Will a nascar nationwide COT help or hurt the series?

Question

well, the time has come - the first track test for the new car for the nationwide series will be next week with two teams from each of the four manufacturers participating. i guess they really are gearing up for a possible 2010 introduction to a COT in the nationwide series.

here's the link: http://www.nascar.com/2008/news/headlines/bg/09/04/new.car.test.debut.richmond/index.html

many small teams may be pinched pretty hard having to switch over. just a couple of months ago, junior stated that if jr motorsports is going to have to foot the bill to develop a new car in the nationwide series, he might as well just move jr motorsports to the cup level. then, he could make the change just once and involve the team at a level where the costs could be reasonably recovered. and that's jr motorsports - co-owned by junior and mr. hendrick.

also, if the car is close enough in style to cup COT, that might give some additional incentive for cup drivers to jump the nationwide series. this year, the differences between the cup and nns cars have limited the usefulness of the information gathered by drivers who run in both series.

so what do you think? do you think a COT version of the nationwide car will hurt or help the series? will a nationwide series COT sound the death knell for small teams in the nationwide series? do you think more cup series drivers will be pulling double duty each weekend to help out their cup efforts?

Answer 1

I want the drivers to be safe, but leave the Nationwide series alone, it reminds me of the old NASCAR. Plus I don't think every team can afford the cost of the new COT in the Nationwide series.

Answer 2

I think it depends on how they go about it, and what the cars look like. If they are the same as the Cup cars like they used to be, except for shorter wheel base, then I think it will hurt it. But if they go to the pony cars or something like that I think it will be great. The series needs to get its own identity. For the most part, the only big name drivers are also Cup regulars. They do have brad and Joey that are helping that part, but Joey will be a full time driver in the Cup series. And Brad will be in the Cup series at least part time in 2010. They really need to get an identity of their own.  

Answer 3

I'd say hurt. First because the little guy needs to race somewhere and it sure ain't happenin in the sprint cup. Second, I would actually watch a nationwide race if they were running the "car of yesterday" but I can't get excited about another COT three cars lap the rest of the field race. Or is it a COT winner is leading by 25 seconds unless we get a caution race?

Answer 4

It was bad for Cup and it will be bad for Nationwide! I think this is NASCAR's way of eliminating the little guy while claiming to be helping... They are driving the sport of STOCK car racing into the dirt!

Answer 5

its going to hurt the smaller teams really badly. Overall much of what we have seen on cup will be easier to handle since it has already been running, but I hate to see the little guys shoved out because of cost that is already too high

Answer 6

Well, so much for the NW series having its own identity away from the Cup series. I thought that's what Nascar has been striving for the past few years. I guess not anymore. I do think that this will give even more drivers the incentive to run more of the NW events. Which will in turn take away potential spots for up and coming rookies. But hey, more cup drivers racing most likely means higher ticket sales. Which means more $$$ for Nascar......

I just hope some of the smaller teams such as KHI and others will be able to make the transition without going broke. Good luck to them...

Answer 7

i think it would help, safety should be the number one concern... also nascar should not let cup drivers in nationwide, no other professional sport lets the players go back and forth between the top series and "minor" series.... also even though most say the racing sucks i like it more,no more just running behind someone and the front car goes spinning out of control, and speaking of spinning ive seen more saves in this car being completely sideways then in the past, so that has to save money from cars not being wrecked

Answer 8

it will hurt the series all the little teams who can barly make it now will have no chance

Answer 9

I think a COT version will help.  We want our driver's safe above all else.

Answer 10

I feel very bad for the owners and the cost to switch over but the overall safety of the drivers should be the main concern in all the NASCAR series.   I do think that you will see more cup drivers looking to run specific races where the information gained on Saturday tranfers to Sunday.  I don't know where it would hurt the series once they get swapped over to the new cars but like you say, the transition could put a couple of smaller teams out of business.

3 STR8 N 08!!!

Answer 11

Short term hurt.  Nationwide teams don't always have the huge multimillion dollar budgets of the Cup teams.  For them to get rid of probably a dozen cars/driver at a huge loss is going to hurt.  

Long term it will help.  They can use the same car for any track which means the small budget teams can build fewer cars.  The big teams will still build cars for certain tracks though.

I wish NASCAR could kick in some cash to help the teams switch over but since the teams aren't franchised its not going to happen.

Scott - It stopped being anything close to stock 25+ years ago.

Answer 12

i think it will hurt the series nascar should keep these cars there great and ceep some cup drivers out even tho most still come for various resonds i say it's all for money but many teams might leave cause it will cost to much nascar should provide at least one car for each team