NextGen Nationwide Car

Anyone watching the NNS qualifying? What's everyone's thoughts on the look of the new nationwide cars? Personally, I think they look bada$$. Even the Impala looks mean.

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Permalink Reply by Turtle7 on July 3, 2010 at 10:51am

While the new NW car looks good and nicely balanced with the Challengers the most noticable, it does not handle well. This is the first speedway race where the packs were broken up and only a few cars ran together. The race looked more like a typical short track race then what we expect at a speedway. Also, this was the most number of cars that I can remember being a lap down and not because of being in a wreck. Was it good racing?

Secondly, I think we will see the NW front valance on the Cup cars next season. I wonder what that and the Spoiler will do to next Feb's Daytona 500 packs and on the new surface. I hope NASCAR gives the teams a test session before speed week.

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Permalink Reply by Lance on July 3, 2010 at 12:13pm

The racing was good. I must not have seen the race 2 or 3 years ago where Jr. left the rest of the pack behind. This actually happens quite often at Daytona where handling plays a role in car performance. I for one LOVE the fact that the pack was broken up and there was real racing.

regarding the new car: These cars a 180 degrees opposite of the Cup cars. They make a ton of front downforce so they get very loose. It separates the men from the boys.

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Permalink Reply by Ryan Plowman on July 5, 2010 at 12:52pm

You have to remember that the majority of the teams had not even worked with this new car config. A lot of teams bought older generation COT chassis' from Cup teams and swaped noses. Teams like Penske and Gibbs already have developed COT chassis and have worked with them for years on the Cup side, making this transition to a new generation NW car much easier.

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Permalink Reply by GasOnRobby on July 3, 2010 at 12:30pm

The cars looks nice but I still don't think it is real racing. It is a small step in the right direction. Who saw the V8 Super Cars and the Grand-Am series in Ohio on Speed yesterday? The commentators said multiple times that each make has an advantage at different parts of the track. For example, the Kia had good brakes and handling but lacked horsepower. The best part is each car looked like the factory car from the front, side, and rear.

I wish NASCAR would allow the manufactures and teams to build the best cars. I think this will benefit RGM because he can take the risk of trying new and innovative things. Remember Awesome Bill from Dawsonville? He didn't do it with a spec car.

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Permalink Reply by GasOnRobby on July 3, 2010 at 12:35pm

Did anyone hear France's comments yesterday? "France: Things evolve over time ... we like where we're at now and where we're going"

Who likes where they are at now and thinks they are going in the right direction?

What about this doosey? "France: Want to satisfy core fan but you have to do things that make us attractive to younger demo, i.e. social media "

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Permalink Reply by Turtle7 on July 5, 2010 at 10:43am

Per France's quote, I guess Robby was right to do a Monster Monster truck... They definitely appeal to a younger demographic. Can you see them running laps at Daytona?

GasOnRobby has the right idea. Let the manufacturer's build cars to look like the production vehicles with the NASCAR required safety innovations.

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Permalink Reply by Chris Konzelman on July 6, 2010 at 12:26pm

The ultimate plate race! Hyundai, Kia, Suzuki

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Permalink Reply by Bob on July 7, 2010 at 3:41pm

It will be interesting when, and if, we hear comments about the nature of the handling on these new cars. If you will remember, drivers bitched and moaned about how terrible the handling was on the COT, until I suspect NASCAR finally told them that they better shut up about it if they knew what was good for them. In the old days you would hear about drivers who knew how to get the most out of an ill-handling race car. But you've never heard anyone say again, once the COT came on the scene. The main problem, as I understood at the time, was that the adjustments "sweet spot" was simply too narrow on the COT, and unless the setup was absolutely perfect you had no chance at all to be competitive. Drivers said that even when it was right, it simply was not a very good race car. Even though drivers seem to have gotten used to the COT, it's hard to believe that the basic situation has changed much.

So my assumption is that NASCAR has seen the development of the new Nationwide car as a second opportunity to "get it right"

If this turns out to be the case, perhaps we will see some changes in the Cup cars as well.