Can we have good NASCAR racing and have the cars look more stock?

DanicaFreak

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I am not interested in watching another sportscar series.
I would like the cars to look more stock, wonder if this is possible for NASCAR to do.
 
They look a hell of a lot more "stock" in Gen6 form than they did in the decade prior. I'm certainly not complaining
Totally agree with that. The pre-COT cars looked nothing like stock and the COT didn't look like anything.
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The body styles cant look exact, they wont fit the greenhouse of the current car and look the same.
 
OK, but they can certainly change that with the next generation car. Personally, I think NASCAR should have revisited the greenhouse when Camaro and Mustang came along. I think NASCAR can, and absolutely SHOULD make the cars much more stock looking, but understand that it will become MUCH harder to put all the makes on somewhat of an equal footing aero wise. The high speeds attained on so many NASCAR tracks makes this much tougher than what most other worldwide production "based" race cars have to deal with, say Australian Supercars, IMSA GTD or DTM.
 
OK, but they can certainly change that with the next generation car. Personally, I think NASCAR should have revisited the greenhouse when Camaro and Mustang came along. I think NASCAR can, and absolutely SHOULD make the cars much more stock looking, but understand that it will become MUCH harder to put all the makes on somewhat of an equal footing aero wise. The high speeds attained on so many NASCAR tracks makes this much tougher than what most other worldwide production "based" race cars have to deal with, say Australian Supercars, IMSA GTD or DTM.

I LIKED IT when the pontiacs didnt have the same aero as the fords and chevs. lets get some manufacturer rivalry going! instead of them being cookie cutters.
 
All racing cars are an expression of the manufacturer who race them. You could do all you want to a race car, but it is never going to be like a street car, hence we, in fact, call them race cars. The only thing I need for brand identification is the symbol on the steering wheel with matches the sticker on the grill of a NASCAR. I'm easy.
 
All racing cars are an expression of the manufacturer who race them. You could do all you want to a race car, but it is never going to be like a street car, hence we, in fact, call them race cars. The only thing I need for brand identification is the symbol on the steering wheel with matches the sticker on the grill of a NASCAR. I'm easy.

Well, then why not just create a 100% generic car body for everyone and just put a sticker on the hood that says powered by Brand X, sort of like Indycar? For the overwhelming majority of NASCAR's history, the cars WERE a pretty faithful representation of their street going counterpart. It's only been since the mid-2000's, for reasons that I have NEVER understood, NASCAR let the teams start building the dreaded "twisted sister" cars. Then we got the CoT and the Gen 6 cars, which was just an admission that NASCAR had become too lazy to actually work at balancing the different makes, so they just forced everybody to race the same car. I say it's time to get back to cars that more closely resemble REAL cars. Just understand it won't be a painless process.
 
Well, then why not just create a 100% generic car body for everyone and just put a sticker on the hood that says powered by Brand X, sort of like Indycar? For the overwhelming majority of NASCAR's history, the cars WERE a pretty faithful representation of their street going counterpart. It's only been since the mid-2000's, for reasons that I have NEVER understood, NASCAR let the teams start building the dreaded "twisted sister" cars. Then we got the CoT and the Gen 6 cars, which was just an admission that NASCAR had become too lazy to actually work at balancing the different makes, so they just forced everybody to race the same car. I say it's time to get back to cars that more closely resemble REAL cars. Just understand it won't be a painless process.

We did that with the COT, and I was fine with it. The more latitude they give the manufacturers on the cars the better IMO as I love the car side of all of this--even at the expense of "great racing" which is a term that is still very subjective. I will let everybody get worked up over this, and when they are done, I will still be pulling for the sticker on the grill and the engine under the hood.
 
I would only say the latitude should be when the manufacturer designs the street car. The race car, not so much. While it more illusion than reality, I STILL think the term "stock car" should have SOME basis in fact. As far as great racing, NONE of the body configurations automatically means anything as far as that. You can have great or horrible racing, whether the cars are dead stock or cartoon cars. My guess is that as much as anything, this has become an issue because I think the manufacturers have FINALLY gotten sick and tired of it all and are demanding cars more faithful to their street cars. That probably carries a LOT more weight than what any of us fans think.
 
If it has fenders it's a stock car. If it doesn't it isn't.

There is no reason to complicate this.
 
My guess is that as much as anything, this has become an issue because I think the manufacturers have FINALLY gotten sick and tired of it all and are demanding cars more faithful to their street cars. That probably carries a LOT more weight than what any of us fans think.

I hope so as this would mean that the manufacturers have some say in what is going on. However, I am not sure what more faithful to the street cars means, honestly. You give the manufacturers more leash, and development costs will skyrocket.
 
I think Nascar is more concerned about parity and all cars having a chance to win on race day. That would be harder or more impossible to accomplish if the car brands are allowed to maintain to many unique characteristics.

A common template is probably beneficial from a cost standpoint but also the greatest control mechanism as well. Developing unique wraps will probably be the most dynamic or distinction in the very near future.
 
Eh form follows function. The large greenhouse is for safety reasons. From the doors back is where most of the magic happens with the flattish quarter panels for side force. I can't see those being too different frankly whatever the model. They are too important. I will be surprised if they do come up with cars that are vastly different in that area of the greenhouse and the rear quarters. I do see independent rear suspension making a large change to the handling but the average fan won't know the difference. I don't have any problems with the current car, but from what I have read, teams are spending boo koo money on special brakes and suspension pieces to gain minuscule amounts of speed, and nobody would know the difference if they had standard parts. I remember buddy Baker saying back in the day announcing. He said teams are spending 20 thousand on shocks and when he raced they all ran 20 dollar a piece monro matic shocks. Nascar let this **** get out of hand, it doesn't need to be rocket science to have good racing.
 
If it has fenders it's a stock car. If it doesn't it isn't.

There is no reason to complicate this.


Well hell, lets just put dirt late model bodies on them. I think the manufacturers are driving the bus on this, and I think some of you are going to be a little shocked when the new cars come out. While the templates might not fit anywhere on the street car, I'll bet they look a LOT more LIKE a street car. Things like the flat rear quarters for side force are only important if somebody has it and somebody else doesn't. If you take it away from ALL the cars, nobody would likely know the difference.
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Stock car ... in one of the many variations on that theme.

And Drift Cars are not racecars.
 
They look a hell of a lot more "stock" in Gen6 form than they did in the decade prior. I'm certainly not complaining
I agree, I think the Gen6 is the best looking era of NASCAR race cars 2nd to the Gen3 era.
 
It sure sounds like a sports car series is what they're aiming for unfortunately
Yeup, I really hope that is not the direction it goes, there are already plenty of series that run production based race cars, unpopular opinion this may, I hope the top three series stay purpose built race cars that mimic the street cars, but these times they are a changing and that may not but what is best for NASCAR .
 
You guys are crazy. We need IMSA style cars so bad at this level, would improve the racing so much. These purpose built race cars are way too aero dependent, whereas GT type cars would be more based on power and sturdiness
 
You guys are crazy. We need IMSA style cars so bad at this level, would improve the racing so much. These purpose built race cars are way too aero dependent, whereas GT type cars would be more based on power and sturdiness
Probably need to take a good look at GT cars before ya say that. Ain't nobody crazy. The new IMSA GT's have ducts fins,flippers, and ground effects all over them. Their rules package lets them do that and they even it up with BOP (balance of performance) Another thing, rarely do they approach the speeds of a Cup car, and if they do, it isn't even close to the sustained speeds Cup cars do every race on a mile and up sized track.
 
Building a race car by RF Committee -- NASCAR Edition.
IRS, tamper proof sturdy composite bodies , standard chassis including front and rear suspension, and drive line components as built by outside sources. On the fence about a spec V8 only motor, but it could open up the series for more manufacturers to come in
 
I like race cars, personally. I like the current car quite a darn bit.

I think I’m almost alone in that group anymore. I could park next to the nearest express way right about this time of day if I want to see complete stock cars doing their factory top speeds. Or atleast damn close to it.

Honestly i don’t find that fun to watch... and I don’t really want to see 35 pace cars racing in a couple years...

However. My opinion doesn’t matter. Because it’s been widely speculated already that the cars are going to have a much larger factory appearance soon. So I don’t understand the audience that’s still screaming for that. You’ll get it.
 
I think it is more hype than anything. what if it is nothing more than lights instead of decals for the most part. But jumping to conclusions are what a lot of people do especially here:D. I really don't have a clue what some people want.
 
I really don't have a clue what some people want.

Agree. It almost seems like there’s people out there who will look at every element of the sport and make a case for why it needs to be changed.

I’m waiting until a group of folks take to Facebook and Twitter that the race cars should go the opposite direction around all the current tracks... and tell us that will bring all the fans back.
 
well i think cost reduction is the number one goal of the new car. Manufacturers can hype it to death, but I think a cheaper car is the goal. There are plenty of ways to accomplish that and keep or better the racing IMO.
 
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