Should NASCAR be more like V8 Supercars?

"boostbeef" (boostbeef)
08/24/2013 at 19:39 • Filed to: NASCAR V8 Supercars

I've been hearing this argument a good bit lately. I do agree, to an extent, but not in the way most people think.
When people make that statement they are basically saying 2 things:

1. NASCAR needs to adopt the V8 Supercars and ditch the current car and

2. NASCAR needs to ditch ovals and run more road courses.

Personally I think the current cars are some of the best looking and certainly the fastest ones NASCAR has ever had (some would argue they are too fast). While I do love the V8 Supercars, there are some problems with adapting their cars for use in NASCAR. Mostly involving cost. As far as professional racing goes, a stock car is one of the cheapest cars you can build. That's why all the big teams in the sport have 12+ cars for each driver ready to go. It's hard to find hard figures, but most estimates say that a stock car cost around $150,000 a piece (Majority of that cost is under the hood btw). A V8 Supercar cost around $250,000 minus engine. Est cost of a motor is $130,000 so that brings the price up to a staggering $480,000 per car! Could you imagine having a wreck at Daytona that takes out half the field? The cost would be crazy.

That being said, I would like to see NASCAR adopt some newer tech under the body. They are running fuel injection, but why not try to showcase some newer technology like direct injection? Let Ford and Toyota run a DOHC V8 based sorta off a factory offering. Heck Chevy is running a V8 with a forward distributor, it's not even based off a block GM ever used. Why not let them start running an LSX based offering.

V8 supercars run a spec Albins 6 speed sequential transaxle and an IRS setup. Very expensive setup and I doubt it would hold up to the demands of NASCAR. I'd like to see NASCAR adopt a 5-6 speed transmission for the road courses (don't really need them on ovals, except for maybe Indy and Pocono) and upgrade to better brakes. Most drivers that hop into a stock car will tell you the brakes suck. Besides, how many cars even come with 15" wheels anymore? Look how tiny they look on this COPO camaro. lol

As for the 2nd part of the argument, I agree that NASCAR needs to run more road courses, but they don't need to fill up half the schedule with them. Instead of that, I think they need to adopt the multi-race weekends that V8 Supercars run. Most NASCAR races the drivers spend 300 miles just riding between cautions and very little time up on the wheel.
Imagine this race weekend:
Saturday - NASCAR Truck series 150-200 mile race followed by Sprint Cup race number 1 (300 miles)

Sunday - NASCAR Nationwide series 200-250 mile race followed by Sprint Cup race number 2 (300 miles)

It eliminates the double duty drivers from the other series and gives them a bigger audience at the same time! Of course races like the Daytona 500 would remain, but I think it's the kick in the balls that some of these tracks need.

Speaking of the other series, the Nationwide and truck series are in a real need of updated cars and trucks. They look dorky compared to the new sprint cup cars.

Personally, I'd love to see NASCAR and V8 Supercars do a joint event (even if it's just an exhibition).

DISCUSSION (18)

Sparf > boostbeef
08/24/2013 at 19:43

Kinja'd!!!

I just love the 80s boxy notchback look!

Owning a Monte Carlo SS is on my bucket list.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > boostbeef
08/24/2013 at 20:20

I think those rims look great on the Camaro, and I usually like the bigger wheels.

hike > boostbeef
08/24/2013 at 20:22

I don't mind the cars they are runnin, but I would certainly love more road racing. Maybe even a street race? I think that could be quite fun. They at least need to get a road course in the chase for the cup.

nafsucof > boostbeef
08/24/2013 at 20:29

Yes. Trickle down will get NASCAR tech on the streets, next thing you know opposite ups cars will only make left turns. Which leads to my next idea. Box truck racing. Look at all that sponsor sticker space!

desertdog5051 > boostbeef
08/24/2013 at 20:44

Agree with the more road courses. They are great races and satisfy many people. Agree with the multiple races per weekend. Indy car did it at Detroit and I, personally, loved it. Give us a good short race times 2.

Not sure if we need sequential transmissions, but an additional gear would be great on road courses.

The pushrod V8 is kinda coming to an end (except for GM). (9500 RPM is impressive though). They should run their best technology.

There is always room for improvement and NASCAR has the clout to make changes that would be accepted by most.

For Sweden > boostbeef
08/24/2013 at 20:46

I was all ready to vehemently defend NASCAR against blasphemy, but then I agreed with a lot of your ideas.

I would re-introduce engine homologation, but just for the block. Not an identical block, just something close. I also quite like your double-race idea, but only on a few weekends.

boostbeef > hike
08/24/2013 at 21:05

A street race would be crazy, I don't think they have ever done one.

boostbeef > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies
08/24/2013 at 21:09

Yeah, I agree the wheels look pretty good. Personally I don't like the 20" wheels most of them come with. They look pretty good with 18"-19" wheels to me. esp those new z/28 wheels.

Gimmi-Sagan-Om-Draken > boostbeef
08/24/2013 at 21:30

Everything in nascar should be like V8s, except V8s have just gone through changes I think and they no longer run, "real" cars. All of these series should run modified real cars. There is a very long list of things that is wrong with nascar.

boostbeef > Gimmi-Sagan-Om-Draken
08/24/2013 at 21:54

Do you really want to see FWD V6 cars racing? The days of homologation specials are over in racing for the most part (sadly).

I seriously doubt Toyota would actually make this (even though they totally should):

GasolineLollipop > desertdog5051
08/24/2013 at 22:00

I'd be more likely to watch if there were more road courses. I can respect the g-forces and difficulty in the ovals but the road course is more entertaining.

Gimmi-Sagan-Om-Draken > boostbeef
08/24/2013 at 22:03

I said modified. What I mean is no tube framed cars made to look like a production model.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > boostbeef
08/24/2013 at 22:06

The Z/28 wheels look great. I honestly like the base steelies as well.

Stef Schrader > boostbeef
08/25/2013 at 02:11

3.14159... . V8s need to come to 'MERCUH! more often.

I can't really get into NASCAR, but many others seem to get it, so cool. I won't wish that series was more like the ones I enjoy. NASCAR has its market and should focus on making that market happy.

I will, however, want MOAR! of the series I like (........especially near my house plzthxbai).

MOAR! - all caps, exclamation pointed, italic MOAR!

Stef Schrader > boostbeef
08/25/2013 at 02:13

I would love a V8 RWD sedan for the street-legal hooning, though. :o)

boostbeef > Stef Schrader
08/25/2013 at 13:51

I agree, I'd love to go to Austin and see them next year.

I just wish we could get live coverage of the races. it sucks having to stream races at 2 in the morning.

Josh Brinzo > boostbeef
08/25/2013 at 16:25

I've been watching every race since going to Austin and I will agree that it sucks having to watch so late!

Satish Kondapavulur > boostbeef
08/31/2013 at 18:08

I would, definitely. Have the engine displacement of all the V-6s limited to whatever is available on street cars and let them modify from there. For midsize FWD sedans with turbo inline fours as the top engine, limit engine displacement to production specs, and regulate the size of the turbocharger or include a rule for required air restrictors.

Body panels should be shaped the same since the cars have decent aerodynamics already for fuel economy purposes. Any external aero spoilers should be fine. And then run it on road courses. We'd essentially have an American version of the BTCC or WTCC. The current GX class in Grand-Am is not enough.