NASCAR: What’s wrong with NASCAR? Part 2 – The cars

Too much comfort

We’ve discussed aero-dependency and we’ve discussed sensitivity. What could possibly be the third and final complaint? Well, it’s the comfort of the cars.

Modern-day Cup Series cars are too low, too balanced and too precise. Yes, we’ve reached a point in the sport where the cars are too advanced. Your ordinary “stock car” has turned into a mini space ship with switches, controls, digital dashes, track bar adjusters, etc.

Inside the car is just the beginning. The biggest issue with comfort lies in the bodies of the cars themselves. First, we’ve seen teams develop setups where the car is slanted sideways with the right side of the car sticking out. At times, body panels will also be different on the right side to help balance out the car.

The reason for this is to put more air on that side of the car. This makes the car more stable for drivers, creating a virtual wall of air. Speaking of air, it’s finally time to address those front splitters.

The biggest issue with them is that they further seal the car to the track. Don’t get it twisted; teams are going to do what it takes to seal the car regardless of car design, but right now, splitters make it worse.

They allow minimal air under the car, which, again, makes the car more stable than it should be. Cars are like massive bullets floating through the air now. The only resistance comes to the nose, which creates downforce.

Compared to the past, cars now drive more like sports cars than stock cars. Twenty years ago, cars moved, got loose and bobbled when in a tight spot. These days, cars just seal to the track with minimal opportunities to get out of shape.