Better Racing - Cut Horsepower?

[HOF#13]

From jayski's site:

"Yates would like reduction in horsepower on cars: Support appears to be growing to cut Cup horsepower, thus cutting corner-entry speed, thus making for more side-by-side racing. David Hyder, crew chief for #21-Bill Elliott and the Woods, says putting restrictor plates on engines at tracks like this two-mile oval and California's Auto Club Speedway would greatly improve the racing. And Doug Yates agrees. "Nobody likes plates, but here [Michigan] you're going into the corners at 215 mph, which is ridiculous. And then you've got the tire problems at Indianapolis…..It's all just a physics equation - how fast you go into the corner, how much grip you have, and what that does to the tires. So I'm an advocate of taking some engine power away and making the racing better. Take at least 50 horsepower way. These Cup cars are overpowered today. We definitely need to take some power away. Every engine builder in this garage has made gains of 15 to 20 horsepower every year for 20 years…and we're going to gain another 15 horsepower next year. And it will cost us more money. The fans in the stands don't care if we've got 700 horsepower, 800 horsepower or 900 horsepower or 1,000 horsepower, they just want to see a good race. If we could take some power away, put more grip in the tires, it would make for better racing."

What do you think of this idea? I could care less whether they are going 160 or 180 if the racing is better. The whole idea with this car was to make it safer and to save teams money (how I'm not sure). This has been at the expense of close, good racing. If slowing down the cars a bit would make the racing better, I'm all for it. I think it would also help to get rid of that stupid wing on the back and put the good 'ol spoiler back on. Thoughts?

[CPRJoe]

I'm not sure why you think the COT is taking away from "good racing". Daytona and Talledega have been INCREDIBLE since the COT has been introduced. It seems the teams are still finding new things out about the COT especially at restrictor-plate tracks. And the way a car can "fishtail" and not turn around is equally amazing!

What I have seen is the races have been less exciting because of fuel strategy. Fuel strategy has won a most of the races lately. Whether it be because of incoming weather or just fuel management.

Waiting for the leader to run out of gas is exciting. But it is NOT the kinda racing I like to see. It is part of the game though, and lately there just happen to be a few of them in a row.

I'm still trying to get over the way Nascar ended the Coke 600. That was a joke.

Maybe when bad weather is approaching they should have a mandatory yellow flag. Let everyone gas up and go 20 laps for the win!! Shoot-out style

[harvey lee]

Cup is not what it use to be and thats straight out racing. I have never cared for the COT program and more than likely never will.

I watch less of NASCAR all the time.

[LMITOUT]

I agree and would like to see what the Nationwide version of the car looks like. Cup guys who have tested this car seemed to have given it positive reviews. I think they missed the mark with the COT shoe box. Did anyone notice the number of empty seats at Michigan yesterday? Yikes.

[harvey lee]

The economy is hurting all.

[HOF#13]

The economy is hurting all.

That and the more and more common follow the leader racing that we are seeing over the last year and a half. The double file restarts are a help (for a few laps anyhow), but more needs to be done to make it worth watching anymore.