Jerry Punch and NASCAR survival

I think the look of the cars is an element in the decreasing popularity of NASCAR. Making the cars look more like what is on the street would be a good step.

A second problem NASCAR has is that the sport is no longer grass-roots. If the ailing economy forces the mega-teams to scale back and more independent teams can prosper in the sport (like the Tommy Baldwin team that is at Daytona), that will help the sport. Popular drivers have always been regular guys (think Petty, Earnhardt, Elliott) who made it big. The stars today (Johnson, Gordon) are not regular guys.

The other element that threatens NASCAR long-term is the technology that is used. In the past, not only did the cars look like what was on the street, a backyard mechanic could build the drive-trains that was in them. Kids today who are into motors and who are NASCARs future potential fans are not into V8s. They are into 4-bangers. If NASCAR doesn't embrace technology that their fans identify with, they will lose fans in the future. Again, it goes back to grassroots appeal.

 

I went and did a quick search on each of the car models in use this year.

2009 Chevy Impala

2009 Ford Fusion

2009 Dodge Charger

2009 Toyota Camry

Other than the nose, I don't see much differentiation between the makes. Just getting rid of the wing and splitter would make the race cars look about the same as the street cars, which may be what that particular caller was pointing to as needing to be changed. You won't get any argument from me about the wing and splitter, as I've always thought they made the cars look bad.

COT2? I'm not sure what's being referred to there and I'm not sure what is meant by major changes to the spoiler. Are we talking more spoiler? Less? I can't really say much because I don't know what the proposed change would be.

 

Let's make 'em really stock. A FWD Fusion/Camry/Impala vs a RWD Charger with a hemi! I'd be loving that! An '09 Charger SRT-8 with the 6.1 hemi has 425 HP. You could arguably make the field of this year's race if you took governors off that car.

 

I think I know what you are saying, but I disagree. I spend about 10 1/2 to 11 hours a day driving the highways from Fl. to Winston Salem, NC or Martinsville, Va. and I can tell the cars from the back real easy. Now don't get me wrong it isn't like see the difference from a 55 Chevy or Plymouth or Ford, one could see and spot the difference of them from way off and that is front, sides or back.

swaimj brought up the regular guy deal, and I think that has a lot to do with how things are going. I've quit going to NASCAR races due to the drivers of today for the most part seem to be aloof( and the folks at the races were not what I would call race fans, it was a happening something to tell folks back home about, a good place to get drunk). But I would have to say that would be true for most sports players. I was never a Richard Petty fan but seeing him sign autographs for hours at a time I came to respect him greatly, he sold the sport.

 

When the only way you can tell them apart is because of the grille, that's a problem, and that's the only way I could tell them apart for years. Of course, it's not like I'm the most observant guy ever. When you and Bob are saying that there are differences other than the grille, then I'll take your word for it.

That was always listed as one of the appeals of Nascar, that the race cars looked like the street cars. Haven't heard that one for years.

 

I might have miss read you. On the road I can tell a difference in makes from the rear as well as the front, but driving a semi I see most cars from the rear. I have found out that so many Jetter drivers cut in so quick and out, so I watch all the makes. But if you looked at them for 65 to 70 hours a week you could see the same thing I do. Now on the track the nose is the only way to tell the difference.