Put me in that crowd. I turned on the race with 20 laps to go. Same with the nation race saw the whole race as far as I am concerned. As far as picks its a crap shoot. But hats off to the 29 for a good finish. That was the 45 second highlight of the race.

That was probably one of the better Nascar races in recent years. I'd take 88 lead changes over any of the boring 1.5 mile follow the leader tracks any day.

I Could Watch Them Race A Restrictor Plate Race Every Weekend.
It's The Pocono's & Fontana's I Can't Stand.

Love to watch it, hate to pick drivers in Fantasy Racing for it. I think I have always had 2 or more drivers taken out in the Big Ones. How can you not like 88 lead changes between what was it 29 drivers, thats more than half the field. And I like Pocono, 3 different turns, 3 different straits, and you can pit without losing a lap.

    Nathan 

I'm pretty much like Nathan.... I love watching restrictor plate racing but it stinks when it comes to picking drivers for it. You have just as much luck as drawing names from a hat.

But its great to watch, it amazes me how drivers can race in tight packs like that. one wrong move and you can take out half the field.

President Lou Demian wrote:

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I'm pretty much like Nathan.... I love watching restrictor plate racing but it stinks when it comes to picking drivers for it. You have just as much luck as drawing names from a hat.

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 sorry, but I disagree.  Plate racing is hard to make picks for but it isn't a 'crapshoot'.

RTI drivers have had 37 appearances at Daytona. In those races we have scored 7 Top Fives and 4 Top Tens.

RTI drivers have had 38 appearances at Talladega.  In those races we have scored 9 Top Fives and 3 Top Tens.

and I didn't include all the 11th place finishes we have gotten.

(I know not all of these races were under the RTI banner, but I'm just showing results from 4 different men)

We have had bad showings as well (especially me) but there is a strategy to the plate races just as there is a strategy in the real race.

Guess I wasn't the only one. Check out this Head2Head article from NASCAR.com if you want a little more.

http://www.nascar.com/2010/news/features/04/27/head.2.head.richmond.talladega/index.html

I agree Lou, but in a perfect world we'd have a few more of the good tracks and a few less of the bad tracks (Pocono, California, Michigan)! Take away those 6 and split them up between short tracks, road courses and super speedways!

Here's an except from an article on frontstretch.com that I thought the Earnhardt fans might enjoy.

I'm not alone in my dislike of plate racing. Most of the drivers hate it. And we're not just talking about guys who are sore because they wiped out their car, had to be cut out of the carnage, and finished 32nd. Any reasonable person would agree with what the late (as a result of the plates) Dale Earnhardt consistently said from Victory Lane, "I don't care what they say, this ain't real racing."

Another time Earnhardt famously fumed, "If Mr. Bill France could see the sorry mess they've made out of racing here at Daytona, he'd been turning in his grave."

And that's coming from a guy who won ten times at Talladega.

Dale Earnhardtl Jr. has won at Talladega five times, and Daytona twice. Those seven wins easily exceed more than one-third of his total Cup victories. Yet here was his take on Sunday's race:

"It's not really about someone's car handling better or somebody's motor being better. Cars might as well all be kit cars for these two races. It was fun, but it was kind of like a carnival ride. After two or three of 'em, youre kind of like, 'All right, I'm burned out on this.'"

my two cents....
I just love racing ! Period ! I would sit and watch two kids race tricycles in a straight line or around a track and love it ! Nascar's growth and popularity has caused it to lose a good bit of its heritage and tracks we all loved. Afternoons spent at North Wilkesboro or Rockinham are barely even memories anymore and if Nascar had its way Darlington would suffer the same fate. As with any business they are in it to make money and while two races at 'the lady in black' makes more sense to most fans the France's see all the millions they make from corporate sponsors to race in front of a sparse California crowd. Personally I can hardly stay awake to watch Cali or Pocono races but I still tune in each week because I am a fan. Nascar has been in my blood since my dad used to take me to Richmond when it was still the site of the fairgrounds. These days you cant even recognize the same highway much less wonder where the fair was. In this politically correct world where kids don't even have to earn ribbons in events we are lucky Nascar doesn't give a trophy to all who participate. I'm not a great fan of restrictor plate racing but I understand the need to keep the cars from going 240 mph ! Those wrecks are crazy now ! I didn't appreciate seeing Earnhardt die on the track and I would hate to witness that at every super speedway race !

Wow what a great conversation. Even though it is only 40 miles from my house I must agree about Michigan, boring. Pocano was a great track and could be again with more choices for the teams. Racing is about what you like the best and the road courses are great on TV but hard to enjoy in person.
As for speed = death at tracks that is just wrong. These cars are safer than ever and there have been some wrecks that 20 years ago would have resulted in serious injury or death. Death has been an unfortunate part of NASCAR from the begining. Do we stop competative Pit Stops because people could die even at 45mph? No green flag stops, all planned out under caution with no time limit? Everyone exits in the order they enter. I think not.
Again just my .02