Car of Today

[Peter Olivola]

The COT is the next step in cost control. The wheels are turning slowly, but they are turning and NASCAR will eventually catch up with late 20th century technology.

I think the new cars are different, but to fans of road racing or Touring Cars, the COT cars are not that weird. Do I think the COT cars are worth the fuss they have created? yes and no. It has been a great PR boon for NASCAR, giving people something else to talk about, and they get more control over the cars by bringing in the COT rules, but safety concerns were being addressed in the older cars, and I liked racing the way it was. That said, the COT aint going away, and I think they will race alright. I never thought they wouldn't, I just didn't see what was so broke about NASCAR that we needed the COT. It isnt like no one is watching or they are hurting for fans....

[Vez]

I hope everyone can start looking for positives of the COT.
I like the COT & I think it will make the racing great.
For me, the boo-birds are getting boring & their arguments lacking.

I wasn't nay-saying the COT, I was just posting an interesting article that I found, me being new to NASCAR and all, I don't have a problem with what style the car is, as long as it gives good racing.

I say let 'em race and enjoy the show

(I know you weren't aiming this directly at me, but as a general comment to everyone, I just felt like replying to it.)

[Lee Roy]

I hope everyone can start looking for positives of the COT.
I like the COT & I think it will make the racing great.
For me, the boo-birds are getting boring & their arguments lacking.

Everybody just likes to b*^%h and complain. After a while they'll find something else to b*^%h and complain about.

[Mark in Oshawa]

LeeRoy, that is the right of a fan on this forum to state an opinion. Every time you don't like someone's opinion, you dump on it like they have no right to complain. Let's face it though, if NASCAR is smart, they will at least listen and address fan concerns if there are a number of fans out there that don't like something.

I just watched enough of Martinsville today to know that I am warming up to the COT. Maybe most of the carping and whining will die down. I do know it has added something to this season that wasn't around before, but until they race this car on a intermediate track, we wont know what needs to be done to the COT to make it better. Short track racing is good for bringing in the new car to get us fans used to it, but the whole problem if any the old car had as a race car was the aero push on the intermediate courses. If the new car puts better racing on the track at places like California, Charlotte and Kansas, then we know the COT was the right move.

[Rollo]

I have only just started watching NASCAR properly of late (thanks to moving into a house with Foxtel) and speaking as someone who has grown up with the BTCC, seen wings and things all over WRC cars and the equivalent big cars in the V8 Supercars, my only real gripe with the rear wing on these cars is that in the world of NASCAR advertising, they appear to be a bit of an uncolourful afterthought.

Admittedly you do want close racing and hence the reason why the wings and roof profile are governed by regulation, but asthetically they're not super-wonderful. If they do the job though, then that's what matters eh?

[Haulin'AssAndTurnin Left]

My first post so hello all. I have been a NASCAR fan for a long time, and every time NASCAR makes a change some teams struggle at first. There is alot of new aspects on the COT, so we need to give more time for teams to get used to it. it is way to early to judge. Bristol wasnt great but Martinsville was a good race. Remember NASCAR is righting the rule book for these cars as they go. the foam issue will be solved and teams need to look into the braking systems heating that right side.

there was always going to be teething issues. the real test for these cars will be larger tracks. My only gripe so far is that they should have just switched to the COT full time over the off season, im not sure what NASCARs reasoning was for the phasing in.

[Jonesi]

My only gripe so far is that they should have just switched to the COT full time over the off season, im not sure what NASCARs reasoning was for the phasing in.

Let's try a few possibilities:

1. Nascar still isn't sure how the cars will run at high speed in a pack.

2. No team could afford to switch over in one year. Normal car switchover is about 2-3 years. Top teams sold their used cars to mid pack teams who sold their old stuff to the grid fillers or to West or North series. Mandating the switch (so old cars can't run) cut the resale value maybe 75%.

3. Nobody can build enough cars fast enough. I've heard Jack Roush say they build about 1 car a week. The Roush five team fleet is about 80 cars (5 teams about 15 cars per team plus some development cars).

4. Don't want to build too many cars early, because the car will probably still be changed somewhat. I'm willing to bet that between Nascar mandated changes & team development, the Hendrick & Gibbs cars that were so dominent the last two races, are no longer competitive by the end of the year and are sold off.

[Bob Riebe]

I am curious as to what the "official" line will be whent he first person gets killed in one of these things?

[dont_be_jack]

I am curious as to what the "official" line will be whent he first person gets killed in one of these things?

Are you implying that it'll be happening soon? I don't think it'll happen that soon.

[RaceFanStan]

I am curious as to what the "official" line will be whent he first person gets killed in one of these things?

Hopefully a driver won't die in a COT, the car is designed to be safer & I think it will be !

With the advent of the Hans Device, softer walls & now the COT, the drivers have a better chance of survival.

Late in the season of 2002, Sterling Marlin "broke his neck" in a crash ...
it was a basal skull fracture similar to the one that killed Dale Earnhardt in 2001 ...
Sterling's injury wasn't as severe as Dale's because Sterling was wearing a Hans Device ...

The softer walls are also working because most drivers that have hit them have walked away uninjured ...
crashes that would have broken bones before the softer walls are now taken with only a little bruising ...

NASCAR is gaining big advances in making the racing safer, I like that.