Passing Lane
A NASCAR BLOG BY Mike Hembree
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It's up to teams to figure out new car
Apr
8
NASCAR’s new car – well, it’s not really new any more, but, whatever – got some rotten reviews again at Texas.
With one glaring exception – obviously, winner Carl Edwards – the car was criticized again by leading drivers, several of whom pointed out how difficult the car is to maneuver. They want more front downforce to “plant” the car on the track better.
Clearly, despite the fun time Edwards experienced, the Texas race was a bummer. You can see more battles for key track position on most major-city interstate loops.
This is not the time, however, to leap in and start massaging the car’s templates or putting new rigging in the chassis regions. In the past, when NASCAR has gone down the road of making such rules changes in the flow of the season, chaos has erupted.
Any significant change made to the car now probably would impact one team or one make more than others, and that’s a briar patch NASCAR wants to avoid at all costs.
Instead, let’s look first to more concentrated work by teams, some of whom are still figuring out the car’s nuances. Hendrick Motorsports seemed to have the handle last year; so far this year Roush Fenway is carrying the torch.
Somebody has to know how to drive this thing.
Last week it was Carl Edwards.
It’s time for others to step forward.
With one glaring exception – obviously, winner Carl Edwards – the car was criticized again by leading drivers, several of whom pointed out how difficult the car is to maneuver. They want more front downforce to “plant” the car on the track better.
Clearly, despite the fun time Edwards experienced, the Texas race was a bummer. You can see more battles for key track position on most major-city interstate loops.
This is not the time, however, to leap in and start massaging the car’s templates or putting new rigging in the chassis regions. In the past, when NASCAR has gone down the road of making such rules changes in the flow of the season, chaos has erupted.
Any significant change made to the car now probably would impact one team or one make more than others, and that’s a briar patch NASCAR wants to avoid at all costs.
Instead, let’s look first to more concentrated work by teams, some of whom are still figuring out the car’s nuances. Hendrick Motorsports seemed to have the handle last year; so far this year Roush Fenway is carrying the torch.
Somebody has to know how to drive this thing.
Last week it was Carl Edwards.
It’s time for others to step forward.
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