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Stats Don’t Lie, The COT NOT Leveling The Playing Field Yet
By: Gregg A. Shultz RaceFanVote.com
Barring an individual team’s misfortune on the track, changing teams or missing set-ups, we are not
seeing a lot of difference in the top contenders, middle of the pack drivers, struggling teams and the go
or go homers in a year’s spread.
Using the top 20 as an example of who is moving up, in or out after Darlington compared to one year
ago, just let the stats speak for themselves.
By: Gregg A. Shultz RaceFanVote.com
Barring an individual team’s misfortune on the track, changing teams or missing set-ups, we are not
seeing a lot of difference in the top contenders, middle of the pack drivers, struggling teams and the go
or go homers in a year’s spread.
Using the top 20 as an example of who is moving up, in or out after Darlington compared to one year
ago, just let the stats speak for themselves.
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 |
| Submit your comments about the story or the topic. Please no rude or defamatory comments. Addressing other poster's comments will be edited if deemed to be insulting or rude. |
The bigger teams definitely have an
advantage with new technology. I agree
with your comments that if Nascar stops
making changes that the smaller teams
will catch up and be more competitive
later in the season. Good point!
Stan Jenkins, Orlando FL
advantage with new technology. I agree
with your comments that if Nascar stops
making changes that the smaller teams
will catch up and be more competitive
later in the season. Good point!
Stan Jenkins, Orlando FL
This story is not intended to bash the new style car, rather to show that there is not a lot of changes
amongst the front-runners from this time last season until now.
I think that we all get the safety aspect of the COT and maybe even the cost savings eventually, but is
there really anything that can be done to ‘level the playing field’?
The super teams are still the super teams, the two car operations are doing about the same and
although we are seeing some improvement for some of last seasons go or go homers it’s only
because they were replaced with a new crop and attrition replaced the rest.
There has been a ‘changing of the guard’ of sorts between Hendrick domination in winning only one
race so far in 2008, shifting over to Roush and Gibbs. Throw in a couple for RCR and one for Penske,
but the overall pattern is still that the big time teams are still dominating.
If the stats are showing us an early pattern to the year, can we expect to see anything change as the
season progresses? Can Penske get another win or two and what about DEI or Evernham? Even a
bigger question is if we might see the likes of a Haas Automation car in victory lane, a Bill Davis or
Petty Enterprises’ entry taking the checkers? That was supposed to be part of the equation and yet
so far it’s not happening.
Perhaps the long standing rule that $$$=go fast still exists and no matter what restrictions are placed
on the teams it’s never going to change that. As long as the mega-teams have the money to spend on
R&D over and above the rest they are always going to be the superior competitors.
This is great for the fans who pull for a lucky driver who happens to be employed by one of the top
teams in the sport, but what about the rest? How can it be a good thing that when you watch a race 10
of the 43 competitors have a shot at winning and the rest are just logging laps? Maybe the fans of the
rest of the drivers sit in the stands and cheer for their driver to finish 10th.
It’s not NASCAR’s position to limit spending, nor could they realistically. Some rules have been
implemented to reduce the impact of throwing millions of dollars at research and development such as
with aerodynamics/wind tunnel testing by standardizing the bodies of the cars and checking
horsepower ratings.
There are also suspension rules, height requirements, air pressure minimums and maximums,
camber/caster limits, ignition, fuel delivery and weight restrictions. They all get the same tires, fuel,
wings and splitters and must all fit the same templates. What more can the governing body do? Some
would say that the cars are already too IROC-ish as it is and any further restrictions would just take
away from the spirit of the competition. Tuning you car and setting it up using superior knowledge is a
big part of what the sport is about, not just who the best driver is.
Truth be told, the restrictions designed to try to level up the playing field are probably short-term
hurting the smaller and under funded teams. It takes them a little longer to find speed and handling
working within a smaller box than the big teams with seemingly unlimited resources. There is potential
with the new style car to even things up eventually and to see a good driver win a race from a smaller
organization or even a single car team.
One recent trend that is showing favorable to the smaller teams is the modifications by the larger
teams becoming fairly simple and inexpensive to achieve such as the adjusting the rear axle housings
and how they make the cars turn better. (see the article "The Twisted Sister is Back")
This is a good example of how some of the modifications allowed by NASCAR aren't breaking the
bank of the smaller teams and hopefully is a sign of things to come.
The fans, NASCAR and the under-performing teams just need to be patient and not look toward
making any other changes for a while. That will be the best plan of action to allow the field to catch up
to the leaders and make the competition better for all on race day.
amongst the front-runners from this time last season until now.
I think that we all get the safety aspect of the COT and maybe even the cost savings eventually, but is
there really anything that can be done to ‘level the playing field’?
The super teams are still the super teams, the two car operations are doing about the same and
although we are seeing some improvement for some of last seasons go or go homers it’s only
because they were replaced with a new crop and attrition replaced the rest.
There has been a ‘changing of the guard’ of sorts between Hendrick domination in winning only one
race so far in 2008, shifting over to Roush and Gibbs. Throw in a couple for RCR and one for Penske,
but the overall pattern is still that the big time teams are still dominating.
If the stats are showing us an early pattern to the year, can we expect to see anything change as the
season progresses? Can Penske get another win or two and what about DEI or Evernham? Even a
bigger question is if we might see the likes of a Haas Automation car in victory lane, a Bill Davis or
Petty Enterprises’ entry taking the checkers? That was supposed to be part of the equation and yet
so far it’s not happening.
Perhaps the long standing rule that $$$=go fast still exists and no matter what restrictions are placed
on the teams it’s never going to change that. As long as the mega-teams have the money to spend on
R&D over and above the rest they are always going to be the superior competitors.
This is great for the fans who pull for a lucky driver who happens to be employed by one of the top
teams in the sport, but what about the rest? How can it be a good thing that when you watch a race 10
of the 43 competitors have a shot at winning and the rest are just logging laps? Maybe the fans of the
rest of the drivers sit in the stands and cheer for their driver to finish 10th.
It’s not NASCAR’s position to limit spending, nor could they realistically. Some rules have been
implemented to reduce the impact of throwing millions of dollars at research and development such as
with aerodynamics/wind tunnel testing by standardizing the bodies of the cars and checking
horsepower ratings.
There are also suspension rules, height requirements, air pressure minimums and maximums,
camber/caster limits, ignition, fuel delivery and weight restrictions. They all get the same tires, fuel,
wings and splitters and must all fit the same templates. What more can the governing body do? Some
would say that the cars are already too IROC-ish as it is and any further restrictions would just take
away from the spirit of the competition. Tuning you car and setting it up using superior knowledge is a
big part of what the sport is about, not just who the best driver is.
Truth be told, the restrictions designed to try to level up the playing field are probably short-term
hurting the smaller and under funded teams. It takes them a little longer to find speed and handling
working within a smaller box than the big teams with seemingly unlimited resources. There is potential
with the new style car to even things up eventually and to see a good driver win a race from a smaller
organization or even a single car team.
One recent trend that is showing favorable to the smaller teams is the modifications by the larger
teams becoming fairly simple and inexpensive to achieve such as the adjusting the rear axle housings
and how they make the cars turn better. (see the article "The Twisted Sister is Back")
This is a good example of how some of the modifications allowed by NASCAR aren't breaking the
bank of the smaller teams and hopefully is a sign of things to come.
The fans, NASCAR and the under-performing teams just need to be patient and not look toward
making any other changes for a while. That will be the best plan of action to allow the field to catch up
to the leaders and make the competition better for all on race day.
The rich get richer and the have-nots will
fade away. It's the way it has always been
in the sport.
hendrick-fan48
fade away. It's the way it has always been
in the sport.
hendrick-fan48
It isn't even about the field being level
anymore as much as it is win more, make
more money and spend more money to
win more. That's the part that nascar
needs to limit, what the teams spend.
TMR Canada
anymore as much as it is win more, make
more money and spend more money to
win more. That's the part that nascar
needs to limit, what the teams spend.
TMR Canada
2008 Rankings After Darlington
(Position this time last season)
1. Kyle Busch (11).......................
2. Jeff Burton (5)..........................
3. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (14)
4. Denny Hamlin (4).....................
5. Clint Bowyer (9).......................
6. Jimmie Johnson (2)..................
7. Carl Edwards (10)....................
8. Tony Stewart (6)
9. Kevin Harvick (8).....................
10. Jeff Gordon (1)......................
11. Greg Biffle (16)
12. David Ragan (25)
13. Ryan Newman (13)................
14. Kasey Kahne (21)
15. Martin Truex, Jr. (18)
16. Juan Pablo Montoya (23)
17. Brian Vickers (34)
18. Travis Kvapil (not ranked)
19. Bobby Labonte (19)
20. Matt Kenseth (3)
(Position this time last season)
1. Kyle Busch (11).......................
2. Jeff Burton (5)..........................
3. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (14)
4. Denny Hamlin (4).....................
5. Clint Bowyer (9).......................
6. Jimmie Johnson (2)..................
7. Carl Edwards (10)....................
8. Tony Stewart (6)
9. Kevin Harvick (8).....................
10. Jeff Gordon (1)......................
11. Greg Biffle (16)
12. David Ragan (25)
13. Ryan Newman (13)................
14. Kasey Kahne (21)
15. Martin Truex, Jr. (18)
16. Juan Pablo Montoya (23)
17. Brian Vickers (34)
18. Travis Kvapil (not ranked)
19. Bobby Labonte (19)
20. Matt Kenseth (3)
Wins Including Darlington
[2008/2007]
[3/1]
[1/1]
[1/0]
[1/0]
[1/ 4]
[3/0]
[0/1]
[0/3]
[1/0]
[2008/2007]
[3/1]
[1/1]
[1/0]
[1/0]
[1/ 4]
[3/0]
[0/1]
[0/3]
[1/0]
Green Moved Up, Yellow Same Rank, Red Moved Down From Same Time Last Season
The COT will never even out competition
between small single car teams and the
big multi-car outfits.
There just isn't enough money for the
smaller teams to research with.
The only way I see to level the field is to
prep the cars independent of the teams
and have them draw for the cars each
week.
Anything else is just a big waste of time
and money.
I think many of us would like to see
NASCAR take a hike and someone start
"stock car" racing again. I watched the
ARCA race at Rockingham last week.
In ways, it was a better race than the cup
race at Darlington.
Gary Yates
between small single car teams and the
big multi-car outfits.
There just isn't enough money for the
smaller teams to research with.
The only way I see to level the field is to
prep the cars independent of the teams
and have them draw for the cars each
week.
Anything else is just a big waste of time
and money.
I think many of us would like to see
NASCAR take a hike and someone start
"stock car" racing again. I watched the
ARCA race at Rockingham last week.
In ways, it was a better race than the cup
race at Darlington.
Gary Yates
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