Aussie V8's vs. NASCAR

[Ted68]

I've been watching the Australian V8 series (along with DTM) on SpeedTV here in the US, and it is alot more interesting than NASCAR. How do you folks think the Aussie cars would do on a big oval like Daytona or a small track like Bristol? Probably pretty well.

Maybe it's time NASCAR shook things up like IndyCar has this season and went back to a stock current production bodyshell based formula rather than the tube-framed, common skinned cars they have now. I would also like to see current production based engines as well with a 4.7-5.0 liter displacement.

Make the series more relavent.

[strad]

and went back to a stock current production bodyshell based formula rather than the tube-framed, common skinned cars they have now.

The bodies next year will look like showroom cars

[cheapracer]

Oz V8's are a far cry from any production car, the Falcon and Commodore are both shorter (Commodore 150mm shorter) and lower roofline than a standard road car.

Both are pure racecar series (with vague external references to showroom cars) and have been for a long time and found great success and popularity without being "relevant".

[Jersey Tom]

With how big a deal aero is, going with stock bodies would be a bad call.

[olefud]

With how big a deal aero is, going with stock bodies would be a bad call.

Not so much for the racing as keeping the cars out of the crowd. Besides, the stock body would just be a veneer on the racing chasis pretty much like we have now, as are the Aussie cars.

[strad]

Oh they aren't going back to the days of box stock...It's just they will have to look like the real production car instead of all having the same dimensions

[ChrisDanger]

Aussie V8s are introducing their "car of the future" next year:

The new cars will have a fuel tank that will be moved forward from the boot and sit inside the main chassis...

A collapsible steering column, new fire extinguisher system and added side protection are all features of a COTF-spec V8 Supercar, while windscreens will become polycarbonate, the overall weight of the car will drop by about 100kg and 18-inch tyres will be introduced for the first time.

Engines will be positioned 100mm further rearwards for safety as well as reducing costs in the case of severe accident damage.

Independent Rear Suspension and a transaxle gearbox will also be a new feature technically, more reflective of modern road cars and keeping with the theme of increasing motoring market relevance.

The cars will essentially look the same from the outside...

Full article: http://www.v8supercars.com.au/Technical/CaroftheFuture/TheNewGenerationOfV8Supercars/tabid/1418/Default.aspx.

I'm most excited about the rear suspension upgrade, to see what that and the weight loss will do to the overall spectacle.