Jump to content
  • GUESTS

    If you want access to members only forums on HSO, you will gain access only when you Sign-in or Sign-Up .

    This box will disappear once you are signed in as a member. ?

Is the COT becoming a nightmare for Nascar?


Recommended Posts

Hey I've been out of the loop for a while, but have been taking in the entertainment on here as much as possible also.

I'm wondering if the COT and the Hendricks domination is becoming a nightmare for NASCAR?

The COT was suppose to level the playing field, cut costs, keep the manufactures identity, and improve safety for the drivers. Do you think any of these have been proving effective with the new COT cars?

My biggest question is; If the COT was needed so much, why are they o.k. with letting the Busch cars stay the same? Are those drivers less important, does the decreased horsepower make them any safer than the original Cup cars? When the Cup and Busch cars run a track like Michigan, what is the MPH differience.. a couple MPH? You'd think the G force during an impact would be pretty darn close.

Plus the COT's are ugly!!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Safety-wise, I think the COT will be better since the greenhouse is bigger and the driver has been moved toward the center more.

As far as costs? right now, I think it is costing teams MORE since they are basically running two different programs due to the different make-up of the cars. If/when (inevitable..I know) they make the change to just using the COT, I think the costs will stay pretty much the same.

Nightmare for NASCAR? I' m not sure... Is the racing better? Not in my opinion.. What I am seeing is a domination right now, and that just does not make good racing overall... This does not mean I feel Hendrick is somehow cheating...but they must have found something somewhere that is giving them such a huge advantage. Probably a gray area rule of some type and they are exploiting it whereas others have not found it yet. They might be just Gelling that much as a corporation that they are going to dominate this year... Much like Rousch did a couple of years ago when all of their cars made the top 10 for the chase...

Still not fun to watch the same drivers win week in and week out, and not see much of the other racing going on...but that is a TV coverage issue which is separate..

Steve

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I believe that some of the larger,better,richer teams will get the COT cars figured out first. In a year or so we will be seeing different results than the dominance of the Hendrick team.

I also dont believe that it will save the teams any money but, it will give them safer cars.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

All teams are allowed the same amount of testing at the tracks they race at, but the can test outside of thosetracks as much as they want, example is Kentucky Speedway allows teams to test there for a fee.

I think that Hendrich is just doing a better job than anybody else out there at this time as they are completly sharing info to all 4 teams. Gibbs and Penske are right there though with there cars and bad luck is stopping them from winning. if you listen closely to the newscasts and MRN radio, alot of people are also talking about all the power Hendrich is making , and you can't beat that combo.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nobody "gets" more practice time, you make it sound like NASCAR gives them something. Hendrick and Gibbs (who has also been right up there top five in every COT race but never gets mentioned) just did a better job of getting their COT programs going. Hendrick says flat out it was David Green putting in 1000's of test laps that helped them get their program ahead.

As for the racing too, it may be that the Hendrick cars have won, but the racing has been great. Very narrow margins of victory and more passing. There was a great aricle on NASCAR.com about a stat on "quality passes" that NASCAR keeps and in almost all the races the COT has had more than the previous year's old car race at the same track. These are passes of top 15 running cars. The times of the field on qualifying day are all REAL tight too. There isn't 2-3 seconds seperating the front and back of the field in these races, there is less than one second.

As for cost, ya right now its more expensive, it has to be to run dual programs, but next year with eliminating the need for so many differently built bodies for the different "aero packages" it should ease up on the number of cars they need around.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hendrick teams are winning these COT races, but Gibbs' cars are the dominating cars on the track if you examine the overall numbers rather than the outcome which is a better way to see who has the better COT program right now. They have led more laps in all the COT races and have been right there if not for some bad luck. They brought this fact up on some race coverage the other night and although Hendrick is getting the wins, Gibbs is the more consistant program thusfar.

With that said, I wouldn't say that the balance is swayed only in one team's direction, but it is pretty heavy towards two or three of them at this point. I hope they go to full time COT in 2008 to eliminate this confusion of two seperate programs to help all teams concentrate on one car instead of dividing their time up on two completely different concepts. This would help balance the field which was the intention of this car in the first place. There will always be a few dominating teams, but eventually the rest of the field will catch up and it won't appear to be so lopsided as it is now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well stated Limitout. I would say almost all of the chevy teams are real close. RCR has had some top 10's as well as JR. The Fords not so much but roush has shown signs of life and may be real close.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.


×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.