How to make NASCAR (and cars of today) interesting again.

[LosAngeles]

This may or may not get printed over on that site, so I pasted it here to at least discuss.

While I have stated for a long time what Dr. Bud [E. Bryan's Roadkill column] is saying about NASCAR going back to production-based cars, just wanted to tweak the suggestions a little, give it some direction.

NASCAR is about bread-and-butter cars. Pony cars aren't bread and butter, leave those to IROC and Trans Am. While standards like the Charger and Impala would be good for this new-look NASCAR, racing is supposed to improve the breed, and the breed that needs improvement is the boring "Camcord"-dominated world of mid-size cars. So here's what should be done.

-Go with homologation special models. Require production of 10,000 street-trim units for each brand. Must retail under US$35,000. All aerodynamic body mods for track must be exactly as sold in showrooms.

-Slap a strict 3-liter displacement formula on the engines. Allow from five to eight cylinders, and forced induction on fives and sixes (maximum one turbo or one supecharger), as long as it is no bigger than 3000cc. Fuel injection, multivalve heads, overhead cams, and variable valve timing OK.

-Car must be a strict five-place mid-sizer. Two-or-four-door sedan OK.

That should definitely improve the breed there.

[balthazar]

Are there a lot of 'bread and butter' under-3.0L V-8s out there ??

[Camino LS6]

Make it 5.0 liter and you might be onto something.

[vonVeezelsnider]

Make it 5.0 liter and you might be onto something.

Yeah... Make it 5.0L. I too really want to see NASCAR return to its roots.

[loki]

if it's any rules.. it's just roll cage, and 2 classes, fwd and rwd. but the classes are one at the end of the season.

[LosAngeles]

Are there a lot of 'bread and butter' under-3.0L V-8s out there ??

The point of the homologation and the formula is that you build something within the rules. We're tryna improve the breed.

To those talking about five liters, do we really want to see a five-liter five- or six-cylinder?

I don't think there should be engine displacement rules. Let each team find out for itself what works. Rules stifle competition, not promote it.

I personally think you open the floodgates to manufacturers just running anything.

if it's any rules.. it's just roll cage, and 2 classes, fwd and rwd. but the classes are one at the end of the season.

What I had in the original letter, but edited out at the last minute, was that a rule should be enacted similar to the British Touring Car Championship, where the front-drive cars will weigh less to compete with the rear-drive and all-wheel-drive cars on the same field. Took it out at the last minute, because I don't logically see the real necessity for the fronties to weigh that much less, when I figure that they already would without a drive shaft or rear transaxle. But then, I don't build race cars.

These are just a few ideas, obviously subject to tweaks. My general interest is win on Sunday, sell on Monday....to get a series of intermediates on the street that are a lot less boring. And even if it is only racing, it could change a few minds, ya know.

NASCAR obviously won't be the arena for this, because of their beloved Car of Tomorrow....but hey, maybe one day....

[Camino LS6]

What I mean is like let a Chevy run 4.8 or a 5.3, a Ford run a 4.6 or a 5.4, a Dodge run a 4.7 or 5.7, that kind of thing. Let's the teams run whatever engine from their particular make they choose. Would Chevy run a 5.3 because of the higher displacement? Does Ford a 4.6 because the 5.4 is under square? Does Dodge run a six cylinder thinking they can squeeze more RPMs out of it? Does Toyota run a turbine just to be different? Eventually the teams will figure out what works and once in a while someone will innovate with something that changes the way everyone races. NASCAR shouldn't just be about the drivers, it should be about the cars as well. Let the innovative manufacturers be rewarded for being innovative and let the rest rest end up last where they belong.

As it once was.

You know, back when Nascar mattered.

[LosAngeles]

If anything on the engine formula, I'd probably go with:

-a 500cc per cylinder scale. This would make for 4-liter V-8s, 3-liter sixes, and 2.5-liter fives (allow two turbos or twincharging on the fives).

-fuel injection obviously required with these being production cars

Bodies:

-Five-door fastbacks OK. Coupes MUST be notchback.

-Maximum length 16'1" (193.0") Strict production intermediates, no more long, goofy rear overhangs.

More road courses per season.

And of course the series is all one class. Open to all brands who can provide a car that actually competes in this class, whether it's Honda or Hyundai, Volkswagen or Pontiac.

I'd look forward to:

-whether VW built a W-8 frontie Passat (for instance) or an AWD twin turbo fiver.

-Subaru deciding to make a flat six Legacy.

-Chevy fielding a REAL Malibu SS, with a small-displacement smallblock, or a nice HF....or even building a new Monte, CORT!

-Chrysler finally delivering an SRT-6 Avenger or Sebring

....among other possibilites. What about you guys?

[pow]

NASCAR should have CAFE standards.