Wilgrove
14-03-2008, 04:16
So the 2008 season is the season where the Car of Tomorrow (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Car_of_Tomorrow) are racing full time on the Nascar racing circuit. The car boost safety feature that was the head of seven years of reasearch after the death of Dale Earnhardt Sr.
The driver's seat has been moved four inches to the right, the roll cage has been shifted three inches to the rear, and the car is two inches taller and four inches wider.[2] Larger crumple zones are built into the car on both sides, ensuring even more protection. The splitter is a piece of fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) used on the bottom front of the car to produce downforce, replacing the valence. The car's exhaust runs through the body, and exits on the right side, which diverts heat away from the driver.[2] The fuel cell is stronger, and has a smaller capacity (17¾ gallons, down from 22 gallons, which as of 2007 has become standard in all cars).
The car is also less aerodynamic with the windshield being higher, detached spoiler, also the front of the car is more box-like and a lower grill. The COT has now become standards for all cars, which means the only difference between a Ford and a Chevy on the racing circuit is the sticker and decals.
So, for those of us who watches these races, what do you think of the Car of Tomorrow? Do you like it, hate it, or indifference? As for me, I don't know, I liked the difference in body style between the cars, which made the races interesting, and used to spark discussion on whether or not it really made a difference if a driver drove a Chevy or Ford. Also, I think part of the reason Nascar implemented the COTs (beside better safety feature) is to make the races more tight and more competitive. I'll give the COTs a season to see if it's any better than the old car style.
The driver's seat has been moved four inches to the right, the roll cage has been shifted three inches to the rear, and the car is two inches taller and four inches wider.[2] Larger crumple zones are built into the car on both sides, ensuring even more protection. The splitter is a piece of fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) used on the bottom front of the car to produce downforce, replacing the valence. The car's exhaust runs through the body, and exits on the right side, which diverts heat away from the driver.[2] The fuel cell is stronger, and has a smaller capacity (17¾ gallons, down from 22 gallons, which as of 2007 has become standard in all cars).
The car is also less aerodynamic with the windshield being higher, detached spoiler, also the front of the car is more box-like and a lower grill. The COT has now become standards for all cars, which means the only difference between a Ford and a Chevy on the racing circuit is the sticker and decals.
So, for those of us who watches these races, what do you think of the Car of Tomorrow? Do you like it, hate it, or indifference? As for me, I don't know, I liked the difference in body style between the cars, which made the races interesting, and used to spark discussion on whether or not it really made a difference if a driver drove a Chevy or Ford. Also, I think part of the reason Nascar implemented the COTs (beside better safety feature) is to make the races more tight and more competitive. I'll give the COTs a season to see if it's any better than the old car style.