Are NASCAR fans really ready for foreign born drivers?

[JLMannin]

A German national is trying to qualify for the NASCAR road race this weekend.

link (http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/sports/8987703.htm?1c)

[rabbit]

I hate news sites you have to register for. But I'll take your word for it.

[Sean O'Gorman]

Klaus Graf is in a second BAM! car.

[Sean O'Gorman]

And I doubt the NASCAR fans we'll really even notice him, assuming he makes the race. If they really wanted to inject culture shock, they'd pull Keiichi Tsuchiya out of retirement and have him run at Sears Point. The guy could run in last the whole race but there'd still be thousands of kids yelling "d0r1ft0!!!" every time he drove by, while at the same time cursing the fact that hes driving an American car. :rolleyes: Now that would be funny!

[theunions]

If they really wanted to inject culture shock, they'd pull Keiichi Tsuchiya out of retirement and have him run at Sears Point. The guy could run in last the whole race but there'd still be thousands of kids yelling "d0r1ft0!!!" every time he drove by, while at the same time cursing the fact that hes driving an American car. :rolleyes: Now that would be funny!

That didn't happen last year when Fukuyama (whose English hadn't improved, and who now was carrying Kikkoman sponsorship) started last and ran last until he blew up.

[Sean O'Gorman]

That didn't happen last year when Fukuyama (whose English hadn't improved, and who now was carrying Kikkoman sponsorship) started last and ran last until he blew up.

Because Fukuyama isn't the d0r1ft0 K1ng y0!

Seriously, look up his name, and look up the Drift Bible. I think drifting is goofy and I'd rather see all that sponsorship money in road racing (not going to happen :( ), but theres no denying that hes a very well known name in the sport compact community.

[Steve99]

I'm sure they are ready to see foreign born drivers get put into the wall by one of the "young guns."

[FanofMario]

Anybody remember Christian Fittipaldi? Neither does NASCAR. :gomer:

[Fio1]

Honestly, does anybody really think that Jason Plato, Uwe Alzen or Alain Menu wouldn't be able to kick a$$ in a Nextel Cup car if he was given a few days in the car.

Who cares what the Nascar fans think. The Nascar fans you guys are refuring to, aren't the fans spending the money at the track. They aren't the reason Toyota is spending millions trying to break in the series. The real nascar fans wouldn't mind a German, Italian or Brazilian.....

[DaveL]

It's not fair to generalize.

Take a NASCAR fan like our own Racewriter. If Lucas Luhr, Mike Rockenfeller, or Timo Bernhard got good Cup ride for a one off and ran well (not a stretch-these guys can drive a race car) he and other fans like him would give them their props. If either got a regular ride and proved their professionalism and drove the car to its limits (again, not a stretch) they would be accepted like any other driver on the circuit.

But there is an element that would not and nothing will change them.

But just don't lump all NASCAR fans into one category.

[manic mechanic]

And I doubt the NASCAR fans we'll really even notice him, assuming he makes the race. If they really wanted to inject culture shock, they'd pull Keiichi Tsuchiya out of retirement and have him run at Sears Point. The guy could run in last the whole race but there'd still be thousands of kids yelling "d0r1ft0!!!" every time he drove by, while at the same time cursing the fact that hes driving an American car. :rolleyes: Now that would be funny!

BTW, Tsuchiya's NASCAR nickname is "Bubba"...

I have a close friend who crewed his car at both California Speedway and Motegi a few years back.

The team was going to put his name on the car, but he said "no", and the team had been calling him Bubba, so that's what went on the car.


manic

[Jag_Warrior]

Who cares what the Nascar fans think. The Nascar fans you guys are refuring to, aren't the fans spending the money at the track. They aren't the reason Toyota is spending millions trying to break in the series. The real nascar fans wouldn't mind a German, Italian or Brazilian.....

And you know this how?

[Steve99]

Honestly, does anybody really think that Jason Plato, Uwe Alzen or Alain Menu wouldn't be able to kick a$$ in a Nextel Cup car if he was given a few days in the car.

Given a fair chance, yes, they could do good. But remember when Scott Pruett tried racing in Cup? Everytime things were looking good, someone would send him into the wall. :shakehead

[Racewriter]

Given a fair chance, yes, they could do good. But remember when Scott Pruett tried racing in Cup? Everytime things were looking good, someone would send him into the wall. :shakehead

:rolleyes: :cry: :rolleyes:

What did that happen, once? Usually, if Pruett wrecked, it was only to interrupt his determined charge to the rear.

[JohnHKart]

Given a fair chance, yes, they could do good. But remember when Scott Pruett tried racing in Cup? Everytime things were looking good, someone would send him into the wall. :shakehead


Yep, and that someone was...............SCOTT PRUETT.

John

[Madmaxfan2]

When ISC bought Homestead, the statue of Emerson Fittipaldi at that track went into storage. What does that tell you about foreign drivers and thier chances in NASCAR ?