This is a new thing for the
Teams, but is at least the answer and the strategy are clearly understandable—win the race, week in and week out. Shift
everything toward the win. Teams will be using the wilder cam, the lighter crankshaft, be running the more aggressive chassis
setup, and so on. Drivers will know that they still have to drive conservatively enough to not have a problem, but now a win
is critical, and ninth, or second, is not something to be settled for. All of this will absolutely provide a better race;
NASCAR will have definitely achieved their goal—to improve the show.
Secondly, there is the Car of Tomorrow (COT):
There are those that have always
liked it (the Petty’s, myself and maybe somebody else out there) and those that don’t (80% of the rest of the
garage) but the teams are taking it seriously now. After all, it will be run in approximately 44% of the races-that-need-to-be-won
in 2007. This is a much bigger wildcard. Even though the big boys—Penske, Hendrick, and certainly Roush and Evernham—are
all working hard to develop a good racecar, they know that the current car is somewhat of a known deal, and the Car of Tomorrow,
well, isn’t.
The last time that NASCAR downsized
was in 1981. Most GM teams went with a Buick Regal or Oldsmobile Cutlass, but Bobby Allison’s group settled on a Pontiac
Lemans, which had a more steeply raked back window, resulting in less turbulence, more rear down force, and a faster car.
NASCAR leveled the playing field, and ironically the best looking racecar on the track was essentially legislated out of competition.
Clearly with the Car of Tomorrow,
there will not be that big of an advantage gained, but make no mistake, the Team that figures the thing out first will be
one of the twelve contenders for the Cup.
There is another similarity
to that last downsizing that the France
family no doubt remembers—a lot of grumbling. But the competitors adapted, pretty quick the whole deal smoothed out,
and the racing ultimately improved. So it will inevitably be with the Car of Tomorrow.
This too, the existing
teams have at least some control over. That is, quit whining and embrace the COT. That is a choice, and if they haven’t
made it previously, you can be this is coming up at team meetings throughout Charlotte
on Monday mornings.
Time will tell, but I am convinced
that ultimately the new (old) car will make for better driver safety AND better racing.
And finally, Toyota:
Existing Cup Teams are simply
nervously guessing at how Toyota’s cubic dollars will affect the sport.
Even if Jack Roush acquires a business partner he will still have to wonder if it will be enough—after all, who knows
just what Toyota can spend? This is a tough one, but in the end, again, the only
thing that the existing teams can do is sharpen their game.
2006 StockCar Review.
