raceannouncerblog

Changes are never easy for humans to accept.  Whether it’s because of the “fear of the unknown” aspect of change or messin’ with someone’s comfort level, not many people like “change”. 

2007 & 2008 (and perhaps, even this year) will be historical milestone years for NASCAR.  Not just one change will occur but several in a short span of time.  ALL of them will have far-reaching effects on the sport, both for competitors and spectators alike.  In fact, some believe these changes have the potential to grow the sport beyond where it is now and others feel like it may be the downfall of stock car racing as we know it.  Regardless of where your opinion lies, here are the big changes so far: 

Sunoco 260 GTX (unleaded racing fuel)

 Although American cars have been required by the federal government to run on unleaded fuel since 1974, both the aviation industry and motorsports applied for and received exemptions from the law.  With NASCAR’s recent meteoric rise in popluarity, vocal critics of the santioning body have turned up the volume regarding the use of lead based fuel for racing.  NASCAR has been working with Sunoco, its racing fuel supplier, for the last couple of years in developing unleaded racing fuel for its 3 pro divisions (Nextel Cup, Busch & Craftsman Truck).  The announcement was recently made that the changeover will occur in 2008, just two seasons away.  It should be mentioned here that NASCAR’s road-racing affiliation, Grand American Road Racing Association, is also supplied by Sunoco and has, in fact, already been using the unleaded fuel in its series.  Also, some regional series (SK Light modifieds, for example) are also using the fuel.  Although no reports of any health problems by members of race teams have yet surfaced, most believe this is a good change.

COT (“Car of Tomorrow”)

Five years ago, the sport lost its biggest star when Dale Earnhardt was fatally injured on the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500.  Critics of the sport were harsh when it came to grading NASCAR on the safety aspects of racing.  At the time, most agreed that “not enough” was being done by the sanctioning body to improve safety in the sport.  Since then, NASCAR has created an entire facility dedicated to improving safety.  It has also required its tracks to install “SAFER” barriers, so-called “soft wall” technology that has proven its worth time and time again since being mandated.  Another product of NASCAR’s “R&D” facility is the COT (“Car of Tomorrow”), announced recently by the sanctioning body as being phased in starting with the 2007 season.  Today’s NASCAR stock car interiors have become quite crowded for the driver.  New roll cage rules, newer seats and other requirements have provided a safety cocoon for the driver.  However, it’s become much tougher for a driver to get out of the car quickly, especially if a car catches fire.  Plus, NASCAR wants to try to contain costs for team owners.  The result is a new-from-the-ground-up race car, the “Car of Tomorrow”.  The side window openings are taller and wider than current stock cars.  Also, the driver location has been moved inward slightly to better protect the driver in a heavy side impact.  Both of these changes promote a safer race car.  Since this car was all-new, NASCAR was able to better mandate locations on the inside structure for engine mounting, suspension mounting, body location, etc.  The goal was to allow the building of a race car that, with a few minor changes, can be raced at all or at least a majority of the tracks, rather than the specialized machines we have today (such as short track cars, road course cars, downforce cars, superspeedway cars, etc.).  Knowing full well that requiring this car for 2007 for all tracks would be prohibitively expensive for all teams, NASCAR will phase the car in.  In 2007, it will be run at the short tracks and road courses, in 2008 it will be required at tracks 2 miles and longer (Daytona, Talladega, Pocono, Michigan, etc.) and then the “cookie cutter” 1.5 mile traacks in 2009.  Once a team has built their “fleet”, the total number of cars needed to compete should go way down from what is presently built, thereby shaving costs.

Of course, there are many negative comments already floating around by both teams and fans alike.  Teams aren’t yet convinced it’s the right way to go and fans are bemoaning what they see as the “spec” nature of the beast.  Most of the opposition to the “look” of the car has been that some feel it will be even more difficult to “tell the difference” between makes of cars competing in the series.  The interesting part is that the final design has not yet been settled upon, although most believe it won’t look that much different than the one pictured above that has been tested recently at Daytona.  Chemung’s Brett Bodine, now working in NASCAR R&D and who also has been test driving the car, said recently at Daytona that the new design will actually give the manufacturers “more freedom” to make sure the cars will look different from one another.

Toyota Camry: ’07 Nextel Cup Series/Busch Series LEGAL!

courtesy Toyota Motorsports 2006

The future is now:  what some people had been hoping for (and others had hoped would NEVER happen) WILL occur next season.  NASCAR announced that Toyota will be allowed to race its Camry-based stock car in the Nextel Cup Series and Busch Series starting in 2007.  This is just the next logical step for the manufacturer that started participating in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series just over two years ago and has seen some success in that series.  The addition of Toyota is seen by most close to the sport as a good thing.  They point to the fact that there will be another manufacturer in the mix, more promotional opportunities for the sport, the springboard to become more world-wide, etc.  All these and more are seen by NASCAR officials as a boost, not a detriment.  

There are those who disagree, however.  Mostly, it’s long time fans who fear that their ”American” sport has forever been ruined by the addition of a foreign manufacturer.  NASCAR has taken financial advantage of the “patriotism” of these fans in the past and is taking the gamble of alienating their fan base by this decision, according to some.  Others point to this decision as further proof that the term ”stock” has long been gone from the term “stock car” as it applies to the machines that race in NASCAR.

Regardless of where you stand on any of these upcoming changes, they ARE coming, starting next year.  Already, some of the changes are being planned and worked on to begin the phase-in for 2007–and beyond.

One thing is certain:  these changes will forever change, for better or worse, the face of the sport we know now.  On that, there can be no debate!

Mike Paz, Motorsports Announcer

Similar to what happened last week after the first wave of NASCAR Nextel Cup Series testing was finished, NASCAR once again took the opportunity to test its so-called “Car of Tomorrow” (COT) today (Thursday, Jan. 19) following the second wave of Nextel Cup testing, which was completed Wednesday.  This time, officials invited any of the teams that have completed their new car to come down and run with the one that NASCAR has built and tested recently.  Only one team, Petty Enterprises, brought their COT to the test.  Either the other teams are not quite finished with theirs or didn’t want to take part in this particular test.

Petty’s car appears to be more like contemporary NASCAR stocks cars in some respects.  Maybe it’s because it was in primer and not yet painted.  However, the biggest difference you can see is how much more room there is in the door window openings on either side.  The taller roofline allows for better (and hopefully safer) access to the cockpit for the drivers.

As you can see, Petty’s car also had the new “wing” on the rear decklid.  Kyle Petty drove the car in testing and made many runs in drafting mode with the NASCAR “R&D” COT.  Chemung’s Brett Bodine was again at the wheel of the original COT and the two ran nose-to-tail, tried “sling shot maneuvers and ran side-by-side a few times.

As is always the case, no speeds were released to the public and the NASCAR frequency was not available to me at the times the cars were on the track.  To the naked eye, the cars looked very stable most every time around whether they were running by themselves or hooked together.

 I have seen, heard and read some people’s comments regarding NASCAR’s “COT” and I find them interesting and perplexing at the same time.  Of course, change of any kind is hard for some folks to accept.  Others have expressed doubts that the new cars will be better for any reason.  My opinion?  I don’t have one yet!  While it may sound to some like I’m ducking the issue, the fact is that this car’s design is NOT yet finalized.  These and other test sessions will serve as data gathering opportunities that, when put together with input from team owners, drivers and yes, even the fans, will determine what the “COT” will actually look like.  When you consider that whatever is actually raced in 2007 may look quite a bit different (or not!) from these pics, I think I would rather wait until the “real” car debuts to make any judgements.  Right now, I’ll just call it “very interesting”!

Mike Paz, Motorsports Announcer

While some teams from the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series have already tested at Daytona for the upcoming 2006 season and the rest will test at the beginning of next week, NASCAR is looking ahead by testing the so-called “Car of Tomorrow” (COT) at Daytona International Speedway. On Thursday, Chemung native Brett Bodine again donned his driving suit and helmet to put the car through its paces at the “World Center of Racing”. Here’s a look at it:

Although the car looks very similar to the current crop of NASCAR racing machines, there are several significant changes. One is that the body style, when finalized, will be the same for all makes of cars.  Some reports have it that the only differences among makes will be the powerplants underneath the hood and any graphic illusions that paint schemes and decals can provide.  (NOTE:  NOT true! See UPDATE below!) Another change is the location of the driver’s seat: although not directly in the middle of the interior, it has been moved inboard slightly to increase driver safety in the event of an impact involving the left side of the car.

Since being built earlier this year, the car has been tested previously at other tracks but Thursday was the first time the new machine had seen the high banks of Daytona. One of the more obvious things being tested at Daytona was the aerodynamic package, specifically as it relates to the rear of the machine. When first seen in the afternoon session, the car had a small wing on the rear decklid as shown here:

Later in the session, officials changed it to a more-conventional looking spoiler on the car:

Unofficial times could be heard on the NASCAR radio frequency, indicating that the car turned quicker lap times with the “wing” than the spoiler. (See related story at Jayski here: http://jayski.com/teams/car-future.htm)

Among other things being tested was various spring and shock combinations.

Several current Nextel Cup teams have built their own versions of the COT and NASCAR officials are anxious to get more than one out on the track at a time. They have already gathered significant amounts of data from single car testing but they have indicated that what’s needed now is information on how the car races with others in front, in back and around other cars. Once that data is compared to the single car info, more changes could be forthcoming.

Although no official timetable has been set, NASCAR officials would like to approve the final design soon. The plan is to race the car in 2007 and they would like to give the teams plenty of time to build the cars for next season.  Of course, as the Jayski article indicates, several opinions, both good and bad, have been offered up on the car by the various manufacturers and teams.

UPDATE:  I had the chance to talk with Brett Bodine Friday morning about the COT test at Daytona.  In his description of the COT, he indicated that the car will be “standardized’ primarily in the chassis building of the car, the body mounting locations will have rigid rules in place. The basic idea is to have a car which can be raced at almost all the tracks on the schedule with adjustability designed into the chassis rather than the body panels.  The car’s nose and tail pieces are NOT yet finalized, according to Bodine.  The manufacturers and teams will be consulted to come up with body panels that will further distinguish the different makes rather than appearing mostly the same as now.  Again, he emphasized, the locations for “hanging” the body panels will be rigidly enforced as will the chassis structure itself.  This will give the sanctioning body more control over the ”gray areas” of building a car, something the current construction process does not give them.   He was also very enthusiastic about the ”wing” rather than the spoiler.  Again, although the final configuration hasn’t been decided upon, he believes the wing will allow for similar or better downforce than the current spoiler gives with a lesser penalty in drag, resulting in a quicker car that handles better.  

Thanks to Brett Bodine for taking the time to explain some of the aspects of the COT!  

Mike Paz, Motorsports Announcer

“UNBELIEVABLE!!!”

Take a dirt racetrack in Western NY, schedule an enduro stock car race on New Year’s Day after almost everyone has partied down the night before, offer $300 only to the winner of each division (8cyl, 6cyl & 4cyl), ask always charitible race fans to donate a food item to a local pantry as the only admission price, and what do you have?  A recipe for great fun and a way to break up the winter weather blues for race fans! The 6th Annual Hangover 150 was held on Sunday January 1st, 2006 at Ransomville (NY) Speedway! (www.ransomvillespeedway.com).  NYIRP’s Doug Forth suggested over a month ago that we check out the festivities and it was great stuff!

For those of you who have gotten this far and are asking yourself “Who would be crazy enough to watch racing OUTSIDE in the dead of winter?”, the answer is OVER 4,000 people!

Look, it ain’t no different than going to a football game in the same kind of weather–complete with tailgating both before and after the event!  Temperature was in the low 30’s with very little wind so as long as you dressed warmly enough (and brought the RIGHT things to keep you warm inside!) you were comfortable!  The food stands were open, serving not only the usual hot dogs, burgers and fries but also chili, hot chocolate and coffee!

The racing formula was quite simple:  3 straight stock divisions (8cyl, 6cyl & 4cyl., little more than demolition derby cars, really!), DOT tires, a 2 in square hole cut in the hood (to aid in firefighting!) Other than that, anything goes!  Each division raced for 50 laps! 

The announcing crew consisted of track regular announcer and racing video producer Mel Thomas (http://www.thomasracingvideos.com/) along with Holland PR Rick Mooney,

as well as Lancaster/WCIS/Lake Erie’s Dave “The Dude” Buchanan and myself!

Alright, let’s get to the racin’!  The 8 cylinders came out first with about 50 entries or so.   No track prep was necessary–the surface was covered with snow so the organizers figured the track was ready! 

No practice, no heats, just line ‘em up and drop the green!  Of course, traction was practically non-existent and the inevitable mayhem started on lap 1.  By the time the checker flag flew, there were only a handful of cars actually running.  John Bottoms was the winner by 3 laps over his nearest competition.  His secret?  He found a junkyard dog Audi V8 4 door sedan with all-wheel drive and he was able to drive it anywhere he wanted at almost any speed he wanted.  (Now just watch and see if AWD is outlawed for next year’s event!)

After clearing the track of the carnage of the first race, the next race, the 6 cylinder division, boasted 85 entries.  Line ‘em up and drop the green again!  This one was a little more competitive but getting through the early laps was pretty tough–take a look:

 Pat Celotto led for awhile, lost the lead then came back for the win in his Taurus wagon!

The final race of the day was for the 4 cylinder division and over 100 entries started this one! There were many times during the race where the track was completely blocked in the turns!  Eventually, it came down to one car running 2 laps ahead of the competition as one by one cars dropped out!  One of Ransomville’s regulars, Mike Pahl, who is known as the “Rollover King” (he got this nickname because of his great abilities in the rollover contests at the track) outlasted the rest of the competition–and the snowballs thrown from the stands as he made his last few laps around the track!

(Photo courtesy of “Longhair”!)

The staff at Ransomville Speedway is to be commended for running this race!  Not only because of the novelty of it but for the great cause it supports as well.  If this unique event is any indication, maybe racing in winter weather here in WNY isn’t such a crazy idea!

Mike Paz, Motorsports Announcer