WRC vs. Nascar at Race of Champions
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From: formerly elgorey, VIRginia
WRC vs. Nascar at Race of Champions
http://www.wrc.com/en_GB/News/NewsDe...fChampions.htm
"NASCAR Winston Cup champion Jeff Gordon and his sensational rookie protege Jimmie Johnson will take on the world's best rally drivers in this year's Nations' Cup element of the Michelin Race of Champions. "
Travis Pastrana (MD native!) will also drive. so 2 nascar drivers and an x-games motocross rider are going to represent the USA against the worlds top rally drivers. Personally I wish they would have picked Robby Gordon and a Prorally guy along with pastrana. oh well.
[Modified by elgorey, 9:45 PM 12/4/2002]
"NASCAR Winston Cup champion Jeff Gordon and his sensational rookie protege Jimmie Johnson will take on the world's best rally drivers in this year's Nations' Cup element of the Michelin Race of Champions. "
Travis Pastrana (MD native!) will also drive. so 2 nascar drivers and an x-games motocross rider are going to represent the USA against the worlds top rally drivers. Personally I wish they would have picked Robby Gordon and a Prorally guy along with pastrana. oh well.
[Modified by elgorey, 9:45 PM 12/4/2002]
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Re: WRC vs. Nascar at Race of Champions (elgorey)
Dirt bikes and oval racing... that pretty much sums the country up right?
Tell me again how they got two Nascar guys?
I'm sure they just picked the biggest names they could come up with so they could convince some network to pay them tons of money to air it.... We certainly wouldn't tune in to watch some no-name Prorally guy drive.
[Modified by JeffS, 1:56 PM 9/19/2002]
The contest involves each participating nation entering a team of three, comprising one rally or off-road driver, one circuit racer and one bike rider.
I'm sure they just picked the biggest names they could come up with so they could convince some network to pay them tons of money to air it.... We certainly wouldn't tune in to watch some no-name Prorally guy drive.
[Modified by JeffS, 1:56 PM 9/19/2002]
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From: 50mi west of Hell, Michigan
Re: WRC vs. Nascar at Race of Champions (JeffS)
At least one of them has driven a rally car (Travis tested with one WRC team, as favor to his sponsors I think) Hopefully the hillbillies drove some dirt track back in day. Looked at the site, Johnson used to off-road race trucks. Maybe they will make it interesting. At least JG knows how to turn right, kinda 
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From: formerly elgorey, VIRginia
Re: WRC vs. Nascar at Race of Champions (JeffS)
I'm sure they just picked the biggest names they could come up with so they could convince some network to pay them tons of money to air it.... We certainly wouldn't tune in to watch some no-name Prorally guy drive.
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From: formerly elgorey, VIRginia
Re: WRC vs. Nascar at Race of Champions (91SiKen)
At least one of them has driven a rally car (Travis tested with one WRC team, as favor to his sponsors I think)
I would have picked Robby Gordon, because he is a big name, he used to dominate truck offroad racing, and has shown that he is just one of those drivers that is fast in anything. He tested with a WRC team and was very fast. Since he races nasscar now, he could qualify as the teams circuit driver, even though he has extensive off road experience.
For the dirt driver, I would have picked Paul Choinoire, Hyundai Rally team usa driver. I dont know of any americans with more rally experience. all the other ProRally drivers that win are from overseas. (are Rhys and Rod Millen from usa? if so i change my pick to one of them)
And i think Pastrana was a good pick for the motorcycle driver
I think that team could compete with anything that the other countries can produce. well, except maybe finland.
[Modified by elgorey, 3:12 PM 9/19/2002]
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Re: WRC vs. Nascar at Race of Champions (elgorey)
Too bad they won't let Jimmie Johnson run a desert racing Trophy Truck. 750 hp, 650 lb/ft, 5700 lbs, 25"+ suspension travel. Just run right over them little rallye cars and never feel the bump.
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Re: WRC vs. Nascar at Race of Champions (elgorey)
Yeah, it's easy to pick Robby Gordon now that he has already been to Gran Canaria and beat up on the European rally stars before. People were making the same jokes about him before he ran there as are being made here. Can we make this strand sticky so it will be handy after the racing is done? I don't expect dominance but would not be at all surprised if they both don't do fine - Johnson better, probably.
Kirk
Kirk
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Re: WRC vs. Nascar at Race of Champions (Knestis)
I agree with Mr. Rule Nerd (oh wait, is that just your IT.com moniker?).
All of the younger NASCAR drivers are more than capable of driving damn near anything at a high level. Many grew up in karts. Just 'cause they choose to go left, doesn't mean they can't go right when the mood strikes them.
All of the younger NASCAR drivers are more than capable of driving damn near anything at a high level. Many grew up in karts. Just 'cause they choose to go left, doesn't mean they can't go right when the mood strikes them.
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Re: WRC vs. Nascar at Race of Champions (Crack Monkey)
And they'll probably spend at least SOME time training, if they have any bit of intelligence, or he'll find himself face to face with a tree trunk.
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Re: WRC vs. Nascar at Race of Champions (stealthx32)
Ya'll are also forgetting that Jeff Gordon is a competent road racer. He's usually at or near the top of the field when they run at Watkins Glen.
<-- That's right, I like NASCAR... I like ALL motorsports
<-- That's right, I like NASCAR... I like ALL motorsports
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From: formerly elgorey, VIRginia
Re: WRC vs. Nascar at Race of Champions (itr01-0851)
Ya'll are also forgetting that Jeff Gordon is a competent road racer. He's usually at or near the top of the field when they run at Watkins Glen.
I do think they will perform admirably though, its not going to be a massacre or anything.
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From: Debt, Ca
Re: WRC vs. Nascar at Race of Champions (LShbVTEC)
All three of those stupid yanks will end up upside down in a patch of trees...
Anyway, I think it'll be interesting to see if Gordon and Johnson can handle themselves in a world class forum like this one. I don't know why they didn't choose Ricky Carmichael (sp) for the moto-x leg.
I just don't like our odds in the rally section. Going up against Marcus Gronholm? I'll pass.
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Re: WRC vs. Nascar at Race of Champions (elgorey)
Im not forgetting that, in fact I respect JG a lot as a driver. However this isnt a road circuit, its a rally format 30% tarmac and 70% gravel/dirt. I just dont think american pavement oval racers can compete with europeans who have done this stuff their entire lives.
I do think they will perform admirably though, its not going to be a massacre or anything.
I do think they will perform admirably though, its not going to be a massacre or anything.
i completely agree
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Re: WRC vs. Nascar at Race of Champions (elgorey)
Looking at the results from last year http://www.imp.mc/rocwebsite/index.htm it appears that the US team (Shawn Palmer, Robbie Gordon, Rhys Millen) made it to the semi-finals of the ROC Nations Cup, with good results in the head-to-head matches. Not too shabby against folks who drive those cars for a living. Note that Gordon had the fastest circuit time by 1.5 seconds, and Palmer had third fastest time in Moto.
Just for fun, lets put the British team in American race cars. Johnny Herbert in a Winston Cup car at Darlington, and Alister McRae in a Class 1 buggy for Baja.
BTW, what kind of bike racing is included? Is it moto-x or super-motard?
Just for fun, lets put the British team in American race cars. Johnny Herbert in a Winston Cup car at Darlington, and Alister McRae in a Class 1 buggy for Baja.
BTW, what kind of bike racing is included? Is it moto-x or super-motard?
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Re: WRC vs. Nascar at Race of Champions (LShbVTEC)
you are pathetic, they have no chance and will definatly not win. The End.
Look man, there are some subtleties here that might be getting past you. The point is not whether they win or don't win. Only ONE team can win and only one driver can have the fastest lap times but that little limitation does NOT make it pointless to compete. How abour relative success? How about a "good showing" for drivers who don't drive WRC cars for a living? Robby Gordon made a more-than-favorable impression last year and left a lot of rally regulars thinking just a little more positively about the talent pool here in the 'States. Hell, he got a job offer out of it, if the rumors are to be believed...
Why does it always have to be US vs. THEM. We rock, they suck. Oh, yeah? Yeah - meet me in the parking lot. Screw that, I'll smoke a ALCM into your living room. Me and the rest of the gawddam moral relativists think a little tolerance would be a good thing.
There - I feel better.
Kirk
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From: Shiny side up dammit, MO
Re: WRC vs. Nascar at Race of Champions (Knestis)
you are pathetic, they have no chance and will definatly not win. The End.
Slow to catch on, maybe...
Look man, there are some subtleties here that might be getting past you. The point is not whether they win or don't win. Only ONE team can win and only one driver can have the fastest lap times but that little limitation does NOT make it pointless to compete. How abour relative success? How about a "good showing" for drivers who don't drive WRC cars for a living? Robby Gordon made a more-than-favorable impression last year and left a lot of rally regulars thinking just a little more positively about the talent pool here in the 'States. Hell, he got a job offer out of it, if the rumors are to be believed...
Why does it always have to be US vs. THEM. We rock, they suck. Oh, yeah? Yeah - meet me in the parking lot. Screw that, I'll smoke a ALCM into your living room. Me and the rest of the gawddam moral relativists think a little tolerance would be a good thing.
There - I feel better.
Kirk
Slow to catch on, maybe...
Look man, there are some subtleties here that might be getting past you. The point is not whether they win or don't win. Only ONE team can win and only one driver can have the fastest lap times but that little limitation does NOT make it pointless to compete. How abour relative success? How about a "good showing" for drivers who don't drive WRC cars for a living? Robby Gordon made a more-than-favorable impression last year and left a lot of rally regulars thinking just a little more positively about the talent pool here in the 'States. Hell, he got a job offer out of it, if the rumors are to be believed...
Why does it always have to be US vs. THEM. We rock, they suck. Oh, yeah? Yeah - meet me in the parking lot. Screw that, I'll smoke a ALCM into your living room. Me and the rest of the gawddam moral relativists think a little tolerance would be a good thing.
There - I feel better.
Kirk
well said man
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Re: WRC vs. Nascar at Race of Champions (carl_aka_carlos)
A good driver is a good driver. A lot of NASCAR drivers grew up running road courses in carts, driving mini-sprints, etc. I have a feeling as much as I dislike NASCAR and specifically JG, they will suprise you.
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Re: WRC vs. Nascar at Race of Champions ( Rob)
gordon started his career on dirt track sprint cars, so he has at least a little bit of sliding in his bundle of tricks.
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From: imma young chinese boy
Re: WRC vs. Nascar at Race of Champions ( Zero)
Yep, NASCAR drivers have done their fair share of weird random driving too. Just look at Dale Earnhardt Jr. when they let him drive a C5-R. Didn't he get 3rd place?