Is your local asphalt bull ring fair? (drivers, motor, auto)

[bluskyz]

In Florida short track asphalt racing is still alive. However the powers that be continue to do their best to thin the fans to new lows. Proper officiating and lack there of is adding to the lack of interest.

Frankly, as presently a fan which has had some type of involvement in auto racing for decades may I present my observations. I am delighted to see a winner who has the skill and equiptment find success. I am NOT delighted to see a car leading for many laps get tagged in the rear and spun out by the number 2 running car. This has the officials restarting the race with both drivers penalized by sending them to the rear of the field on the restart.

My thinking on this is (1) if the #2 running driver lacks what it takes to make a clean pass he fouls the leader by striking him, and for this he and he alone should be restarted in last position. Surely not the leader who was intentionally spun out. (2) if I can see the infraction from the stands I am sure the officials can see it from their vantage point. (3) it is disgusting to see a fine driver and equiptment leading a race for many laps to be denied victory by a foul and inferior driver and get away with it by the bad officiating.(4) Some try and pass these incidents off by claiming "Waaall thats racing." My take on that is it is unsportsmanlike conduct period. Only the driver doing the striking should be penalized, not the leader who gets fouled out of a win.

This kind of officiating is prevalent on asphalt short tracks in Fla. Perhaps the promotors should declare these super late model races demolition derbies or rat races. They are ruining quality racing which most true and knowledgeable fans seek.
Your viewpoint please.

[leadfoot4]

I understand your point, but using the "chrome horn" has been a part of racing (right or wrong) for so long, it's sometimes VERY difficult to determine if it was intentional (in the case of a big shove) or simply mis-judgement of the distance between the two cars (in the case of a little tap), or the lead car slips up a little, which unexpectedly closes the gap, causing the car behind to tap it, you know, stuff like that. Yeah, it shouldn't go unpunished, but determining what exactly happened, is often impossible. You don't have 6-8 "referees" stationed around the track, like you have in the "stick and ball" sports.

[ehcsrop]

There was one particular asphalt short track race on TV as part of one of the Daytona Speed Weeks when Kyle Larson was just entering the Cup series. He was in this late model race and did just that, waited until the last turn on the last lap and punted the guy he'd been following closely for most of the race. The way I saw it was the guy in front drove a great race keeping Larson behind him regardless of many tries to pass. And then to loose to a CS move like that.

I've never liked Larson after that and that was maybe 2 years before his suspension. I'm not saying Larson is the only dirty driver out there. Rusty Wallace to Earnhart to Waltrip and many more, there have always been dirty drivers. They usually get back what they deserve at one point. I think Larson is gonna get shoved around a little next year. Especially if Harvick stays in a car. Word has it that might not happen even though Stewart/Hass apparently has a new sponsor lined up for the No. 4 — Gearwrench. Harvick says he will be in the car as of now.

I think there are a few others that might take a shot at Larson as well. A lot of that will depend on how Larson races the others in 2022. If he does something stupid, he's gonna get sent into the wall. I think Larson has a lot more talent than respect.