What makes a car a NASCAR?

**jimform2k1** · 02-16-2007, 05:43 AM

Hi,

I'm not a serious nascar fan but like watching the races.

With Toyota now onboard and since most of the cars look alike, what exactly makes a stock car, a nascar? The engine block? The manufacturer's name? The chassis? etc...

Is there a site/link I can read more about this?

Thanks

**grandkodiak** · 02-16-2007, 06:09 AM

Pretty sure nascar was invented to even out the cars as much as possible so that it would be a sport that made the driver the star... why things arent 100% regulated I have no idea... they are regulated enough so that they are all NEARLY identical in power, form, weight etc. but they still allow for some differences. Its a rather boring thing anywho, its endurance driving which once its done, really doesnt hold my interest. same goes for all circle track racing and anything that is really long, all the "fighting spirit" which makes racing interesting to me is gone. Rally Sport is the only REAL driving left in my opinion!! F1 is pretty good, and drag racing becasuse its all about trying as hard as you can as fast as you can... none of this reliance on circumstances changing with time.

tater_salad · 02-16-2007, 08:52 AM

They want all their cars to be made in the US, and since Toyota has an assembly plant in the US they can qualify. They want "Stock" appearing cars. It used to be "Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday", because they used more sports car types with bigger displacements. Too many rules in it now, though. All the rules have made it a "driver's race" now, which is pretty good.

**snaggeltooth** · 02-16-2007, 11:30 AM

I think you are asking what makes a car a "CUP" car .... The reason Toyota jumped into cup is because ,,They have been racing in the truck series and doing very well for a few years now, and lots off $$$$$$.... The old win on Sunday sell on Monday has nothing to do with the Cars now , it has more to do with the drivers merchandising...

**jimform2k1** · 02-16-2007, 11:37 AM

I guess I'm asking what parts on Jeff Gordon's car make it a Chevy? What parts on Dale Jarrett's make it a Toyota?

**eddierox** · 02-16-2007, 11:40 AM

What makes a NASCAR?

You're probably a redneck if you think the last 4 words of the national anthem are:
*Gentleman start your engines*

**snaggeltooth** · 02-16-2007, 11:42 AM

Originally Posted by jimform2k1

I guess I'm asking what parts on Jeff Gordon's car make it a Chevy? What parts on Dale Jarrett's make it a Toyota?

LOL not to much ...and that is on the Chevy.... The Toyota ??? I am not sure ... I will look into that one ...
As far as the Chevys ...maybe the block .... Heads and intake and everything else in the running gear is either fabed at their shops or bough from a place that only makes a certain race part ...

**snaggeltooth** · 02-16-2007, 11:49 AM

all I could find is the Toyota is made by TRD, Toyota Racing Development team .....

**ztrouble** · 02-16-2007, 12:17 PM

didnt we have a guy on here go work on a race team??

**Kevin91Z** · 02-18-2007, 07:49 AM

Chevrolet uses the 358 ci SB2.2 engine block and heads that you can purchase from GM Performance parts. The rest of the car is race-oriented chassis and suspension parts underneath a fiberglass outer shell.

**JonB** · 02-18-2007, 11:55 AM

Originally Posted by ztrouble

didnt we have a guy on here go work on a race team??

I believe we did can't remember his name. What ever happened to him? I'm sure he could straighten this out for us.

**0rion** · 02-18-2007, 08:43 PM

Originally Posted by jimform2k1

I guess I'm asking what parts on Jeff Gordon's car make it a Chevy? What parts on Dale Jarrett's make it a Toyota?

The headlight stickers.

They used to be production cars. I'm sure you've seen/heard all the history behind nascar. It started as moonshiners racing against each other for bragging rights and the 40 ford was the preferred car at the time. It used to be all on dirt tracks. There used to also be a rule that it had to be a production engine that people could buy and there had to be so many made before it was eligible for racing. The early HP wars can be traced to nascar in the 50's and 60's. Then there used to be templates the teams had to use. The template of the production car had to fit the roof line of the race car. They still use templates but it's a nascar designed template. Now the "car of tomorrow" is coming out and nothing about the cars are stock or production appearing. I for one think they should rename NASCAR at this point. I would compare it to Taco Bell changing their menu and selling only hamburgers but keeping the Taco Bell name.

**pocheasy** · 02-19-2007, 03:40 AM

Originally Posted by Kevin91Z

Chevrolet uses the 358 ci SB2.2 engine block and heads that you can purchase from GM Performance parts. The rest of the car is race-oriented chassis and suspension parts underneath a fiberglass outer shell.

the shells got to be plastic dont they? id think so anyways after seeing a banged up one.

**0rion** · 02-19-2007, 07:56 AM

sheet metal

**SSTODD** · 02-19-2007, 08:26 AM

The engines are about all that is the manufacturers now, I believe the rearends are the ford style and the front suspensions are based off of the chevelle style the last I heard but so much is in-house fab design that it may be different now. Still only root for the CHEVYS.

**Kevin91Z** · 02-20-2007, 09:59 PM

Yes, its sheet metal, sorry about that.

**ztrouble** · 02-21-2007, 08:34 AM

Originally Posted by JonB

I believe we did can't remember his name. What ever happened to him? I'm sure he could straighten this out for us.

f-bomb was his user name

**StangKiller615** · 02-21-2007, 08:41 AM

Originally Posted by snaggeltooth

all I could find is the Toyota is made by TRD, Toyota Racing Development team .....

Is that TRD or TURD?

**snaggeltooth** · 02-21-2007, 10:20 AM

Originally Posted by StangKiller615

Is that TRD or TURD?

ask again about mid-season

**Bandit02** · 02-21-2007, 10:36 AM

Originally Posted by 0rion

sheet metal

NASCAR annoys me for this. How come they can modify the entire shape of the car so dodge, ford, and toyota can compete, what a fuggin joke. All the cars they make are 4 doors but its ok to cut them up into 2 doors now