C.O.T.- Car of Tomorrow

[Joe]

I have to agree with you on the qualifying procedures.

As far as the COT goes, maybe it's just a coincidence and maybe it's just good timing by Toyota, either way, NASCAR won't be as much fun to watch if it turns into a Toyota dominated race, much like the truck series has become.

We'll see........

[Realtree]

Well, hopefully NASCAR will keep their word on this one and not let ANY manufacturer run away with the sport. I am not all that much for them getting into controlling how much technology everyone can have and mandate what can and can't be done with the engines and aerodynamics, but I guess if they are consistent with it and it helps to keep the costs down to a somewhat manageable level so that one manufacturer is not just throwing tons of money at the sport to win, then it should all work out. 

I don't watch the truck series all that much so I am not sure what has happened there with Toyota being so dominant. I'm not sure if they just happen to have the more experienced drivers/teams or if it is in fact that they have the most money to throw at the sport.  :detective:

In Cup, it seems that the Chevy teams have the advantage right now with having the best drivers, the most teams, the largest organizations with money and resources behind them. They have definitely pushed Roush-Fenway and Evernham off of the mound this year. Doesn't that bother you, or is it just Toyota that you don't like?  ???

I am a fan of mostly Chevy drivers and teams, but it does seem to me that they have the edge this year. I'm holding my breath for that inevitable NASCAR announcement that they are going to take something away from the Chevy teams and give more to Dodge, Ford, Toyota to "even the playing field".....   ::

[Joe]

Well, they are taking something away from the Chevy Teams, but they are also taking it away from Ford and Dodge Teams.
How does COT effect Toyota?.....not much in my opinion.

Chevy may have an edge this year, but why?......I belive it's because they have done they're homework. Now Toyota walks in the door, throwing money around, and suddenly it's time to change the car.

I don't have anything against Toyota directly. If fact, I'm more upset with NASCAR.

[Realtree]

I agree with most of what you are saying Joe, but you have to remember...the COT has been in the planning stages since weeks after Dale Earnhardts death in the 2001 Daytona 500, if not slightly before that horrible day.

Toyota was no where to be seen at that time, so the COT is not something that NASCAR is doing for Toyota, but for #1 the safety of the drivers, #2 the cost effectiveness for the teams (one standard car that will race at all tracks by simply changing the rear wing) and #3 taking away some of the aerodynamic issues that have developed as the cars have become more "bullet like" in their shape and put it back into the driver and crews hands to decide the outcome.

Having said this, I would agree with you that Toyota did come along at the right time to be able to possibly benefit from the "common template car" versus having to play catch-up with the current cars that were being raced. Only having to build one body style of car going into next year will help them that is for sure. I think they probably are not putting as much into the non COT cars this year knowing that next year will be better for them. I would expect that they are working more on their horsepower issues, gearing and reliability of parts issues this year than anything.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts with me Joe, it's always nice to hear things from another fans perspective. Do you watch the Truck Series regularly? I have only watched a handful of races the past couple of years. Most of them were races that Mark Martin has dominated. Man can that guy wheel a truck. It's good to see him having the season he is having with Ginn Racing this year. He is a true racer in every aspect of the title. Best driver to never win a championship for sure, but you don't need to have the championship for others to know how great you are. Martin is respected by everyone in the sport, and rightfully so.