[Final Authority]

Can anyone explain the big deal about "Stock Car" racing? How many of these cars have front wheel drive like their likeness' on the street? Why do the race cars now go at least 20 miles an hour slower than cars did 15 years ago? Why do all the cars use the same tires? Why do they use the same suspension components? How about the body dynamics? Why are they wind tunnel tested and adjusted for conformity? Can anybody out there present an exact copy of a NASCAR rule book so we all can understand the rules like a real sport such as baseball or hockey? Or, is this just another entertainment device like WWE, formerly WWF.

[ElTianti]

Tru Dat FA!

This American will be watching the Indy 500. The National Association of Senior Citizen Auto Racing (NASCAR) races cars with all the sophistication of a 1050's pickup truck. Push rods, carbs, solid axles. Wow!

[NormsRevenge]

It's all about entertainment, but a lot of money is at stake too(money, btw, ties it back into it's bootlegging days part of its history, when the best drivers didn;t spill a drop or get caught).

If it isn't your cup of tea, what can I say? If I had my druthers I'd make 'em all race edsels and studebakers.

Indy or CART? Which do you prefer? Or are you a Grand Prix F1 or Road Rally kind of person? I can watch almost everyone of them and be content .. or change the channel. Click!

[InvisibleChurch]

for being the 'final authority', you sure ask a lot of questions!

; )

[zygoat]

Perhaps its because the cup cars can actually bang and scrape for position. This is exiting to many of us considering the fact that those supercharged go-carts can't even rub tires without disintagrating. I have tried to watch the open wheelers race, but the announcers go into orgasm when one car passes another. Might as well watch airplane racing. As for the poster who thinks the open wheelers are superior drivers, I think a night at Bristol would leave the open wheelers in shock. The fact that Mario won at Daytona years back proves nothing, put him on a short track and wait for the DNF after the smoke clears. Fittapaldi (sp?) was hot stuff in his go cart, what has he done lately? Open wheel racing....blaaah. I'll work around the yard until the real racing begins.

[Lessismore]

The engine block and a piece in the nose that carries the VIN number come from the manufacturer. That's about all that is "stock". Some other pieces, e.g. the Ford differentials used in most cars, come from the manufacturers, so not everything originates in the racing specialty shops.

The tubular space frame chassis and body panels are essentially hand made to fit a series of templates that define the shape of each type of car.

What I don't understand is why they don't continue racing in the rain? Just pit and put on rain tires like Formula One does. That goes for both NASCAR and American open wheel racing -- bunch of wusses.