Let’s be honest here: the only reason most people watch NASCAR anymore is for the crashes. That’s it. The racing…meh. The fights…yawn. But when a cookie-cutter racing machine that is stickered up to look like a Ford Fusion starts barrel-rolling down the straight, you can bet your ass that there are hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, of fans who are paying full and unbroken attention to what is happening. When everything is predictive and flowing in natural order, it isn’t attractive but the second that is interrupted, it is attractive. And if any of the faux-psychological theories I’ve spewed are accurate, I think I have found a way for NASCAR to boost their ratings to the moon. We’re talking Super Bowl levels, baby!
This is “World Figure-8” racing. It is, near as far as we can tell, a figure-8 track (already a fun option) coupled with what look like Modifieds (feel free to correct me if I’m wrong there) running at tilt for three freaking hours. It’s one thing to get into a battered old Pontiac that was destined for the demo derby later that night and give this a whirl…it’s fun, just trust me!…but to hop into a legit racing machine that was not supposed to crash into another car and give it a whirl is another. We wouldn’t know what would be worse: the inevitable crash, or that moment of full clench as you head towards the center of the track.
(Courtesy: CarThrottle)
They’re close to modifieds. The track is the Indianapolis Speedrome and the Outlaw Figure 8’s are part of the weekly program. Anderson Speedway and the Sports dome Speedway near Louisville also offer the class as part of their regular programs. The World Figure 8 3 hour attracts teams from as far away as California. It starts 32 cars with up to 10 alternates that go on track as cars start to drop out.
I’d never catch on. Not enough wrecks for the idiot fans that have ruined NASCAR.
Oh the joys of turning left,………….and right.
Put trailers behind ’em and then we’d have a race
Let these lunkheads run in reverse only while blindfolded.
Remove the safety fences and move the spectators closer to the track.
Handcuff the ambulance drivers and medics to the outhouse door handles.
Pure white trailer trash heaven.