In NASCAR, is it more important to be the better driver or to have a superior car?

Answer 1

Excellent question,but because the cars are so very similar driver plays a bigger role in winning.Look no further then the Busch series which is dominated win wise by Cup drivers,because all things being equal equipment wise the Cup drivers are better.But then you have to factor in pit crew,crew chief,luck (both good and bad) and a host of other factors.There are just too many factors to say the most skilled driver will win alot of races.But given the choice ill always take the most skilled racer anyway.

Answer 2

This is a good question. This is the very question, though, that NASCAR is trying to alleviate from the racing equation. In the past, a driver could gain the edge on the competition by having a better car than the rest of the field. Yes, he still had to have the skill to drive the car at the speeds the car could reach, but the fact is, they were allowed to experiment with the cars to gain an advantage, which some did. Now, with the steps NASCAR has taken with the COT and their ever-changing rulebook, they are trying to take the "superior car" out of the race. NASCAR wants an even field so that true driving ability is what wins the race, not the extra horsepower...or so they say.

To answer your question though, given the old way, I'd say it was 45% car, 55% driver. With the changes taking place today to even out the field, it will be more like 85% driver, 15% car.

Answer 3

Very good question. My opinion is that it takes both. Some races in the past where NASCAR didn't throw a debris caution every 20 laps the drivers used to wear there tires down plus they had larger fuel tanks and they would lose grip from being out so long. Most of the time they would be loose and it took quit a bit of skill to motor to the front. Back then too you would see drivers diamond the turns because that was there fastest way around. I guess that is part of what DW would call speriance to know what line to adjust to to keep up or pull ahead.
However if you take most driver with a perfect car they will beat most drivers that are having trouble any day all day.
Keep up with the good question this place can use them.

Answer 4

What has already been said perfectly by so many, charlie bing the first. You need both but a great driver can take a bad care and make due. If you are not a good driver and don't make wise decisions during the heat of battle you will not succeed no matter how good your car is.

Answer 5

A better driver is the key, and experience makes a better driver. A good pit crew is also very important, they can have a great car AND a great driver, but if they can't set the car up none of it matters.

Answer 6

Both, although I would say driver cuz no matter how good the car is set up, or if it the fastest, a bad driver won't be able to get out of the car what it's got.
Example: Tony can (and other good drivers) mess their cars up, but sometimes come back and actually win a race. No Tony isn't my favorite driver, I just happen
to think he is a Great Driver, and I have seen him do this many times...
Great Question!!! My husband and I disagree on this, so we'll see how many agrees with me. hee hee

Answer 7

Anybody in nascar can drive a superior car but it takes driving skill to get the most out of that car.

Answer 8

I think it is more important to be a better driver. Skilled drivers can get more out of a crap car than lame drivers can out of a superior one (cases in point: Brian Vickers at Hendrick, then Casey Mears taking over his car, Jason Leffler in the Fedex car before Denny Hamlin, Jermy Mayfield before Ryan Newman.)

Answer 9

its far more important to have a good car.
lets take mike waltrip as an example. mikey had GREAT restrictor plate cars at places like daytona and talladega - and won races there.
put mikey on any other track in a car that is not clearly superior to the competition, and he is not competitive.

in today's nascar it is much easier for a mediocre driver to win in a great car than for a great driver to win in a mediocre car. you MUST to have a good team to run well consistently.

Answer 10

It's important to have both. A good driver can drive a good car, and not be able to drive a bad car. On the other hand a bad driver wouldn't be able to drive a good car or bad car, unless he got lucky.