Fast Laps: Daytona

by Matt Mercer, Special To NASCAR commentary,NASCAR video,NASCAR pictures, Bench Racing With Steve and Charlie

I'm the writer of The Catfish Show NASCAR Blog, which you can access through the links on the right. Follow me on Twitter: @mattmercer

4 Responses to “Fast Laps: Daytona”

1. Steve Wronkowicz on June 29th, 2009 9:14 pm

   1– NASCAR cannot afford to go to a totally spec engine program. Fans hate the spec car now, so a totally spec package would be suicide.

   2– I don’t see how the independent, Nationwide only teams will be able to afford the R&D necessary to make it work. The phase-in that they used in the cup series was not cost effective. All or nothing is the only way.

   3– Leave it alone>

   4– It matters for a week after the race and a week before they go back to the track the next time and or year. Other than that a win is a win.

2. Charlie Turner on June 30th, 2009 9:11 am

   1. Depends on how many manufacturers stay in - or how many new ones want in. NASCAR may go the spec route if that’s what it takes to have multiple manufactures involved and still keep the current - read “old, archaic, tech-dead - pushrod 350s.

   2. The NW COT is coming. The teams that want to compete will have to figure a way to do so. If they’re going with the pony car bodies, I’ll look forward to it on those tracks.

   3. The most exciting races to watch are the plate races. Why change?

   4. Only the fans of the guy in second place remember.

   That was 100 exactly by my count. Hoo-ha

3. Marc on June 30th, 2009 3:56 pm

   1. I’ve seen a couple reports that claim the manufacturers are the ones pushing the spec engine, at this point I.ve seen no direct quotes to confirm that.

   That said, spec engines have worked A-Ok in the East/West series’ for the last 3-4 years with the inevitable cost savings. And really, when you look at how close the present engine rules are you’d be damn hard pressed to tell one car companies engine from another without the branding on the valve covers, they’re effectively spec engines now.

   2. Not only no but,,, friggin’ HELL NO! I doubt you will find a single Cup car owners that would support NNS splitting a season again with two types of cars in a single year.

   3. Changed? No tossed out would be a better term. Long-range they need to toss out the entire engine package and go to electronic fuel management including fuel injection with a much smaller cu in displacement.

   P.S. And the truck series needs to become more relevant to what’s going to be on the street, i.e. street light trucks will soon meet the new much higher CAFE standards, that means some type of bio-fuel or diesel to meet them. Consequently, the truck series should do the same and in some way allow the series become a test bed of new technology for the manufacturers. Not to mention serve as a diversion to the ecco-wennies that complain about NASCAR til they’re blue in the face.

   4. Um, no, a win is a win and other than laugh at the nutcakes that claim they are “illegitimate wins” I move along smartly.

4. Ryan Rantz on June 30th, 2009 6:24 pm

   1. The cars are exactly the same (minus the stickers) so I think a common engine is the next step. First they will roll out the Engine of Tomorrow at a track like Daytona and then it will spread.

   2. No, but NASCAR does what NASCAR wants.

   3. This year I started hearing the drivers talk about how they felt like they finally had throttle response. I’ll say give them more yet because I don’t think this could affect the race product in any way except positively.

   4. I don’t forget them but an asterisk should be placed by them.

Got something to say?

Did you know you can log in with your Thunder Lounge account, and have your personal avatar and site link available when you comment at On Pit Row?

Don't have an account yet? Sign-up for free.