NASCAR Rule Changes

May 8, 2001

I heard on the radio today that NASCAR is possibly looking into a common motor rule for WC, Busch, and the Trucks.

It would be a 12:1 358 c.i. with a 390cfm carb. This is what the Busch cars are running right now. There may also be a "run what you qualify" rule, and specifications on internal engine parts to keep cost down.

Some teams are running very light (read; expensive) cranks, rods, and piston assemblies to reduce the spinning weight and rev up faster.

This is still in the discussion stage so don't anyone get too excited.

Kansas Kid · May 9, 2001

If they were to go ahead with this common engine rule, why even have the Busch cars? They try and make the WC and Busch cars more similar every year, and it just increases the cost for the Busch guys. Anybody notice how much an effect the new engine rule for the Busch cars has had on the number of cars trying to qualify?

As for the "run what you qualify" rule, I really don't like this one. How many teams do you think are going to run the first practice, qualifing, happy hour, and the race on the same motor? Probably none. They will still spend just as much time swapping out motors as they currently do. Besides, this is an engineering driven sport. Why try to keep the guys in check? I say let them run.

May 9, 2001

They are getting closer and closer to each other every year. I think that the most significant differences are

1) No Busch Series rule changes mid year. (I'd like to see this adopted in WC)

2) Still there is a wheelbase and weight difference which makes a difference on certain tracks.

3) Tire rule.(I don't want to see this in WC)

I would love to see a common engine and a "race what you qualify " rule. That would force teams to bring reliability up, which would push hp and cost down. The Busch Series would remain an entity all its own but race completely independently of WC. Team owners will have much more commonality of parts between the three divisions, meaning that it would be advantageous to put another team together! Imagine, if you will two Winston Cup, two Busch, and two Truck Series races every weekend, 52 weeks a year. No two races at the same track in one weekend!

YEEEEEEEEEEEEHAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!

I think this is where we are headed.

Kansas Kid · May 11, 2001

I seriously doubt that any more WC owners will want to build a Busch team. I read somewhere that the last four years DEI had a Busch team, them made no money at all. And they had good showings all four years.

I personally can't see those two rules doing much of anything for cost. For one thing, that means all the R&D done on the current setup needs to go out the window. They will work the engine shop overtime trying to figure out the new setup, buying different parts, etc. That sure as heck isn't cheap.

Remember what happened when they reduced the compression ratio a couple years back? That was really supposed to slow the cars down. Don't think that happened. I would venture to say that within a year of implementing this rule the horsepower and cost would be exactly wear they are now. And on top of that, they would probably bring a practice motor and a qualify/race motor every weekend.