NASCAR Question

So exactly what is stock on the Nextel Cup "Stock Cars"?

Wouldn't it be more interesting if like early NASCAR, they stripped a stock car, put in a roll cage with safetly gear and went racin'?

I enjoyed watching NASCAR in the early days when the cars were pretty much like you describe - modified cars off the assembly lines. I think the rules were changes partially to make for more equal racing, partially to reduce the cost to the teams...and the ability to more easily create a safer car was probably a huge factor.

Still, I liked the old days better. Now, I can't even tell which one is a Ford, Chevy , Dodge ...or even Toyota....unless you look really, really close. And, with the body off, they are virtually identical.

I have heard that there are two panels that are stock but I am not sure which two. personally let's go back to cars that roll off the showroom floor, gut them add rollcages, fuel cells and harness and run them.

No changes to suspension, engine, gearbox etc. Add a rule that 1000 (pick a better number) must be road registered in the exact form being raced. THis would be a cheaper formula than the $300,000 plus cars that run now.

One of the two stock parts would be the nut behnd the wheel ;)

It's all getting ready to change again. They now have a new "Car of the Future" and it's making a disaster for the drivers and but NASCAR officials love it :)

PS: I agree--nothing stock about stock car racing anymore :(

Being from around these parts I get to look at NASCAR iron pretty closely from time to time and I'll tell you that IF there are any stock panels on them you could certainly fool me. The innards and the sheet metal look to me like completely purpose built machinery.

At first blush I too would think that a truly stock, or very nearly so, configuration would be attractive to both spectators and racers. The spectators would be routing more and more for their favorite make and perhaps less for their favorite driver based on personality and looks. "Make" allegiances would be solidified in the hearts of fans and the manufactures would be put back into the equation rather than an identity association with a laundry detergent or a fast food outfit.

The speeds would obviously be reduced and that coupled with the technical end engineering lessons already learned in the present day sport would amount to much fewer injuries.

With a new formula though there would be one heck of a lot of fabricators out of work in Mooresville. :-)

Jack

It's all marketing and packaging under the guidance of psychology and advertising professionals.

Jack

I think they should change the description from "Races" to "Demolition Derbys". To me the Vintage Sports Car Races are much more fun to watch. Granted there are not the speeds that there are in NASCAR but it is a lot more fun than seeing a bunch of crashes and fires.

George Herschell

George - you're right just watched the end of Dega at work (great working for the cable company) and 3 cautions in 10 laps and a Yellow flag finish.

Hell I used to run "stock" car or touring car racing as it was called back in Oz and half the time we'd drive the car to the track, race and if we were lucky drive it home again.

"Win on Sunday....Sell on Monday" means nothing these days.

mowog1 Wrote:

The only thing stock in the "modern area" (prior to the car of tomorrow) was the profile. The cars had to match factory profile templates.

It's pretty sad the way Dega ended today. NASCAR has ruined what made it great (to a point) by putting in more and more rules aimed at safety. Like Sr. said, "if it's too fast for ya, sit the stands and watch" Safety concerns have hurt racing excitement worldwide. F1 has become little more than a parade and NASCAR has trying to figure out how to run as many laps as possible under caution.

Naomi Wrote:

There was a little trivia question during Daytona this year that was interesting.

What was the last non-American car to run a NASCAR sanctioned event prior to the Toyota entered in the 07 500?

One of our own. Not sure of the year, but I think they said 1956 an MG ran at Bowman Gray Race Track in Winston Salem.

I think the engine blocks are still "stock" before they do their modifications .

Well, I gotta kick-in here. Back in the day there was nothing like a 2.5 ltr or less beating the b-jesus out of some of the big displacement cars. More sports car oriented but it'be great to see a sanctioning body give a little weight to small bore cars. I don't know if the old Le Mans "index of speed" re-implemented would work but it's not a bad thought. Maybe we'd get rid of the major mags road testing SUV's!

Today, race cars, whatever class, all look like they came out of the same mold, just painted a different color. To me NASCAR has become the Hollywood of racing. All flash and a lot of cash! It's not a sport anymore, it's just big business. The cars are so close in performance that a small dent in the body can shave that 100th of a second, (determining the winner),off the lap times. The sport still lies in the small local tracks around the country where backyard mechanics build cars with limited funds to race on them. I use the term "Backyard Mechanics" only as a reference to big money shops and not as an insult. There are some very knowledgeable mechanics hidden in the back woods, so to speak. I have one living close to me who has two race cars that look and sound just like their ready for Daytona, but are raced on local tracks. And the guy is a genius with engines. Competition still abounds in local racing and that's where I will go to view the sport. I've been to , Daytona, Talladega and a few others when the Wood brothers, the Johnson's and the Petty's were running and enjoyed the races tremendously. Now, I wouldn't give a slug nickel for a ticket to go again. But I still love the local tracks. JMHO! PJ

These were the real days! These photos were taken at the old Amatol ," Atlantic City Speedway", a wooden board track in Hamonton, New Jersey in the mid 20s.

John.....head over to your local 1/2 mile racetrack, and not only will you see some very good racing, you'll see cars that aren't THAT far from stock! Our local track is great..
real racing still lives.

Monte....PLEASE change your avatar photo. I am getting tires of weeping when you make a post. LOL Jack

Hows this Jack, I was getting a little depressed about it to :)

twigworker Wrote:

It was interesting that Tony Stewart (of all people!) recently had a snit and claimed that NASCAR has gone the way of pro 'rasslin' - outcome all fixed in advance, all show, no real competition. He retracted it a couple of days later, but it was an idea that has come up in conversation many times in the past couple of years.

The 'Car of the Future' is just Spec Racing with more rules, IMHO.

Jim D

Jim Duke Wrote:

Our V8 Supercars are the pinnacle of "sedan" (tin top) racing in Australia and despite people suggesting the same about these cars (that they may look like Fords and Holdens but they are nothing like you can buy and drive on the roads), I have seen the preparation of a V8 Supercar from scratch and at least they use an actual roadcar bodyshell. From then on it is all about lightening and strengthening!

You can see them here (a nice montage of stills: http://youtube.com/watch?v=PFSjnCb80Ag )

And a few bingles: http://youtube.com/watch?v=QbCI81icP7w

I am sure some of you have watched them on television. The V8 Supercar races are now beamed all over the world

Some people here are concerned about the rules overcoming the competition but the worst incident was just the other week when, under a new network television deal, they actually shortened a race by a few laps and wrecked a guy's chance at winning the round simply because the race ran overtime after a few crashes. The guy had only one car to pass to win and he was right on his tail and thinking he still had some laps to do the job!

The television network had to cross to a football match!!!!!

Eeek!

Hey Eric - who was actually driving the 05 car in 2005??

Only one person will drive the 05 car in a race - except in an exhibition/tribute!

There was no car 05 in the V8 Supercars in 2005??

ONe of the clips on that link you posted shows a Holden with 05 on the windscreen and a date on the photo of 2005 - thats why I queried as I did mnot recall anyone else driving that numbered car.

Thanks

Sorry guys, this is horribly OT, but if that car was not in motion then I assume it was simply there for display???

Back to the original question. I think the only thing stock on a NASCAR car is the decal of the headlights. It's the only thing on the car that looks stock besides the overall body design. I've only gone to two NASCAR races but to be honest....I won't go to another. The crowds are too big and there are too many drunken a-holes. This year I purchased tickets to the Indy / GT races at Watkins Glen. Only 69 bucks for a seat overlooking the pits (for the whole weekend) and you get to see more than 2 races.