Exploring NASCAR's Technology Dichotomy (Engadget Distro 81)

The sport needs to get away from the current crop of cookie cutter 850hp 10,000 RPM purpose built NASCAR racing engines. In the interest of so-called parity all Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota V8s have the same basic (mandated) architecture (like CoT) and only incorporate technology which NASCAR approves which is unavailable to a private individual.

With current available technology NASCAR could eliminate the expensive engines and approve only the OEM engine package from each manufacturer, allow teams to rebuild the engines to their specs and put an engine ECU control on the car for the actual event which would maybe limit everyone's power to 650 or whatever it needs to be for a good show. You can't say they really need 850 horsepower because restrictor plates limit horsepower at Daytona and Talladega currently to only 450. NASCAR could develop power curves at their tech center and download it into each makes ECU which would control fuel, spark, and maximum throttle opening via a drive-by-wire system similar to what current production passenger cars have rather than mechanical linkage throttles NASCAR still uses with their new EFI. With this system Chevy could go with a current year Corvette engine and Ford might use a Mustang GT engine for example but the ECU would limit everyone to about the same maximum power. Fans could actually buy a car with the same engine and same basic technology when Carl Edwards wins in a Ford or Jimmie Johnson's Chevy wins. The current mandated 850hp, 10,000 RPM NASCAR V8s have teams excitedly spending themselves into the kind of financial crisis that Formula One has suffered of late as was suggested in the article.
 
No idea what you said there Rusty , but buying a Nascar engine in a street vehicle sounds okay (I guess). Would all of the other Nascar series be limited to 650 hp too?
 
I didn't mean you could buy a NASCAR engine in a production car, I meant NASCAR could mandate using production engines once again. Limiting maximum power via the ECU would discourage manufacturers from engaging in a horsepower race with expensive special engines and eliminate the requirement for teams to have to purchase expensive engineering. Maybe start in the CWT or NNS series first to prove it out. Dunno what the power levels should be, perhaps enough for a good show which does not require specially engineered exotic and expensive parts.

As the Article also said by being so resistive to change, by locking teams and drivers into an unwaveringly stoic and unquestionably dated racing formula, NASCAR risks losing its relevance to the modern racing world. In 2012, television ratings continued to slide. In the crucial 18- to 34-year-old market, the kinds of viewers most excited about modern tech, viewership was down 25 percent, and ticket revenue is down sharply overall. Can a form of motorsport that’s entering retirement age change its course and become more relevant to younger viewers?
 
Rusty34 said:
I didn't mean you could buy a NASCAR engine in a production car, I meant NASCAR could mandate using production engines once again. Limiting maximum power via the ECU would discourage manufacturers from engaging in a horsepower race with expensive special engines and eliminate the requirement for teams to have to purchase expensive engineering.

As the Article also said by being so resistive to change, by locking teams and drivers into an unwaveringly stoic and unquestionably dated racing formula, NASCAR risks losing its relevance to the modern racing world. In 2012, television ratings continued to slide. In the crucial 18- to
34-year-old market, the kinds of viewers most excited about modern tech, viewership was down 25 percent, and ticket revenue is down sharply overall. Can a form of motorsport that’s entering retirement age change its course and become more relevant to younger viewers?
Click to expand...
I think that Nascar provides a great alternative to the stick and ball sports , one that appeals to all age groups . Other alternatives like hunting and fishing shows don't provide as much entertainment value . New drivers like Brad , Danica , Travis ,Ricky and the Dillon boys should bring a younger crowd . I don't think the new viewers will be as concerned about technology as we are.:)
 
You might be right, perhaps 18-34 age group is not concerned with what's under the hood. NASCAR does need to find a way to fill those empty seats or get their viewership numbers back up. Sponsors which can meet and support current escalating costs are getting harder to find if the level of exposure is not there. What do you think when you see wide swaths of empty seats when the cameras accidently pan the grandstands while following the leaders?.
 
Pretty good read. I'm glad we don't have telemetry. Having been the guy that watches over it for another series, it makes for a nervous race.
 
Yeahdoug said:
Pretty good read. I'm glad we don't have telemetry. Having been the guy that watches over it for another series, it makes for a nervous race.
Click to expand...
Welcome to the forum Doug , great to have you aboard. We have a great mix of techies and dummies like myself.I have confidence in the Nascar folks to keep the technology in check.
 
The 70 year old contingent (me) scratches their head over most of that babble also. :confused:
 
Johali said:
The 70 year old contingent (me) scratches their head over most of that babble also. :confused:
Click to expand...

You need to give yourself some credit. I know that you don't often agree with the bs I post but I consider you to be a knowledgeable race fan.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom