Did it take more courage or guts for the older drivers in Nascar to run their cars on the edge?

Question

Driver safety has came along way in Nascar since Dale Sr. died. The cars are much safer, most all tracks have soft walls in the high impact areas. I like the fact that drivers are not being killed or seriously injured in these cars today.
There is still a risk of being hurt or killed in a Nascar stock car, but the chances of it are a lot less than in the past.
It almost always seems that the driver that is able to drive just on the edge of being out of control is faster. Do you think the drivers of today think less about injury than the drivers of say the 70's when on that edge?

Answer 1

Driving on the edge today is much more dangerous than in the 70's or earlier. "The edge" back then was a much more controllable edge due to the tire limitations. The tires were really all that held those care back from going even faster. Today's tires are so good - up to a point - then they suck. The radial tire has massive grip, right up to the point that it looses almost all it's grip. If a driver is in the middle of a turn, he is screwed. How many times have you heard the term "snap spin"? That is what they are referring to. Back in the day, the bias-ply tires had a limited amount of grip, but it was a predictable grip. That is why drivers of cars that weren't set up as well as others could "dirt track it" around a corner. Spinning the rear tires almost all the way through the corner. Now while it is hard on the tire, it still could be done. Try that with a radial, and you are going to hit the wall.
So, in that regard, I think while the safety at the track, and in the cars are better for the drivers now, I have to give the nod to derivers of today have a more difficult time driving the car on the edge.
I think drivers of today don't think about injury any more that drivers of old. They say if you think about getting hurt, that's when it happens. I can see what they were talking about. I have raced motorcycles, and snowmobiles. Every time I worried about something it came true. You can't seem to avoid it. It is kind of like a self-fulfilling prophecy.....

Stevo.

Answer 2

It defiantly took more guts back then safety wasn't near as good as it is today and when there was a wreck the result was much more horrific, my dad worked as a mechanic for a cup team and he seen a car go over the wall upside down it took the whole roof off they had to cover a huge blood stain on the wall, and take a look at Richard Petty's famous crash, he flipped I think it was 7-8 time and walked away from it with just some bruises, Safety has come along way, I'm not saying there aren't any bad wrecks today I was in Daytona when Cristy Passmore wrecked she hit the wall was knocked out and floored it bounced off the wall a couple of times before blowing the engine and ending up in the tri-oval the wreck was so bad they impounded the car, and airlifted her to the hospital, Anyway I got off on a tangent, it took more courage and guts back in the day

Answer 3

I'm not sure what the difference between guts or courage is, but the older drivers are used to the older way of driving. As the sport evolves your driving style has to as well. Dale went through that transition in the late 90s. He had a few years where he was always up front but not the threat he was in the earlier model car. As the 90s were coming to a close he started to improve. And in 2000 he almost won his 8th. I don't think any driver is holding back because of fear, just wisdom.

Answer 4

either that or a touch of insanity. You have to push your machine to the limit in any motorsport to be the top competitor. You can do quite a job by intimidation too. Just think of those guys who race motorcycles. You can't improve too much on the safety of a motorcycle, but you still have to be competitive. I think the current NASCAR racers are pretty lucky to be able to walk away from so many crashes, as long as they don't become too complacent with all the added safety features. It's not that they had more courage in the earlier times of NASCAR racing. It's just that's all they knew, it's all they had to work with. In retrospect, some of those guys look like daredevils. They're more like a little piece of history. In comparison it makes NASCAR racing today look like an Easter egg hunt, although a crash at over 150mph should never be looked upon as ever being safe.

Answer 5

I can only imagine the courage it takes to go 200 mph. I've only gone up to 120 mph, and that was a rush (and pretty damn stupid- even on a quiet summer evening in the middle of nowhere).
I can't fathom the risk factor in the old days when I think of the descriptions of the gruesome wrecks of Fireball Roberts, Don Mac Tavish, and the unfortunate end of Joe Weatherly.

We've come a long way- but the wrecks Mikey, Jimmie Johnson and Shrub went through remind that still, there's a high risk factor at that speed.

Answer 6

I love this frigen question i got numbers and drivers. im not going to pick the best guys because i would never have the money to own a team with jimmie, kyle, and carl. i take it this is for Winston Cup #63 Brian Vickers - Coors Light/Wrigleys Gum Chevy #27 Aj Allmendinger - Academy Sports & Outdoors/Chipotle Chevy #83 Ricky Carmichael - Monster Energy Chevy That would be my dream team. Vickers a veteran and my favorite driver. Allmendinger a rising star that deserves a break. Carmichael a very marketable popular driver that could convert some dirt bike fans over to NASCAR

Answer 7

All drivers have plenty of Guts Or Courage today as in the Past. As a race car driver myself you dont think about the Wreck happening to you!!! If you do then you have lost your edge. The edge is what you think about do I push it harder and take the chance of spinning out to get from 4th to 3rd or do I keep my car under control and take 4th instead of 22nd? That is what most drivers think about. Then Hope next weekend is better!!!!!

Answer 8

I'd have to say,more back in the day. Those were radial truck tire's back then. At almost the same speed's !! Not to say today's drivers don't have any guts or anything !! But back then,when you seen car's flip,''over the wall'' and ''leave the racetrac'' it probably had more of an effect,on their minds,then it does today !!! Today you see Ryan Newman and others walk away from todays crashes with only bruises.
I remember Ricky Rudd once,taped his eye's ''open'' to be able to race after a previous wreck that swelled his eye's shut
I just don't see o'le Gordie Boy doing anything like that!!! lol

Answer 9

I am not sure they even thought much about it in the 70's. Most drivers I hear interviewed from all eras seem to put injury or worse out of their mind and just run on the edge.

Answer 10

If I thought about what could happen to me when driving the "Big Truck", I wouldn't have the nerve to drive it.
I would think these guys had to just believe if anything would happen, it would happen to someone else.
Even after a wreck, they have to think it wasn't their time, and it won't happen again. Sounds crazy, but you can't "drive on the edge" if you're worried about wrecking.

Snake, I remember that wreck Newman had in his "sophomore season" at Daytona. How he was able to walk away from THAT is a testament to how safe those cars are!