Now that's funny. It'll never happen. Period. Much too popular. IF all the "big three" died a natural death, they'd use Toyota and Nissan engines. Both have big V8s, the Toyota ones are already being used. Then there are the European engines. BMW and Mercedes, and even some Italian ones.

Don't worry about the "cars". They have nothing to do with production cars. They only sort of "look like" production cars.

So no, it'll never happen.

NASCAR is a spec series based on 1960's technology. The rear suspension is based on the truck arm suspension from 1960-1972 chevy trucks.

NASCAR requires engines with pushrods and a carburetor. Toyota's production V8 is a modern engine with fuel injection and an overhead cam.

Let it die. It would be fine by me. I don't understand the attraction, other than drinking beer.

Tom

From what I've heard, it's just a bunch of people getting drunk, waiting for car wrecks. Sort of like olympic ice skating.

Exactly, but with a better chance of fire.

Tom

:tsk:Over the years NASCAR has evolved into a family sport. We run an ice cream/fast food store near Pocono Raceway and have notice over the last 5 years a marked increase in the number of Father's and sons that attend the race together. All the races bring in alot of money to the different towns their in. I know they helped pay for my Prius. Some of you guys sound like Frazier and Niles with their nose up in the air, bashing other people that are "below" you. Not a nice Christmas attitude!

And a better chance of a spectator getting killed by flying shrapnel.

Thanks. I'll take the Frazier and Niles comment as a complement. I'm more like Niles.

Car racing has some attraction. I can see the challenge of a road course. I can even understand the historical attraction to a speed race like the Indy 500. What I don't get is NASCAR. From my perspective it looks like a bunch of rednecks going around and around in circles. I think more beer would help my attitude.

Tom

Well, it's just as well. I don't follow NASCAR myself because my attention span is rather short....so I watch drag racing. It's over in a few seconds.

Anyway, from what I heard from the guys at work, a Toyota Camry was kickin ass and NASCAR made them run with a restrictor plate. How fair is that?

Hi All,

I could stand the super-speedway style races shutting down. But do enjoy watching road-races, no matter if the car is 40 year old technology or not.

Yeah, many import car enthusiasts totally scoff at NASCAR, including myself. Those drivers ought to engage in some racing that requires a lot more skill by racing on tracks that actually have real turns or better yet, rally racing.

I remember years ago, NASCAR finally came to Pacific Raceways (Pacific Raceways - Where The Excitement Is Accelerating!), a real course. I wish I could find the article, where the some of the drivers were quoted on how challenging the race and course were... something to that effect. Duh... they couldn't just race around in circles and ovals.

I never really followed roundy roundy racing. I like motor sport but roundy roundy racing is only a little above demolition derby. The whole thing is stupid and needs a complete overhaul. It's time to drag the entire thing kicking and screaming into the 2000s. Twin cam, EFI, engine management, fuel mass restrictions and production cars.

The Australian V8 super cars needs a similar overhaul.
Dump the V8 and use 6 cylinder engines, the engines most people here have in their cars. Use the current crop of twin cam vee and straight 6 engines with EFI and engine management. There would be a minimal drop in speeds over the current V8 carburettor fed push rod cars. Also make independent rear suspension mandatory, currently all use Ford 9" rear axles. And they need to have more than 2 makes, Ford and Holden(GM). As long as they manufacture the car in Australia it should be able to run in the series. Toyota would put the cat among the pigeon pair.

I disagree with most posters about the skill levels of the drivers in NASCAR though, they are very skilled in what they do and at the top of their game at that level. Sometimes they actually race around left AND right hand corners!!! Sure the fans are rednecks but it keeps them all in one place for a day and the crime rate drops for the day.

I stopped watching NASCAR when the cars became parodies of the vehicle they were representing. It was pretty cool when the cars were actual GM, Chrysler and Fords that were modified for racing. Same thing has happened to NHRA drag racing. The original Funny Car was a production car with the wheel base altered, engine location changed and fuel injection added. Today they use the same engine, based on the Chrysler hemi and the only difference is the body profile. To say that John Force races a Ford Mustang is just plain stupid. These days the only racing I enjoy is Formula One, any road course race using production based cars and nostalgia drag racing. Guess I'm kind of stuck in the '60's.

This is an excellent point. I never really thought of it that way.

Tom

Some of you people are really insulting!

NASCAR has some VERY talented drivers. It is by far the best paying race series in the US and it is only natural that talent would follow the money. I know Robby Gorden has been successful racing off-road trucks at Baja and Earnhart Jr. has been successful racing a Corvette and Daytona Prototype in the US LeMans series.

As far as the challenge of racing a NASCAR on a road circuits. Hell yah it's hard. Imagine racing a car with non-adjustable suspension on a circuit that changes that much. It would be a nightmare to drive.

I make fun of the cars, not the drivers.

I'm not questioning the drivers' talent, I only question the attraction of watching someone drive around and around in an oval. This is a personal issue for me, just as some people like to watch golf on TV and others can't stand it. I like sailboat races, but I imagine your typical NASCAR fan would find them deadly boring. Most specialized activities are like that: if you are into it, then it's great, otherwise you just don't see the attraction.

How about curling? I like to watch curling, but I imaging most of you on this forum couldn't possibly care less about it, if you even know what it is. I'm not a hard core fan like some of our Canadian fans, but then I don't drink as much either (I believe that curling and drinking go hand and glove). Some of the curlers are incredibly talented too, but it's a rather specialized skill.

Tom

Thanks. I try really hard, and some people tell me I'm good at it. It's not a true gift for me, as it is with Evan, but I'm getting better through hard work and practice.

Tom

I agree that (to me) watching oval track racing is really boring. But I find watching most things boring. I like to play football (American and International) , baseball, golf, etc. I find them all to be incredibly boring to watch on TV or in person. I can't get into the whole "MY" team, "MY" driver thing. To me it is just other people playing games.

I do like to watch motorsports, but in person, not on TV. I tend to get to one or two LeMans or AMA Superbike race per year. It is the combination of the senses makes it interesting; sight, sounds, smells, etc. It is great to actually feel the cars or bikes go by. Mostly I like to walk through the pits and look at the machines. (No interest in collecting autographs)

I actually have watched curling. A friend and I went on a skiing trip to Searchmont in Ontario about 15 years ago. The only channel we got in our tiny little motel was playing a curling marathon, in French! We never figured out what the brushing was about but it was interesting. Three nights of non-stop French-Canadian curling action!!