F1 driver Kimi Räikkönen to the NASCAR

[MaSonZ]

Yeah ... great preparation for full racing speeds under racing conditions and into a situation (3-wide) that is never encountered in practice ... that will work out great for a newbie NASCAR driver at Daytona.

Like is said ... chittin' his pants and screaming all the way thru.

I don't know how many practice runs and how many laps to a practice NASCAR gets, but once you get a feel of the car and the track i doubt its not nearly as daunting as it looks.

[SlapShot]

I don't know how many practice runs and how many laps to a practice NASCAR gets, but once you get a feel of the car and the track i doubt its not nearly as daunting as it looks.

I don't imagine that the speeds or the track would upset him one bit, but there is never a situation in F1 that could ever prepare anyone going into and thru a corner at 190+ mph with 2 other cars right next to you. Wait till he gets bump drafted for the first time or what will he think when the car behind him fills his rear view mirror and there is another car off his right or left door just 3 feet away and he is only 10 ft behind the car in front of him ... for the whole straight away and then into the corner. You never see those situations in an F1 race.

As Larry the Cable Guy would say ... that's some scary watermelon right there ... I don't care who you are.

I have a feeling that if he does join NASCAR, he will be a lot humbler than his fans are with regards to him racing on a NASCAR track. He may have been god's gift to F1, but that doesn't mean that he will saunter into NASCAR and dominate like he did in F1. If JPM is any indication of a F1 driver transitioning to NASCAR, it will be quite awhile before he see the podium.

I would wish him all the best and hope he has a fruitful career in NASCAR, but all this F1 drivers are the cream of the crop crap and NASCAR drivers can only turn left ... please.

Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson showed the world that NASCAR drivers can turn left and right.

EDIT : When was the last time you went 200+ mph and 190+ mph thru a corner ? I have done 135 on the back stretch of Watkins Glen and then down to 80+ into the "bus stop" ... I don't know about you, but it made my hole pucker each and every time.

[MaSonZ]

I don't imagine that the speeds or the track would upset him one bit, but there is never a situation in F1 that could ever prepare anyone going into and thru a corner at 190+ mph with 2 other cars right next to you. Wait till he gets bump drafted for the first time or what will he think when the car behind him fills his rear view mirror and there is another car off his right or left door just 3 feet away and he is only 10 ft behind the car in front of him ... for the whole straight away and then into the corner. You never see those situations in an F1 race.

As Larry the Cable Guy would say ... that's some scary watermelon right there ... I don't care who you are.

I have a feeling that if he does join NASCAR, he will be a lot humbler than his fans are with regards to him racing on a NASCAR track. He may have been god's gift to F1, but that doesn't mean that he will saunter into NASCAR and dominate like he did in F1. If JPM is any indication of a F1 driver transitioning to NASCAR, it will be quite awhile before he see the podium.

I would wish him all the best and hope he has a fruitful career in NASCAR, but all this F1 drivers are the cream of the crop crap and NASCAR drivers can only turn left ... please.

Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson showed the world that NASCAR drivers can turn left and right.

EDIT : When was the last time you went 200+ mph and 190+ mph thru a corner ? I have done 135 on the back stretch of Watkins Glen and then down to 80+ into the "bus stop" ... I don't know about you, but it made my hole pucker each and every time.

your right. although there is some buimbs in F1 so a bump wouldnt be to new to him.


I like that Larry the Cable guy. +1

[SlapShot]

your right. although there is some buimbs in F1 so a bump wouldnt be to new to him.


I like that Larry the Cable guy. +1

Yeah ... but they aren't bumping at 190+ mph and in most cases the F1 car is out of the race after a true bump where a NASCAR car will keep going if they don't get squirrely and get into the wall.

[morfiend]

 Slap, I tend to agree with you even if you overstated a few things. Kimi is "supposed" to be very good on ice and of slippery tracks.I cant say as I havent seen any of his rally driving but thats how he go his F1 ride to begin with.

 However if he does come to NASCAR he wont last,like I said he cant or doesnt like to talk and when he does you cant hear him as it's a quiet monotonic persona that comes out.  He'll be so outta place from the good Ole boys then even Montoya will seem like one of them!

 I've seen him interviewed many times and never once really saw any excitement/anger or any type of emotion.....  Hmmm

  sort of explains some of his personal demon's.

[Mus51]

Slapshot, you seem to underestimate Kimi.

I agree there is a high chance he will fail, but Kimi is just to chillaxed to scream like a girl with cars around him at 190 mph. I think he doesn't care really

[icepac]

I think Mika Hakkinnen would be a good nascar driver on the superspeedways.

[DrDea]

ILMC and F1 put NASCAR to shame. I grew up around NASCAR, but I cant stand watching the dog chase its tail. or the rock em sock em cause they made you mad. F1, and as far as i know, ILMC too, are very gentlemen like sports.

Gentlemanly eh? I dont have them on hand but I remember the snooty crowd getting their panties all bunched up when the NASCAR race was set for Indy. They said the rednecks were going to tear the hallowed grounds up.
 Guess how many booze related arrests their were. ZERO. They also said there are alway a bunch for the INDY race tho from the snooty guys. Go figure.
 Other than that stat,you cant even compare the 2 styles.

[Mus51]

i vote for Ricky Bobby as teh fastest drivr ever!!  

[Kazaa]

Slapshot,

Kimi didn't dominate in F1, No driver has since Schumacher.

[MaSonZ]

Slapshot,

Kimi didn't dominate in F1, No driver has since Schumacher.

wasnt even a race when Schumacher was in his prime. Soon as he got second or third we knew who was winning.and it was seldom he didnt win unless he let Barrichello win for a change. He lost it since his LOA though 

[saggs]

Slapshot,

Kimi didn't dominate in F1, No driver has since Schumacher.

I have a sneaking suspicion that Vettel might yet though.

As for Kimi's demeanor, he is pretty laid back in the Fin way.  I used to love Mikka Hakkinen's one syllable answers at podium press conferences.  

I think the difference is that Kimi had kind of a lazy who-gives-a-crap attitude off track, which doesn't fly in F1.  

Anyone else remember when he missed the drivers' briefing.

Reporter "Kimi, why did you miss the mandatory drivers briefing?"

Kimi  "I had to take a s**t!"

And somebody else already mentioned when he was partying on a yacht at Monaco before the race was even over.

[rpm]

I love the "ovals are boring" crowd. They would rather watch a car run at a fraction of it's speed twisting and turning for a hundred miles or so than a car running flat out on the edge over 500 miles. How are you going to run continuous top speed unless you make the track oval? I'd love to see a NASCAR race from Reno to Vegas, but it ain't gonna happen.

Don't get me wrong, road racing is fun but most tracks are too confined and the speeds too slow. As stated earlier it's all about blocking and follow the leader. Indy is where both worlds meet. Unfortunately, that series is run by idiots.

Rally and Off Road are great with the toughest racing out there, driver and car are pushed to the edge in harsh conditions. I watch WRC when I get the chance and never miss anything on Baja.

[Kazaa]

A true motorsports fan can appreciate all forms of racing.

[Debrody]

Slapshot,

Kimi didn't dominate in F1, No driver has since Schumacher.

Kimi didnt dominate in the f1, but he was as fast as Schumacher, who always had the best car between 1999-2004. Kimi was faster then Culthard, Montoya, or Massa. He was in the top 5, who had the same skills (in my opinion): Schumacher, Alonso, Vettel, Kimi, Hamilton. Thats why the last few years were a golden age of the F1, large amount of great drivers.