It's a good thing that NASCAR doesn't have any control over drag racing. You L owners might have to mount a 4x8 sheet of plywood on the roof to ensure that the race against my 4x4 was "fair"!

Or maybe they could just make you run narrow 13" tires?

 

signmaster,

Shhhhhhhhh... I am curently working on a mod to install Festiva wheels/tires on my L. Less friction, drag and rotating mass. Don't tell anyone! I want to get it perfected, then do a 'group sell' to the whole L gang. I heard they will buy anything!

Later,
Jake...

[This message has been edited by Baby Jake (edited 10-16-2000).]

 

Alphadoggy -

I don't disagree with what you're saying necessarily. It's just that NASCAR is trying to keep a level playing field and if that means penalizing a manufacturer's design then they do it for the sake of keeping the races competitive. Restrictor plate racing is all about aerodynamics.

And correct me if I'm wrong, but Dodge is getting back in to Winston Cup racing next year. I don't think that they've been absent because they perceive that Winston cup racing is unfair. That's a bit of a stretch.

 

I rembember when you could buy on Monday what was raced on Sunday. False advertising is false advertising. Claiming a few flimsy pieces of sheet metal is enough to call them a Chevy or Ford is Bull sh*t.
Yea I do think they ought to race front wheel drive v-6s on 93 octane gas. The cars ought to be available in the dealership with a minimum production run of say 5,000. I know a lot of people who would buy a rear wheel drive 383 monte carlo with a 4 speed and a holly four barrel. The cars should come from the factory and have a cage installed and the interior ripped out and anything run should be available in a production car or as an option. Until then the feds ought to step in and make them remove the car names. What a joke....
noelvm

 

noelvm, There are some classes of sports cars/SCCA maybe? and some racing in Europe and Australia that kind of follow your idea of what a race car should be.

Meanwhile, I'll continue watching and following the 800HP, rear-wheel drive, super cars, that compete in NASCAR Winston Cup racing. Call them dinosaurs if you will, but I love that type of race car.

To me, sitting in turn 1 at Charlotte while a screaming 800 HP monster comes toward me at 195 mph, and then goes around the corner on the banking at 170 mph, is a pure joy.

To each his own, but I don't get where you are coming from. If you don't like it, don't watch it. I appreciate all forms of auto racing and find there are some good things about all motorsports.



[This message has been edited by mracer (edited 10-16-2000).]

 

I have absolutely no objection to the kind of "cars" currently in use by NASCAR however, I preferred when you could also buy them at the dealerships. My only objection is calling them chevys, fords, & pontiacs which they are not.

The big three could build big block rear wheel drive cars and sell the hell out of them, but why don't they? C.A.F.E., real or preceived liability, insurance company complaints and lets don't forget the liberals.

Considering all this it is truly amazing that Ford ever built the Lightning. Believe me the same people that want to take away your guns are waiting to run the headline" CHILD KILLED BY 140 MPH TRUCK". The liberal pagan "controllers" are just waiting.

noelvm

 

Now I'm with you on that noelvm. I know it won't be long until a truck or car like the Lightning will be impossible to buy.

One of the reasons I am very happy to be a Lightning owner, is that they are the closest thing to a NASCAR race car on the road today.

Powerful V-8, rear wheel drive, body on full frame construction.

[This message has been edited by mracer (edited 10-16-2000).]

 

Here in Texas Nascar is Only for the Extreme Fanatics. Texas Motor Speedway cant handle the 300,000 fans it attracts. It takes minimum 3 hours just to get out of the parking lot, another 2.5 to get home 35 minutes away. The owners of the track havent made any changes to improve the parking / exit issues.

Indy Cars have proven well suited for the TMS track and the crowds are much more manageable. Plus Indy cars have been safer for the drivers as well

MY $0.02
[/Flame on]

Doug

 

I learned a lot from reading this thread, and I now have a better understanding of how NASCAR works. I used to race one-design sailboats, in which, theoretically, the only variable was the skill of the skipper and crew (hah). While fun to participate in, I would much rather watch a development class like the AC Cup boats, where the most technologically innovative country is likely to win. (god I loved it when Dennis Connor deployed the catamaran)! It would appear that NASCAR is running a one design series, much like IROC, where the cars are equalized as much as possible and driver skill is paramount. All well and good, except they are totally dishonest about it. They pretend that it is Ford vs. Chevvy vs. Dodge when in fact it is nothing of the sort. That would be OK except for the deception that leads Joe Schmoe to lord it over me at the water cooler because he thinks his Chevvy beat my Ford fair and square. NOT! Well, enough of this polemic, its almost time to watch WCW!

 

Noelm,
It sure would make for an "exciting" and long race watching 40 front wheel drive 6 cylinder cars go 500 miles with the cruise control set at WFO (85mph).

The original reason Chrysler got out of NASCAR was they kept making rules to keep Chrysler's from winning (ie No winged limited production cars, No Hemi's, No motors over 355 cid). For cry'n out loud why didn't they just make a rule No Mopars. How many championships does Richard Petty owe to Chrysler? Is he really the King? Earnhardt took his 7 championships in modern day Nascar. Shouldn't he be considered the King? Alright, I am showing my bias again.

HIGH RISK

 

I'm not sure why I'm replying to this...besides the fact that I own a NASCAR Collectible/Souvenir Shop and think that some issues here should be cleared up.

Remember fellas...NASCAR is a Business.

mracer is correct about the parts used.

Dodge will debut the 2001 Intreped at the February 2001 Daytona 500 with Evernham Motorsports fielding a 2 car team with Bill Elliot being his veteran driver and Casey Atwood his rookie. The Petty teams are going to Dodge as well as the Bill Davis teams (Ward Burton and Dave Blaney for those of you whom would wonder who the Davis teams are), along with a few other teams. Dodges engine program is currently turning 10,000+ rpms...but has yet to be approved by NASCAR.

P.S. I've got hitch plugs that read...NASCAR
Feel the Thunder...as well as some other goodies that you guys might like to have. I think these look nice on the back of our lightnings.

email me for a gp: raceteamcollectibles@netzero.net

 

noel. do you think you could drive a new monte carlo or taurus 180 mph without body modifications? if all the cars looked the same with no brand to root for, would anybody show up to watch? do you think the old chargers with a hemi could keep up with the current cars? I think your average joe knows his taurus is a little different than the one on the track.

 

I'm not sure that there is much difference in excitement between 180 and 140-150. The cars that were raced in the 60's were sure exciting and we all know of one today that will go at least 140.
noelvm

 

ask anybody on this board if there is a differnce between 1 second and 10 mph.
i am not to into nascar, i like drag racing. after seeing the top fuel cars run 4.6, the alchol dragsters that run in the 5's are boring. it is like everything else. at first high 13 in a truck is awsome, give it a month and you want low 13's give it another month and you want 12's.
what form of racing do you feel the vehicles are close to what you can buy on monday?
if you think 140 is a rush, try it thru a turn never lifting. tailgate down or up?

 

Not exactly sure what your point is, BROTHERDAVE, but evidently NASCAR thinks 180 is plenty fast enough to amuse the suckers, er fans. If they took off the restrictor plates and air foils those cars could probably go well over 200 at Talledega. Sure, its partly about the speed, but I think its more about the competition. I'd rather watch the trucks than the cars any day, even though they are slower. But being an old (in every since of the word) bicycle racer, to me nothing is more exciting than a bunch sprint at the end of a stage of the Tour de France, with guys throwing hooks, elbowing, leaning on each other, switching wheels, etc., and hell, they're only doing 45 mph or so. But at least the organizers don't make the guy with the strongest legs drag a spoiler.