When will people realize that you can't have true "stock car" racing?

Question

I get so tired of hearing the same old rant about "all of the cars look the same." People think that they should take a car off of the factory floor and race it. While that would be interesting to see, it would essentially kill the manufacturer competition. Whichever manufacturer produced the best handling, fastest, and most aerodynamic vehicle would be the car every team picked to drive. If Ford had the best show room cars, everybody would be driving Fords. And then you'd have 43 cars that were now EXACTLY the same.....manufacturer and all. The current system allows the manufacturers to be competitive with one another.

Andrew P: So what's your suggestion? Allow different types of cars (some faster and better handling) into the field? How would that be fair? And if you did that, all of the teams would be driving that car.

JustJoshin: I understand completely what you're saying. But what is the alternative? NASCAR racing is highly aero dependent, so how can you allow different body styles onto the track without giving somebody an unfair advantage? People complain about the equipment disparity as it is right now. Let the manufacturers put whatever they want to on the track and it will be even more unfair. You can't put a Charger, a Camaro, and a Mustang out there and expect to have a level playing field. One of the cars will have a distinct advantage simply because it's built a certain way.

Gotta disagree Josh: I'm not going to tune into a race if my guy is driving a Ford, and the Chevy's have a distinct advantage that Ford hasn't been able to duplicate. There has to be a "box" for the manufacturers to work inside of. If one manufacturer continuously makes the best stuff, it'll drive the others out of the sport.

Answer 1

In the past, I've agreed with you, here you're wrong.

Once upon a time, NASCAR competition drove development of better, faster, safer, more aerodynamic cars. Also, the cars were based upon production models. Granted, they were highly modified versions, but they still had the same silhouette none the less.
Now, NASCAR is so out of touch with anything coming off the showroom floor, it's a joke to call them by their showroom counterpart names. When was the last time you saw a carburetor come out of ANY auto manufacturer? Do you realize that the only brand racing a car based on a rear wheel drive car is Dodge? Does Toyota even MAKE a rear wheel drive car?
The COT has made the cars look SO similar now, it's like watching an IROC race. The only thing different is the paint jobs. I say put stock back in stock car racing. Base the cars on production silhouettes. Use "pony" cars (camero, mustang, challenger, etc.) as car bases, maintain stock wheel base, length and width. Get rid of that retarded looking import tuner wing on the back, and pitch that splitter on the front in a lake.

That "unfair" advantage you speak of is exactly what the sport needs. Performance driven development is what keeps the sport from stagnating, keeps fans interested, keeps the rivalry between the brands strong, and keeps NASCAR at the top of the heap in motorsports. Chevrolet comes out with a new, slick body style that will result in a very low aero drag coefficient, then Ford, Dodge and Toyota have to develop something. When Dodge tops that, now the Mopar boys have something to crow about.... For a while. That's always been the secret to the success of NASCAR. Brand recognition. Race on Sunday, sell on Monday. But the cars now are so far away from anything that might be sold, what's the point? It's all the same car, but with different stickers.


That's where we have to agree to disagree. I've always remembered times when Ford would come out with a new LTD, a new Tarus, a new whatever, and you'd have to sit buy and see MAYBE Earnhardt win one or two races that year, and the Ford guys would just SCREAM and cheer for their guys, the Rusty Wallace/Alan Kuliwiki years for example. Then Chevrolet brings out the new Lumina, or the Monty Carlo or whatever, and all the sudden here comes Earnhardt, Gordon, or whoever just dominating for a year or two. Those are the kinds of things that build brand loyalty and those are the kinds of things that keep people interested. With the COT, that's gone, and in my mind, that's what's going to kill the sport. I have no desire to watch "spec" class racing, if it comes to that, I'll go and watch INDYcar or perhaps go to a local dirt track.

Answer 2

... Plain and simple Bizz, I think the technology has out grown the tracks and the cars. They can get so much power from the engines and have played with set ups that they are just too fast for any track.

... You have the new COT designed to have more aero drag to slow it down and make it more stable and less aero dependent. You also have restrictor plates because the cars would leave the ground with the old cars.

... Americans are proud of their Fords, Chevys, and Dodges etc regardless of who drives what. They like to see the distinction between the manufacturers for bragging rights (mine beat yours). I don't think with the current tracks they could have different cars style. I guess that is the reason Nascar has to make these changes.

... I think in and after 2008 when teams have a little more experience with the COT the competition will narrow and people will warm up to it. Nascar (to me) just made a big mistake by limiting testing. The end of the year in 2007 was way better than the beginning with more teams becoming competitive with Hendrick's organization.

Answer 3

ummmmm dont we currently have 43 cars that ARE EXACTLY the same?? looks that way to me, thats what made the racing at Pocono and some other tracks yawn fests.
Hey man im not saying i have the answers but obviously neither does Brian France. Im only saying that as theyve tried to make all the cars cookie cutter cars, its killed the racing. There has to be more of a ummmm "official 'gray area' rule book" or something to what mods can be done, heck if i know. At least get rid of the Car Of Today.
...oh and also instead of all the teams wanting to drive whatever car is the best i would think it would cause other brands that arent fastest to work harder to become the fastest. JustJosh nailed it for me.

...troll you can hack me all you want but youll never get the thumbs up like i do baby!!!

Answer 4

Yeah, when it's happened in the past NASCAR would make a rule prohibiting the "unfair" component, so you're right. It's just a branding thing and the motor development, but if a manufacturer came up with a rocket motor, NASCAR would ban it too.

Answer 5

I wish they would raise them up off the ground like a factory car and let them go all out

Answer 6

I've realized it since Richard Petty started using STP.

STP is the racer's edge!

Answer 7

I realized this a long time ago!!!!

Answer 8

I don't think there are any production cars would be safe on a superspeedway.

Answer 9

very true, even more so with the cot.

Answer 10

We want the T-bird back !!!!
We want the T-bird back !!!!
We want the T-bird back !!!!