'2013 Cup Cars "Too Fast"...?

[Panther_99FS]

http://nascar.speedtv.com/article/dw-are-the-nascar-sprint-cup-series-cars-too-fast

[wombat666]

They're supposed to be fast, they're 'Racing Cars', not Taxis ........ :173go1:

[stansdds]

Oh, no, no, no. This is NASCAR and it's all about safety. We can't have fast race cars, they need to slow down. I suggest they start limiting power output. NASCAR should mandate full exhaust systems with mufflers. Have you ever been to a NASCAR race? It's incredibly loud and NASCAR needs to think about protecting the hearing of their fans. They also need to use catalytic converters, NASCAR wants to be environmentally conscious? Then don't dump un-reacted exhaust fumes into the air. Then they need to look at the engines in these cars. 357 cubic inch (5.58L) V-8's? I think they should use inline 4 cylinder or V-6 engines, the same as you would find in a passenger sedan at your local dealer. That should slow them down to safe speeds, probably no more than 115 mph at Talledega! Yeah, baby, that's racing safe!

By the way, I am being highly sarcastic, just in case you could not tell.

[Terry]

There are alternatives for those who prefer slower cars.

[EasyEd]

Hey All,

This is an insurance question? Insurance companies will decide.

-Ed-

[stansdds]

If it's up to the insurance companies we will see stock golf cart racing, but the golf carts will be wrapped in bubble wrap. Probably remotely controlled too, doesn't endanger a driver.

[EasyEd]

Hey All,

Legal liability and safety are what today's world is all about.

-Ed-

[Panther_99FS]

They're supposed to be fast, they're 'Racing Cars', not Taxis ........ :173go1:

Exactly!
Seems like all forms of racing these days are forgetting the word "lift".....

[PRB]

Oh c'mom, this is a racing forum, not a golfing forum! :icon_lol: Meaning, every comment so far in this thread has amounted to what non-racing fans do when they say "racing is stoopid, all they do is go around in circles!" There was a wee bit more substance to DW's column than simply the MPH reading on the speedometers they don't have. For example, the issue of aerodynamics becoming more and more important, as speeds get higher, which has a lot to do with why we're all complaining about how boring the races are. It's one of the reasons the car in front has such an advantage over every other car. That's why there's no passing, and boring racing. At least that's what I hear from the "experts", but not the golf fans though. DW's tossing out an idea to fix it. What's yours?

[Thoe6969]

Oh, no, no, no. This is NASCAR and it's all about safety. We can't have fast race cars, they need to slow down. I suggest they start limiting power output. NASCAR should mandate full exhaust systems with mufflers. Have you ever been to a NASCAR race? It's incredibly loud and NASCAR needs to think about protecting the hearing of their fans. They also need to use catalytic converters, NASCAR wants to be environmentally conscious? Then don't dump un-reacted exhaust fumes into the air. Then they need to look at the engines in these cars. 357 cubic inch (5.58L) V-8's? I think they should use inline 4 cylinder or V-6 engines, the same as you would find in a passenger sedan at your local dealer. That should slow them down to safe speeds, probably no more than 115 mph at Talledega! Yeah, baby, that's racing safe!

By the way, I am being highly sarcastic, just in case you could not tell. Thank God you had me worried for a moment.:icon_lol:

[Panther_99FS]

DW's tossing out an idea to fix it. What's yours?

Drivers learn how to "lift" which is apparently a forgotten skill these days....(Can we say Bowyer taking out Johnson & Gordon at Martinsville?)

[PRB]

Oh I don't know. Lead footed race car drivers is something new? What was the #3 car driver's excuse? There, see? Now you have me doing it! :icon_lol:

- Paul

[Panther_99FS]

Oh I don't know. Lead footed race car drivers is something new? What was the #3 car driver's excuse? There, see? Now you have me doing it! :icon_lol:

- Paul

Exactly!
IMHO, increases in driver safety (which is NOT a bad thing) had the unintended side-effect of causing drivers to lose some respect for speed & subsequently forgetting what the term "lift" means....

IMHO,
Dan Wheldon died because the cars didn't have enough power! - Everyone was driving flat-out with no lifting required and thus no separation.....

[stansdds]

The solution to keeping the races safe...

[Daveroo]

i have to agree with the "lift" comments....reguarding nascar...you dont here them talking about..."Man i was wide open all the way around that time",because they are ALL wide open all the way around at allmost every big track now,they just run flatout all the time.there was a time not to long ago when Dr punch or the little rednosed guy in the hat would say...do you think you will lift at all or hold it flat?...and guys like Gordon,dale jarret,Jeff Burton would say...man i dont know that might be too much today.....they dont even ask anymore...

now about ME...even when i ran the hobby stock on that tight little bullring ,the Ernie Purcell Speedway at the Nevada County Fairgrounds ,,Grass Valley Ca,,it was a quater mile measure at the outside wall..with a sharp dogleg..(was alot of fun to race on really) but even in those big realitivly slow cars ( i had a 66 pontiac)we had to lift...BTW..that track had the smoothest surrface in all of california,guy named sleepy stevens ran the track crew...he was an old time racer and he believed the track should be smooth and rut free,racing should be about racing not about negoctiating an off road course,,they constanly watered it..it was never dusty..but stayed tacky,,not slick...now a days fans cant even see the cars on the track from the stands because by the time the Amain comes..the track has dried out and theyre racing on a dust bowl..plus its all rutted up because there hasnt been a blade on it since most likely the day before race day...i digress once again......78084

[stansdds]

Nice ride, Dave! Many years ago I helped sponsor a local driver. It didn't cost much at the time and it helped him in at least one race.

[wombat666]

I think 'Jaws' makes some good points, he talks way too much but interspersed with all the Horse Poo he knows the game.
"Again, until it is fully developed, we really don’t know what we have with this new car."
And that sums the current 'controversy' up perfectly.

For my sins (and because I'm am petrol head at heart) I watched a run down of both 2012 Cup series, rather truncated but it covered the rounds fairly well.
I must say that there were moments of exceptionally good steering which were overshadowed by far too many stupid 'incidents'.
Too many people in NASCAR think they are immortal, and that is not good for any form of motor racing.
Been there, done that, got the scars and the fractures to prove it.
:kilroy: