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^^According to someone who knows what they're talking about...
"I'll bet we could be running speeds up to 235 without the plates if we spent time doing some tweaking. But I'll tell you this—there's no way we could be out there racing at those speeds. It was neat to be out there running that fast by myself, but it would be insane to think we could have a pack of cars out there doing that."
...said Rusty Wallace after hitting 228 at the end of the straightaway with a lap speed of 216 at Talladega.
Wallace's speed far exceeded the official track qualifying record of 212.809 mph (44.998 seconds), set by Bill Elliott on April 30, 1987.
i would hope that after 17 years of progress, someone would have been able to top elliots qualifying record, assuming unrestricted engines.
as for running restrictor plates, this is not anything new, in fact nascar required the big block powered cars in the 70s to run restrictor plates at a time when nascar was transitioning to small blocks.
but if you want to run unrestricted, it can be done and still slow the cars down. the first thing is to get rid of the aero devices, that way the drivers have to drive through the corners, not just plant their foot and let the aero take over. second, make all cars run at least a 4.56 rear gear at daytona and talledega. the engine builders can try to compensate, but those big V8s wont last 500 miles running above 10,000 rpm, in fact they may not last 250 miles.
i would hope that after 17 years of progress, someone would have been able to top elliots qualifying record, assuming unrestricted engines.
as for running restrictor plates, this is not anything new, in fact nascar required the big block powered cars in the 70s to run restrictor plates at a time when nascar was transitioning to small blocks.
but if you want to run unrestricted, it can be done and still slow the cars down. the first thing is to get rid of the aero devices, that way the drivers have to drive through the corners, not just plant their foot and let the aero take over. second, make all cars run at least a 4.56 rear gear at daytona and talledega. the engine builders can try to compensate, but those big V8s wont last 500 miles running above 10,000 rpm, in fact they may not last 250 miles.
I like your ideas, they make a lot of sense. But NASCAR will never do away with restrictors because they have convinced a lot of people that it was done for safety alone and not to narrow the gap between brands. They could have instituted a gear rule back then but the brand with the High RPM HP still would have dominated.
NASCAR caters to the Manufacturer who pumps the most money into NASCAR through sponsorship. That's why Toyoda is so competitive with an engine that did not exist before they entered NASCAR.
Isn't it amazing how one family can become so rich in NASCAR without owning any race cars or ever winning a race? That France family is pretty smart.
I like your ideas, they make a lot of sense. But NASCAR will never do away with restrictors because they have convinced a lot of people that it was done for safety alone and not to narrow the gap between brands. They could have instituted a gear rule back then but the brand with the High RPM HP still would have dominated.
NASCAR caters to the Manufacturer who pumps the most money into NASCAR through sponsorship. That's why Toyoda is so competitive with an engine that did not exist before they entered NASCAR.
Isn't it amazing how one family can become so rich in NASCAR without owning any race cars or ever winning a race? That France family is pretty smart.
If NASCAR were to modernize engine configurations the Big 3 would be the back of the pack 3. The antiquated engine configuration currently used is probably not worth the effort or expense. F1 technology is present in many road going cars, NASCAR technology doesn't transfer.
If NASCAR were to modernize engine configurations the Big 3 would be the back of the pack 3.
I don't know about that, I really like the power in my little 5.0 4 cam Mustang. (faster than the 428 Cobra Jets of the sixties and just a little quicker than the M3)
Now that NASCAR is going to FI can OHC be the next approved engine?
I guess we have to wait for Chevy to drop the pushrod engines before NASCAR tells everybody to switch over to OHC engines.
I don't know about that, I really like the power in my little 5.0 4 cam Mustang. (faster than the 428 Cobra Jets of the sixties and just a little quicker than the M3)
My first car had a 428 Super Cobra Jet. I only wish I knew then what I have learned since about that car and engine. Typical dumb kid back then!
i don't know about that, i really like the power in my little 5.0 4 cam mustang. (faster than the 428 cobra jets of the sixties and just a little quicker than the m3)
now that nascar is going to fi can ohc be the next approved engine?
i guess we have to wait for chevy to drop the pushrod engines before nascar tells everybody to switch over to ohc engines.
I don't know about that, I really like the power in my little 5.0 4 cam Mustang. (faster than the 428 Cobra Jets of the sixties and just a little quicker than the M3)
Now that NASCAR is going to FI can OHC be the next approved engine?
I guess we have to wait for Chevy to drop the pushrod engines before NASCAR tells everybody to switch over to OHC engines.
GM has invested 10 Bazillion dollars in NASCAR and they won't change engines until GM tells them to.
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That's why Toyoda is so competitive with an engine that did not exist before they entered NASCAR.
