Grand Prix Rejects

Row Man Gross-Gene wrote:I know so little of Nascar, I'm curious if they still use a standard manual transmission or a sequential gearbox like F1? Also what other differences are there?

4-speed H-pattern with a clutch, although most drivers don't use the third pedal on roadies anymore. The main difference is the weight. Cup cars are pigs: 3800lbs without fuel or driver on tyres hard as bricks (the softest NASCAR compounds would be Hard/Super Hard Pirellis) that are much smaller than F1 tyres. Getting all that weight to corer (with a live rear axle) and brake with steel rotors is a bit of a challenge.

Plus while Traction Control is banned in F1, the engine manufacturers have played with their mapping to "smooth out" power delivery, so TC that isn't called TC. In NASCAR you have 850bhp or so and your right foot is the only TC. Wheelspin is plenty and some veteran drivers (notably Jeff Gordon of all people) could never quite master it.

If Grosjean were to compete in a Cup race, would it help him to practice/race in a EuroNASCAR race first? Or a British pick-up truck race?

The Euro Series cars are closer to the Xfinity Series cars rather than Cup but it wouldn't hurt to get acclimated to what a stock car would feel like.

dr-baker wrote:If Grosjean were to compete in a Cup race, would it help him to practice/race in a EuroNASCAR race first? Or a British pick-up truck race?

EuroNASCAR has some good drivers but none of them have shown much in North America. The races in that series I have seen are a blast to watch.

Those cars don't have the same kind of power that even a Busch/Nationwide/XFinity car or a Camping World truck has. As for a British pickup truck race, I don't think those are much different than EuroNASCAR except that NASCAR isn't using those races to get a European star into NASCAR.

Grosjean is probably good enough to drop into one of NASCAR's top three tiers immediately on a road course. He might be as good as Mattias Ekstrom (who was a threat to win on his debut at Sonoma until Brad Keselowski spun him out), but likely not. Would it be fun to watch Grosjean do a few races in NASCAR?

ABSOLUTELY!

Cynon wrote:

Those cars don't have the same kind of power that even a Busch/Nationwide/XFinity car or a Camping World truck has. As for a British pickup truck race, I don't think those are much different than EuroNASCAR except that NASCAR isn't using those races to get a European star into NASCAR.

This. NASCAR needs to do this if they want more European talent. Then again I don't know just how interested NASCAR's management are in having some drivers come over from across the pond.

CaptainGetz12 wrote:

Cynon wrote:

Those cars don't have the same kind of power that even a Busch/Nationwide/XFinity car or a Camping World truck has. As for a British pickup truck race, I don't think those are much different than EuroNASCAR except that NASCAR isn't using those races to get a European star into NASCAR.

This. NASCAR needs to do this if they want more European talent. Then again I don't know just how interested NASCAR's management are in having some drivers come over from across the pond.

Just how many drivers from EuroNASCAR have made the trip over to America? I know Anthony Kumpen (uncle of Max Verstappen) did some K&N races last year, but I don't know if he's still racing there or if anyone else has joined him.

tommykl wrote:

CaptainGetz12 wrote:

Cynon wrote:

Those cars don't have the same kind of power that even a Busch/Nationwide/XFinity car or a Camping World truck has. As for a British pickup truck race, I don't think those are much different than EuroNASCAR except that NASCAR isn't using those races to get a European star into NASCAR.

This. NASCAR needs to do this if they want more European talent. Then again I don't know just how interested NASCAR's management are in having some drivers come over from across the pond.

Just how many drivers from EuroNASCAR have made the trip over to America? I know Anthony Kumpen (uncle of Max Verstappen) did some K&N races last year, but I don't know if he's still racing there or if anyone else has joined him.

Jeffrey Earnhardt has made the journey the other way across the pond to compete in the Brands Hatch EuroNASCAR round last year. But yeah, so far to date, limited crossover.

Esteban Gutierrez after FP2 wrote:All the bathplug great job I'm doing on the inside is not really perceived by the outside.

You go, Esteban. Continue burning those bridges. Dunno about the rest of you, but Guiterrez has always come across as quite an arrogant and entitled driver. There were rumours that he was bragging to people in the paddock last season that he was guaranteed a Haas seat...long before he was actually confirmed.

Hopefully Gene sees sense and kicks him out in favour of Vergne. It doesn't seem Gutierrez is bringing a huge amount of cash from his Mexican sponsors either...

East Londoner wrote:

Esteban Gutierrez after FP2 wrote:All the bathplug great job I'm doing on the inside is not really perceived by the outside.

You go, Esteban. Continue burning those bridges. Dunno about the rest of you, but Guiterrez has always come across as quite an arrogant and entitled driver. There were rumours that he was bragging to people in the paddock last season that he was guaranteed a Haas seat...long before he was actually confirmed.

Hopefully Gene sees sense and kicks him out in favour of Vergne. It doesn't seem Gutierrez is bringing a huge amount of cash from his Mexican sponsors either...

Esteban may be arrogant and entitled, but this just sounds like standard driver whining about the car. It's not any worse than Grosjean calling the car a disaster, which is also pretty standard whining, but then he's an emotional guy. I guess it's easier to forgive Grosjean though because he's quick. And I'm a fan of the guy!

But Gut is not entirely wrong though, he's had bad luck that has prevented him from showing what he's got. Hopefully he'll get the chance soon.