Dodge Ditching Out of NASCAR (again) at the End of 2012

[anotheridiot]

I dont watch or follow nascar much either. The last thing that got my interest was the nationwide series using the actual front grills, lights and hardware as the production cars that actually made them look like something you might buy at a dealer. I guess the big boys are not gonna follow that route.

[Scott Liggett]

I posted my pointed comments over on the front page at http://bangshift.com/blog/video-dodg...ar-issues.html

The bottom line is that even though the "common template" version of NASCAR is absolutely horrible, it's still the biggest place in America where OEMs can market their technological prowess and sporting image. And Penske will help increase Ford's win totals in 2013.

The common template came about because all the bickering between the manufacturers that one or another had some aero advantage. Nascars brilliant answer was to make a single car. In one swoop, they nearly removed the big three from competition and design; and they turned their backs on their core fans who just as big of fans of car makes as the drivers. Nascars wonderful marketing research teams thought the fans only cared about the drivers. If you are going to bire a market research team for a racing sanctioning body, dont hire one from NYC where no one owns a car.

[TC]

Do they even have Trans Am racing anymore?? I liked that way more than I liked Nascrap........

[skullbucket]

I go out in the garage on Sundays and listen to NASCAR on the radio and work on my cars and just hang out there like your supposed to.
Not gather up 5 fat friends, a keg of beer and 400 chicken wings and sit on a couch together and get drunk and fart on each other all after noon until you pass out from one thing or the other.

[dieselgeek]

TC, you found yourself the perfect avatar! it lets people know what you're all about!! good job, mate ;-)

[The Outsider]

TC, you found yourself the perfect avatar! it lets people know what you're all about!! good job, mate ;-)

But it was so carefully reasoned, logical, insightful, well-thought out . . . .

[TC]

But it was so carefully reasoned, logical, insightful, well-thought out . . . .

I only fly the big BS Flag when the shit gets thick, like when you two are talking.........

[The Outsider]

The common template came about because all the bickering between the manufacturers that one or another had some aero advantage. Nascars brilliant answer was to make a single car. In one swoop, they nearly removed the big three from competition and design; and they turned their backs on their core fans who just as big of fans of car makes as the drivers. Nascars wonderful marketing research teams thought the fans only cared about the drivers. If you are going to bire a market research team for a racing sanctioning body, dont hire one from NYC where no one owns a car.

I've written it before, but NASCAR's "original sin" was approving the 3/4 chassis Ford Fairlane in the mid-'60s. That began a trickle of non-production stuff . . . Truck arms . . . fabricated chassis . . . stretched wheelbases . . . widened deck lids. . . FWDs converted to RWD . . . fully-fabricated non-stock fenders and side panels . . . non-production bumper covers . . . headlight stickers . . . non-production engine designs.

It culminated with the "old" car in totally non-stock, asymetrical bodies that looked like bananas laying on their sides. The COT was, in part, an attempt to calm things down and make them safer as well. It was for the principal benefit of the new brands with little recent "stock car" engineering experience to build on(Dodge, Toyota).

The error, compounded over 40+ seasons, was straying from a production-based formula, thus reducing the relevance of the series to ordinary gearheads and other fans.

[Scott Liggett]

I've written it before, but NASCAR's "original sin" was approving the 3/4 chassis Ford Fairlane in the mid-'60s. That began a trickle of non-production stuff . . . Truck arms . . . fabricated chassis . . . stretched wheelbases . . . widened deck lids. . . FWDs converted to RWD . . . fully-fabricated non-stock fenders and side panels . . . non-production bumper covers . . . headlight stickers . . . non-production engine designs.

It culminated with the "old" car in totally non-stock, asymetrical bodies that looked like bananas laying on their sides. The COT was, in part, an attempt to calm things down and make them safer as well. It was for the principal benefit of the new brands with little recent "stock car" engineering experience to build on(Dodge, Toyota).

The error, compounded over 40+ seasons, was straying from a production-based formula, thus reducing the relevance of the series to ordinary gearheads and other fans.

I agree. I've seen one of the original sinners. Jr. Johnsons 66 "banana" Galaxy he brought to Atlanta. Not only was the roof loweted to the top of the windshield; the rest of the roof was laid back, slightly fastback style. The rear deck and the tops of the quarters were kicked up, effectly turning the entire flat surface into a spoiler. Oh yeah, its Chevy truck arm rear suspension. I spent an hour crawling around it to see the changes. Bill France said he knew it was wrong. Knew he shouldnt let it run either, but looked the other way because they begging Ford.to come back to Nascar.

[The Outsider]

I agree. I've seen one of the original sinners. Jr. Johnsons 66 "banana" Galaxy he brought to Atlanta. Not only was the roof loweted to the top of the windshield; the rest of the roof was laid back, slightly fastback style. The rear deck and the tops of the quarters were kicked up, effectly turning the entire flat surface into a spoiler. Oh yeah, its Chevy truck arm rear suspension. I spent an hour crawling around it to see the changes. Bill France said he knew it was wrong. Knew he shouldnt let it run either, but looked the other way because they begging Ford.to come back to Nascar.

The Chrysler and then Ford boycotts (over the Gen II Hemi and the SOHC, respectively) really did change NASCAR. While France did eventually draw the line against Junior's big "Banana" (and later Smokey's smallish Chevelle), he put the decline in motion almost simultaneously by pandering to Ford with the 3/4 chassis intermediates.

The irony is that NASCAR eventually ended up with almost everything France banned (save OHCs, N2O and superchargers), and lost virtually all connection and relevance to what made "strictly stock" racing popular (fan identification with the cars on track)