Models/manufacturers in NASCAR

T

TooSweet

Guest
Pretty simple question. In 10 years, what manufacturers will be represented in the Cup series, and what models? Do you think there's any chance Dodge returns? What about a new make, such as Honda, Nissan, Volkswagen?

The days of racing big V8 RWD cars with factory sheet metal are long gone; I've reluctantly learned to accept that. I do think the Gen6 cars are a dramatic improvement over anything else they have raced in the past several years. The COT Impala, Fusion, and Camry all looked terrible IMO. Their real-life counterparts were nothing special either. Three boring FWD V6 family sedans. Yeah, the Charger was there, but still looked pretty bad in COT form.

Now we have the SS, Fusion, and Camry. Despite the ridiculous decals (fake fog lights, fake exhaust tips, door handles in NWide, etc) they look pretty good. I think the Charger had the best styling, but sadly Dodge stepped away. The SS, while I don't think is nearly as nice looking as it's Pontiac/Holden twins, is a true RWD V8 performance car. Limited production and no base model, so it's fairly expensive. Meanwhile, Toyota throws their bread-n-butter Camry out there. Very affordable and mass produced...basically the opposite of Chevrolet's entry. And while I'm not fond of the looks, at least they offer a somewhat sporty version that looks decent as a race car. Then you have Ford with it's new Fusion. Similar to the Camry, it's a top selling family sedan with more aggressive styling than the previous generation.

I'm hopeful that Chevy's next platform will result in a better looking SS (or whatever they will call it). I would like Ford to race their Taurus SHO (GREAT looking car) instead of the Fusion. I would like the Charger to come back (yeah, I'm just dreaming, I know). And I would like Toyota to enter something from the Lexus IS series instead of the Camry. I'm not sure how I would feel about an Accord or Maxima, and I think a small car like a Passat would just be ridiculous.

What do you think?
 
Seriously...why doesn't Ford race this?

hennessey-ford-taurus-sho-maxboost-445-628.jpg
 
NASCAR isn't a very effective way to market cars so I don't see much changing. I'd like to see Honda, Nissan, and Audi join but they already have pretty full plates when it comes to motorsports.
 
DanicaFreak said:
Hey @TooSweet

Apparently in 2015 it will happen

tesla_ns_32813_600.jpg



http://www.edmunds.com/car-news/tesla-to-race-in-nascar-sprint-cup-series.html


Just the Facts:



    • Edmunds.com has learned exclusively that Tesla, the electric car manufacturer, will enter the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in 2015.
    • A formal announcement will be made April 7 at the NASCAR STP Gas Booster 500 at Martinsville Speedway.
    • Tesla will field a two-car team sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy and Duracell.
PALO ALTO, California, April 1, 2013 — A formal announcement will be made April 7 at the NASCAR STP Gas Booster 500 at Martinsville Speedway, but Edmunds has learned exclusively that Tesla, the electric car manufacturer, will enter the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in 2015.

Paul Ryan, spokesman for the Tesla Racing initiative, confirmed that the long-rumored program is moving forward, pending an agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy, which is committing to a three-year, $62 million deal that will allow Tesla to develop the racecar, and for sponsorship on one of the two Tesla racers.

Ryan said the other car in the stable will be sponsored by Duracell, and will be called the Copper-Top Tesla. NASCAR fans will appreciate its paint scheme, which pays homage to the Pontiac that Fireball Roberts drove to victory in the 1962 Daytona 500.

Ryan has promised Edmunds a test of the car upon development.

Industry sources suggest that the reveal was supposed to take place one week later, at the NASCAR race at Texas Motor Speedway, but with the announcement that the National Rifle Association would be the title sponsor of that race, the federal government decided to move the announcement to Martinsville. "We aren't sure how many fans would be friendly toward alternative energy at an event sponsored by the NRA," said the source, "and we have to assume a large percentage of them will be armed."
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April Fools'!
 
DanicaFreak said:
Hey @TooSweet

Apparently in 2015 it will happen

tesla_ns_32813_600.jpg



http://www.edmunds.com/car-news/tesla-to-race-in-nascar-sprint-cup-series.html


Just the Facts:



    • Edmunds.com has learned exclusively that Tesla, the electric car manufacturer, will enter the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in 2015.
    • A formal announcement will be made April 7 at the NASCAR STP Gas Booster 500 at Martinsville Speedway.
    • Tesla will field a two-car team sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy and Duracell.
PALO ALTO, California, April 1, 2013 — A formal announcement will be made April 7 at the NASCAR STP Gas Booster 500 at Martinsville Speedway, but Edmunds has learned exclusively that Tesla, the electric car manufacturer, will enter the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in 2015.

Paul Ryan, spokesman for the Tesla Racing initiative, confirmed that the long-rumored program is moving forward, pending an agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy, which is committing to a three-year, $62 million deal that will allow Tesla to develop the racecar, and for sponsorship on one of the two Tesla racers.

Ryan said the other car in the stable will be sponsored by Duracell, and will be called the Copper-Top Tesla. NASCAR fans will appreciate its paint scheme, which pays homage to the Pontiac that Fireball Roberts drove to victory in the 1962 Daytona 500.

Ryan has promised Edmunds a test of the car upon development.

Industry sources suggest that the reveal was supposed to take place one week later, at the NASCAR race at Texas Motor Speedway, but with the announcement that the National Rifle Association would be the title sponsor of that race, the federal government decided to move the announcement to Martinsville. "We aren't sure how many fans would be friendly toward alternative energy at an event sponsored by the NRA," said the source, "and we have to assume a large percentage of them will be armed."
Click to expand...
I wish you would read the whole article & comments before posting. Its an april fools joke over a year old.

In relation to the OP, I'd love to see Dodge back in the game along with Honda, VW, Cadillac, and maybe even Kia (lordknows theres enough of them on the road).
 
TooSweet said:
I'm hopeful that Chevy's next platform will result in a better looking SS (or whatever they will call it). I would like Ford to race their Taurus SHO (GREAT looking car) instead of the Fusion. I would like the Charger to come back (yeah, I'm just dreaming, I know). And I would like Toyota to enter something from the Lexus IS series instead of the Camry. I'm not sure how I would feel about an Accord or Maxima, and I think a small car like a Passat would just be ridiculous.
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Meh, it makes no difference to me what model an automaker chooses to run in NASCAR, because we all know that the stock cars we see in NASCAR are similar to their respective street versions in name and decals only. The Gen 6s all look pretty darn good to me, and that's all I really care about.

As to your original question, I don't know what the NASCAR landscape will look like in ten years. I'd like to see Honda or Nissan jump into the fray at some point, but I doubt that will ever happen. Then again, I never thought I would have seen Toyota come in, so in theory, anything is possible.
 
wonder how many laps you would lose recharging a battery. or would it be a mandatory caution for re-charge
 
TooSweet said:
The SS, while I don't think is nearly as nice looking as it's Pontiac/Holden twins, is a true RWD V8 performance car.
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My cousin bought a Chevrolet SS recently and we rode up in it to Road America for the NNS race. I was genuinely impressed with it. The interior is very nice, it has paddle shifters, and a lot of performance. It might look like a biege sedan on the outside, but it really is a four-door Camaro with the performance and a nice interior to boot. I actually like of like the look of the recent Impala/Malibu/SS, so it doesn't bother me. Besides, a performance car looking like an Impala isn't a bad thing, exactly. The police might not take a second glance if you happen to be going a little over the speed limit (or a lot).

The Chevrolet SS will probably be the first brand new car I purchase, probably in 12-18 months.

Anyway, NASCAR has to give up on the dimensions requirements for the street cars in Cup. Nationwide is now the cool division with the Camaro and Mustang. Maybe in 1970 it made sense to have these size requirements for the Cup car, because Detroit was making these awesome big ass cars like the Ford Torino and Plymouth Superbird. Now, the "fun" cars are in Nationwide and we're left with boring sedans in Cup, aside from the SS.

Toyota is a lost cause and will promote the boring Camry in NASCAR forever. They'd probably call the Cup car the Sienna if NASCAR would let them.
 
pudge said:
wonder how many laps you would lose recharging a battery. or would it be a mandatory caution for re-charge
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Well pudge, you know the FIA is starting the Formula E series next year, which will be electronic open-wheel racing, F1-style. To get around the battery problem, they are changing the cars mid-race. Which is stupid if you ask me, but it is what it is.

When we discussed this a year ago, somebody in the Open Wheel Forum asked why they don't just change the batteries midrace like refueling? I said, "Change the batteries? You know the Tesla Roadster (the first electric performance car) has 1,500 pounds of batteries in it? How do you change 1,500 pounds during a pitstop?"
 
I think it will continue like it is and has for years. The cars will be a reasonable copy of the street version, I don't think speeds will increase dramatically, unless there is some ground breaking tire technology. If they let outsiders run a generic engine, there would probably be more manufacturers represented, but I don't see the manufactures already in the sport letting that happen. Much like the top three or four big name teams, the top three or four (Dodge) manufacturers are the big players in the automotive world and it takes big money to field a racing effort.
 
BrFlJbPCMAEU2tb.jpg

BrFjz5hCcAA7vNU.jpg


It's like watching star wars the way of the theatrical releases. The old looks better, can be related to and is fun to watch while the newer doesn't quite feel right, has virtually cannot be related to and you can fall asleep to it.
 
KevinWI said:
Well pudge, you know the FIA is starting the Formula E series next year, which will be electronic open-wheel racing, F1-style. To get around the battery problem, they are changing the cars mid-race. Which is stupid if you ask me, but it is what it is.

When we discussed this a year ago, somebody in the Open Wheel Forum asked why they don't just change the batteries midrace like refueling? I said, "Change the batteries? You know the Tesla Roadster (the first electric performance car) has 1,500 pounds of batteries in it? How do you change 1,500 pounds during a pitstop?"
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I think after a year or two they want to have wireless recharging pads installed in the circuits rather than just swapping cars or whatever they're going to start with.
 
FLRacingFan said:
I think after a year or two they want to have wireless recharging pads installed in the circuits rather than just swapping cars or whatever they're going to start with.
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That sounds a bit pie-in-the-sky to me, but good luck.
 
KevinWI said:
it has paddle shifters
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I'm surprised this hasn't been called out for not being "manly enough" or something.

KevinWI said:
Toyota is a lost cause and will promote the boring Camry in NASCAR forever. They'd probably call the Cup car the Sienna if NASCAR would let them.
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Not that it's much better but I wish they would run the Avalon in NASCAR.

2014%20Avalon.jpg
 
KevinWI said:
Now, the "fun" cars are in Nationwide and we're left with boring sedans in Cup, aside from the SS.

Toyota is a lost cause and will promote the boring Camry in NASCAR forever. They'd probably call the Cup car the Sienna if NASCAR would let them.
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Now why would Toyota call the Camry "Sienna" ?, the Sienna is a minivan , or is that you trying to say how boring you find the Camry?, I find the Camry boring as well, just as boring as the Ford Fusion.

I was all excited for the SS , then I read how much it was dumbed down for the US market, they really did cut the cars balls off, so very sad.

Last I checked, NASCAR had no say in what the manufacturers could name their cars
 
jws926 said:
Last I checked, NASCAR had no say in what the manufacturers could name their cars
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Post proof if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure that whatever street model that Cup cars are named after have to be within a certain wheelbase/width range.
 
FLRacingFan said:
I'm surprised this hasn't been called out for not being "manly enough" or something.
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It took 30 years for NASCAR to adapt fuel injection, maybe in another 30 they can adapt paddle shifters like F1 and IndyCar and an increasing amount of "sporty" street cars.
 
FLRacingFan said:
I'm surprised this hasn't been called out for not being "manly enough" or something.


Not that it's much better but I wish they would run the Avalon in NASCAR.

2014%20Avalon.jpg
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Pretty sure the cars run in nascar have to be a coupe
 
ChexOrWrex said:
Pretty sure the cars run in nascar have to be a coupe
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:confused:

Are we talking Nationwide? Camry, SS and Fusion are all four-door cars. Ever since Ford moved their Cup model from the Thunderbird to Taurus, Cup has become the four-door grocery-getter racing league.
 
KevinWI said:
Are we talking Nationwide? Camry, SS and Fusion are all four-door cars.
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Ah, nvm then. Hadn't done too much research on the gen-6 models. Figured they all had their coupe versions.Guessed wrong :p
 
KevinWI said:
Post proof if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure that whatever street model that Cup cars are named after have to be within a certain wheelbase/width range.
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Each car manufacturer is putting $75-100mil a year into their Nascar program. Why...WHY would Nascar want to interfere with what car model they market off that involvement???
 
KevinWI said:
:confused:

Are we talking Nationwide? Camry, SS and Fusion are all four-door cars. Ever since Ford moved their Cup model from the Thunderbird to Taurus, Cup has become the four-door grocery-getter racing league.
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The mid-size coupe is pretty much a thing of the past. Excluding the ponycars, I think the Accord and Altima are about the only ones left.
 
ie tesla.....thinkin super fast dc charge is replacin battery swap biz model now. ?
 
Jonesi said:
Each car manufacturer is putting $75-100mil a year into their Nascar program. Why...WHY would Nascar want to interfere with what car model they market off that involvement???
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Rules.
 
NASCAR race cars have nothing to do with stock. That is well established, and we are never going back. Very much like other forms of racing, race cars are an expression of the brand. Thus, a direct relationship from street car to race car is irrelevant...kind of. Toyota has kind of rolled the other way. They threw the Camry in, 30% of customers reference the racing program in their buying decision, so Toyota turned around and went a bit more aggressive in the styling of its SE models. Toyota didn't have to worry about relevance to a performance car because they don't really have one.

In regard to manufacturer involvement......like it or not, Toyota has become an excellent partner to NASCAR. This was expected and they delivered in money, promotion, and commitment. Jack Roush said they would throw money at everything and dominate. They didn't. They are the primary sponsor for a couple of races. They have played fair--not because they couldn't get away with stuff, but because they felt that it was the right thing to do. They want to win the right way. They have pledged commitment to the sport for the next 100 years. They are here to stay. I expect NASCAR to hold any other new comers to the same huge standard that they held Toyota to. Why? Because the last thing this sport needs is someone like Honda to come in here, and then leave after 5 years. It kills me that people spew about bringing in new manufacturers like it is easy. Toyota worked their asses off to get here, and unlike any other manufacturer who could come in the future, they had Mr. France's blessing. Make no mistake--that blessing is a huge deal internally at TRD and Toyota. They take it very, very seriously.
 
KevinWI said:
That sounds a bit pie-in-the-sky to me, but good luck.
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They are already considering this or have put into motion implementing tracks where the cars recharge as they race, forget where I read it think it might of been Popular Mechanics.
 
Revman said:
NASCAR race cars have nothing to do with stock. That is well established, and we are never going back. Very much like other forms of racing, race cars are an expression of the brand. Thus, a direct relationship from street car to race car is irrelevant...kind of. Toyota has kind of rolled the other way. They threw the Camry in, 30% of customers reference the racing program in their buying decision, so Toyota turned around and went a bit more aggressive in the styling of its SE models. Toyota didn't have to worry about relevance to a performance car because they don't really have one.

In regard to manufacturer involvement......like it or not, Toyota has become an excellent partner to NASCAR. This was expected and they delivered in money, promotion, and commitment. Jack Roush said they would throw money at everything and dominate. They didn't. They are the primary sponsor for a couple of races. They have played fair--not because they couldn't get away with stuff, but because they felt that it was the right thing to do. They want to win the right way. They have pledged commitment to the sport for the next 100 years. They are here to stay. I expect NASCAR to hold any other new comers to the same huge standard that they held Toyota to. Why? Because the last thing this sport needs is someone like Honda to come in here, and then leave after 5 years. It kills me that people spew about bringing in new manufacturers like it is easy. Toyota worked their asses off to get here, and unlike any other manufacturer who could come in the future, they had Mr. France's blessing. Make no mistake--that blessing is a huge deal internally at TRD and Toyota. They take it very, very seriously.
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Good post, Rev.

As for the bolded, I'm part of the 30%. A small part of the reason why I bought my Corolla a couple of years ago was the fact that Toyota was involved in NASCAR. (The Camry was initially my first choice, but I liked the Corolla better after driving both of them.)
 
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