Just two pictures showing the differences in pole celebrations...

So you are reinforcing the image of F1 drivers being group hugging panzies ?

Unless the pole sitter in NASCAR gets to shoot the guy who came last in the face, Cheney style, I fail to see the point in handling a gun at a motorsport event.

You have obviously never been to a NASCAR race...and yes, I speak from years of personal experience.

Someone needs to teach the NASCAR guy how to put your finger on the trigger to fire it :-/

Although I realize this is more for comedic purposes than anything, it does somehow represent what I view to be a rather large contrast between the sportsmanship and camaraderie of NASCAR drivers vs. that of F1 drivers. Sure, tempers flare up in F1, but it's nothing compared to the juvenile BS I see going on in NASCAR more and more these days.

WTF? No way you got that from these two photos...first of all, the shotgun was some sort of sponsor's deal I'm guessing since it was at the Texas race and involves Dale Jr.; second of all, if I remember correctly, all last year we had the soap opera between Lewis & Alonso so F1 has its share of drama queens also. Both sports have plenty of sportsmanship & camaraderie so to somehow use this as a way to put one group above the other is ludicrous.

WTF? You're right, I didn't get that from those two photos...First of all, I realize that the shotgun was a sponser's deal, it further reinforces the redneck image of NASCAR.; Second of all, I do realize that F1 has its share of drama and tempers. I am not using this photo as a way to put "one group above the other", all I said was that it somehow represented WHAT I VIEW to be a relatively large gap between the level of sportsmanship and camaraderie among NASCAR drivers to that of F1 drivers. I am not saying that I draw this viewpoint solely from the above photos, I'm saying from what I've seen on TV and on the news, there is some serious childishness and unsportsmanlike actions going on in NASCAR that are not present anywhere near as much in the world of F1.

There is drama and whining and bitching in every form of motorsports on the face of the Earth. It just so happens NASCAR and F1 are the two most televised events. However, the lack of maturity and irrationalness is far more prevalent in, say, NASCAR than F1. Yes, 2007 was the epic year of the spying controversy and the drama between a hotshot rookie and a two-time world champion in the same team. Yes, there was a lot of back and forth in the media and the British and Spanish media agencies pretty much went to war.

But, when was the last time, in Formula 1, you saw somebody chuck a fucking helmet at a competitor's car because you thought he screwed you over? Frankly, there's plenty of story lines within NASCAR which NASCAR itself, as the corporate body, would love to exploit. The personal rivalries between drivers and teams. Betrayals, and friendships. Kind of like a soap opera.

My argument is simple. It's far, far, far more common in NASCAR than it is in F1. And I can't help but think NASCAR just relishes the idea of a conflict to shoot up those driver rivalries to inspire ticket sales.

Oh, yeah, and if you want a list of some well known conflicts in F1 then here you go....

http://f1rejects.com/hall/tyson/index.html

http://f1rejects.com/hall/rivalries/index.html

I see the point you guys are making about how NASCAR uses their conflicts to raise sales & ratings and also how much more on-track incidents and childish behavior occurs...I do have to say though that the nature of the sport is part of the reason you would see more conflicts since open-wheel wouldn't have bumping & rubbing but you also wouldn't see nearly as much of the intra-team helping during races to pass or the helping of other organizations off the track. The nature of the racing is different and breeds different types of conflict and sportsmanship so I don't think the gap is that big...

Plus, we get a whole lot more media coverage on NASCAR here then we do in F1...imagine if a drive said "If he doesn't, then I'm gonna kick three colours of shit out of the little bastard" to any reporter for NASCAR? That would definitely be on every sports cast that night but Formula One does a better job of keeping these incidents private...doesn't mean that they don't happen.

Eh, I agree with you guys about the redneck stuff and immaturity, I just took it the wrong way when I saw "sportsmanship & camaradarie".

bing, if you want to see some bumping and rubbing in a closed car with close racing then feel free to watch WTCC, BTCC, or even the Asia Stock Car series. Minus the hotheadedness.

Racing is racing, and, just like every other sport, there are folks who do unsportsmanlike things. I'm not going to rank these series according to sportsmanlike conduct because it'd be a waste. The level of maturity of race car drivers is pretty much the same, from your local drag strip/autocross to the high-dollar, multi-billion dollar series. F1 is on the same level as NASCAR, without a doubt. Call them rednecks or eurosluts, but for the most part, NASCAR and Forumla 1 guys are just as likely to tell reporters that racing is racing and they'll be back to dominate next weekend.

And Phix, call NASCAR immature for folks jumping through windshields (that was a NASCAR feeder series, not Winston/Nextel Cup) and throwing helmets, but Formula 1 has a higher chance of someone "crashing" in the middle of a qualifying lap that just so happened to keep someone off the pole...

Race car drivers are the same across the globe, some good ones, some less-than-savory ones.

Oh, please, Michael Schumacher has been lynched to hell that it's not even worth mentioning anymore. Everyone is pretty much aware of his crashing into Damon Hill, Jacques Villeneuve, and supposedly botching up a corner on the streets of Monaco.

F1 has a long tradition of that sort of behavior, lest we forget the 1990 race at Suzuka...

But you're right. And NASCAR has their fair share of jackasses (I'd make an Intimidator joke here, but making fun of him is punishable by death in Texas) Point stands to reason though, every motorsport has their fair share of overgrown boys acting awesomely dumb.

I think the main point that stands is that yes, every motorsport has their fair share of overgrown boys acting awesomely dumb, but NASCAR manages to have far more than their fair share.

Maybe it's not the behaviour of the drivers so much, but the fans reaction to it?

I don't know much about NASCAR fans (other than the typical stereotypes) but would it be fair to say that NASCAR's audience would be more willing to tolerate less gentlemanly behaviour? Or more willing to admit that they enjoy watching it (assuming some F1 fans like it when the drives step out of line)?

I think they like the drama as much as the racing, whereas (I would assume) F1 fans care much much more about the racing itself. Like Phix said...its kind of like a soap opera. Just a very expensive redneck testosterone driven soap opera.

Neither of the cars can beat a SRT4 so everyone just shut the hell up.

























boobies.

Unless the pole sitter in NASCAR gets to shoot the guy who came last in the face, Cheney style.

Yes, that's what Bjorn said.

There are much better ways to compare the two most popular motor sports in the world:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ot4n-vcHlfY...feature=related

vs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iLcexXxGZE




Much more to the point

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sazLdKhqSCk

vs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmKi9wuiQN0&NR=1



Much much much more to the point

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8fR5yNyWyU

vs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCAZ7hVa20s...feature=related (ignore the music)


I think that pretty much sums up the gap between F1 and NASCAR.


Here is my argument: F1 is a WORLD championship. NASCAR is a regional almost spec series. Comparing the two is like comparing the Olympics to a national track and field competition. When all is said and done, winning a regional event means you are better than the others around you (teams and individuals) but winning a world wide competition means you are the best on the planet. The NASCAR mindset for the most part brings about an isolation from other manufacturers, people and cultures. That in my mind robs a NASCAR victory of any meaning for me.

Now I know that Juan Pablo Montoya is driving in NASCAR now, but this does not mean that the best drivers from the world over are competing for a title. It means that JP couldn't find a way to be competitive in F1 and went where the money is. And I know that Toyota competes now, but we all know that is not a Japanese car.

I'm also not saying that there is no talent in NASCAR. Gordan in particular is very good. I'm just saying that they aren't being put to the ultimate test. That's what keeps me coming back to F1 time and again, I want to see the best drivers, teams, and engineers the world has to offer competing against each other for one title.

Last time i checked you have drivers from other nationalities racing in NASCAR as well so not sure about the whole regional deal.