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March 23, 2007
The Dawn Of A New Era
By Mark Young
Today NASCAR opens a new chapter of the modern era of stock car racing. Three years of speculation, analyzing, criticizing, and praise will be put to test on Sunday when the Car of Tomorrow becomes the car of now. How will the front splitter hold up? Will the rear wing come into play? Will it allow for more air onto the front of a pursuing car? Will the racing action be better? Some of these questions will be answered, some of them won't.
I have been an optimistic fan for over a year now and am very anxious to see what happens because I believe something had to change with the way these cars are made. The cars of yesterday had become modern art so to speak with twisted chassis and contorted bodies.
Hopefully we won't have to put the safety features to test because if we do then that surely means a driver has been put in a compromising position and we all don't want to see that. I sincerely hope that the racing on the track will be the focus of conversation on Monday morning rather than blown out of proportion discussions about a car that every team and every driver will have to drive for many more races to come. Some people are going to hate it and some are going to love it, regardless of all that if they want to race this is the vehicle they have to build and drive.
The car of tomorrow has become the car of now......LET'S GO RACIN'!!!!
That's what I think, what say you?
March 23, 2007 | Permalink
Comments
Mark,
Harry Gant was quoted, on that other site, as saying,"If NASCAR hadn't let the teams alter and shift things around on the race cars, we could be racing the "Car of Today" and there would be no need for a "Car of Tomorrow." That's a loose quote but expresses my feelings exactly. There hasn't been "Stock" in NASCAR for quite some time and this takes it a step further.
But, as it is, something needs to be done to improve the racing (Chime in anytime, MD, with the wickerbill, wheels and spoilers). Will this help? Who knows besides MD? I guess we'll have to wait and see. Still, I can only see one reason behind Bristol, one of the least aero of the venues, as the debut track for the COT. My guess is that it's an "Inspection Process" and "Durability test" platform. Ok, that's 2 reasons...sue me.
But, as a wise man stated, "The proof of the pudding is in the tasting." And, in similar ilk, "The proof of the COT will be in the racing!" Let's go racin'!
Posted by: Keith | Mar 23, 2007 9:36:30 AM
Mark,
LOL, the COT has become the "Car of Now?" So, it's just a con?
Posted by: Keith | Mar 23, 2007 9:49:07 AM
Yes Keith just like the con on a sub.
Posted by: Mark | Mar 23, 2007 10:54:43 AM
It's a race car. It may be a different-looking race car, but it's a race car. When NASCAR downsized in 1981 the cars looked different, but they turned out to be race cars and folks like Petty and Pearson and Waltrip and Yarborough kept on racing. I'd rather have NASCAR designing the cars than throwing phantom yellows. What? They're gonna do both?
Posted by: Doug in CA | Mar 23, 2007 12:06:39 PM
Hello Again Mark...
Bristol is legendary to racing. I drove modified's there when it first opened. Nothing can surpass the memories of the wheel to wheel racing that we did. NASCAR has hung it all on the line with the COT. Even they, cannot spin their way out of this if it fails. For the sake of racing, I hope it is successful and will restore excitement to racing...for racing fans. I can't help but believe that we are in for a year of multiple adjustments and corrections that will overshadow anything close to good exciting racing as we go from track to track. A new NASCAR spin every week. It is all we have for viewing, other than round ball sports. I don't expect it to have the touch, feel and exhileration that the old modified's had at Bristol. One thing for sure and certain, you won't fool the Bristol fans...with anything, including the COT.
Jim
Posted by: Jim | Mar 23, 2007 1:32:24 PM
Doug in Ca,
In '81 normal cars downsized as well. So, NASCAR was still following the "Stock," "market available," car trend of the day. And, not the slide the bodies, flare the fenders of the 90's to present. Me, I'd rather go back to "stock" before IROC-ing the sport. But, I'll give it a chance. Bristol is an endurance test only. I want to see it function on a speedway where it matters.
Posted by: Keith | Mar 23, 2007 1:48:39 PM
Jim,
Bristol is losing allure because the "Chase" makes the top drivers play for the finish and not fight for the win. The COT won't help that...On the other hand, the COT's might look like modifieds after the event, since, it's their first drive in a full field. As for Dougs "phantom yellows," a wing on the track will be easy to spot.
Posted by: Keith | Mar 23, 2007 1:56:18 PM
Mark I will hold my comments till later about COT but am looking forward to this weekend
Posted by: Trucker | Mar 23, 2007 3:37:48 PM
Trucker,
Bristol is definitely unique. And, I'm sure this years fans will enjoy this spring's weather (last year sucked). Maybe, NASCAR should have looked at Bristol before designing tracks. Not that I want any Bristol clones, but maybe they'd have seen that you don't have to pave 1.5mi cookie cutters to get the fans to come. Fans file in 160,000 strong, with no empty seats; TV ratings are solid. Richmond is the same...Ok rant done .
Posted by: Keith | Mar 23, 2007 4:21:10 PM
Keith, it's the points that make for "dull races." We had tight championship battles before the chase and under the chase, and we have had points racing before the chase and under the chase. Maybe diverting money from the points fund to race purses would help. Remember when winning a stick and ball championship was about the winner's share of the money? (I hate the chase, remember? But I also don't have any major problem with the points system.)
Bristol: maybe it's because 90% of the people have a terrific view of the whole track? I have top seats at Fontana, but the cars are little specks on the backstretch.
COT: by all means, let's sit back and see what happens. Like you say, the racing is what counts. I hope it works. Even though I have been a fan for some 30 years, I have never paid much attention to "Ford" v "Chevy" v "Dodge." They're NASCAR cars.
Posted by: Doug in CA | Mar 23, 2007 6:17:59 PM
Bristol will prove nothing, it's not a downforce track...it's Bristol, I agree with Ol handsome Harry, when Nascar allowed the Lumina, the crying wars began..One thing I have noticed, Ol Morgan Shepard will have to lease a COT, I can see Independant teams a thing of the past...Hey Mark, got any Coca Cola? I'm suddenly thirsty!
Posted by: Fan #5 | Mar 23, 2007 6:43:24 PM
Hey Mark,
One angle that has not been mentioned. They have a "captive" audience. Bristol is always sold-out. Last year I remember some empty seats even at Martinsville. Just remember that the empty seat syndrome started long before the new car. It will be a handy scape-goat.
Nascar is no longer our "fathers" event. Changes will be needed to survive, let alone grow. It now needs to be made-over for TV. Heat races could provide room for more participants, more commercials, but not at the expense of green flag coverage. It could become like football (whichiswhattheysaytheyhavewantedallalong) and the fans not miss a play.
Posted by: Larry | Mar 23, 2007 9:08:30 PM
Larry,
And what savant said, "Phantom cautions will become akin to NFL TV time outs?" Twas I, long ago. But, you know what? I'd rather they just call a TV time out than have us believe a phantom hotdog roll disrupted some of the best drivers in the world. Makes them look like sissys. JMO
Posted by: Keith | Mar 23, 2007 11:47:59 PM
Hey Keith, I agree, call it what it is.
At the beginning of the race say, we need so many breaks. If cautions allow for more early, cool. But, tack on green flag coverage at the end. Call it a fan bank. Sponsored by WellsFargo.
If it's a competition caution, say so.
A commercial caution, say so.
Posted by: Larry | Mar 24, 2007 12:41:23 AM
Just one more,
Bristol is good because the front splitter is important. Drivers may be more careful with the bang n'run. Remember, only one team leaves happy anyway!
enjoy.
Posted by: Larry | Mar 24, 2007 12:46:18 AM
Let's see what the COT does in the fall Talladega race.
It's still restrictor plate, yes?
Posted by: JWSmoke | Mar 24, 2007 4:14:25 AM
Larry..
I have been an advocate of some form of "heat race" or "consolation race" for the Busch and Cup Series. I know all of the downside...spare me the flak. This is the format on which racing cut it's teeth and satisfied racing fans. It was hard to run a consolation race and then get the car ready for the "main". If NASCAR can give us the high technology that produced the COT..surely they can come up with a format that will work for a heat race. All they need do, is look back about 40 years to one of the Saturday night specials and copy it.
The COT cars will not perform well at Bristol or any other track until the driver's can get control of them. The cars appear to only be controllable if they are set up loose. One or two cars will run well and the others will be all over each other.
You gotta have two racing groves at Bristol. It appears each of the COT's will require the entire track surface just to stay on the track. This means single file racing. Gordon will be attempting to lap cars on lap #3. The "skin shops" will have a field day replacing the car bodies after Bristol. The COT does not begin to solve any of NASCAR's existing fan satisfaction problems.
Posted by: jim | Mar 24, 2007 7:38:43 AM
JWSmoke, yes, it's still a plate race.
Posted by: Mike Daly | Apr 5, 2007 5:33:35 PM
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