack of interest won't change that anytime soon...I'm sure it'll be a popular thing in Portland if it happens.

 

[Orion Bailey]

I think gas usage should produce something like move goods or deliver building materials....just burning it up to drive in circles as fast as possible is not the best use of gasoline....I think it's an incredible waste but I also think driving two blocks to get a gallon of milk is a big waste...we're a gas guzzling culture. my truck is parked unless it's moving material like straw or manure,etc...it's all just a life style for me that I've followed all my life...I use gasoline but I also have a Prius and a 4 wheel drive XTerra....the XTerra is my fishing rig and has my kayak racks so I use it to bring fish to the freezer or get down the mountain in the snow....my mechanic is a Nascar guy who has a crew and races down in Roseburg on weekends...I know it's popular and my lack of interest won't change that anytime soon...I'm sure it'll be a popular thing in Portland if it happens.

i just picked up a 2008 xterra to tow my boat!
Most people in outlying areas own trucks for practical reasons.
You wouldn't believe how many large trucks in the city are just used as a commuter vehicle. or maybe you would… but its alot.

And im willing to bet, across the nation, those driving trucks that could otherwise drive a car uses alot more fuel annually than nascar.

Did you see the link i posted about nascar fuel consumption and the minimal effects compared to the nations current usage?

Alot more usage also goes to our heavily outdated trucking industry.
Im just saying, if the economy is a factor, nascar is not near the culprit of some other things going on regarding fuel consumption.