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I know all too well that what I'm about to write will generate plenty of controversy. Anyway...
Last weekend, I attended the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Of course, NASCAR and Formula 1 are worlds apart, but there's something quite refreshing about the realization that you don't need to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in carbon fibre, super-computers, and ultra-sophisticated wind tunnels to get wild, action-packed races with intense battles.
Despite its ruggedly Spartan looks, a Sprint Cup car is fairly advanced, and uses a number of technologies from Formula 1. Having said that, it's not what I fell in love with recently.
Let me tell you about the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour (NWMT), which involves open-wheel stock cars powered by small-block V8 engines. This might shock you, but I got way more excited watching these machines than exotic racing series like the Ferrari Challenge or even the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup!
NWMT cars, aka Modifieds, are built on a highly rigid tubular chassis wrapped in plain sheetmetal. To prevent wheel damage and allow some contact between drivers, they feature nerf bars at both ends and on the sides, similar to older karts.
The mighty engines rely on good old Holley carburetors to crank out around 650 horsepower.
The incredibly wide slick tires are bolted to an asymmetrical suspension. Yep, since Modifieds only race on small, paved ovals, their left wheels are set farther off the centre of the car than the right ones.
The V8's massive torque is put to good use by way of a two-speed transmission.
I took a close look at the various parts, components and welds, and I can attest to their high levels of quality. There's no cheap stuff, here; only professional work.
With a relatively low weight of 1,200 kg (2,645 lbs), Modifieds deliver mind-blowing performance with the rear driving wheels spinning at full throttle.
A quick search online yields a large selection of used Modifieds still in great condition. Most of them are priced at around $20,000, which is very reasonable given their capabilities.
So, here's the recipe for success: a stock car, lots of power, minimal aerodynamics, and no driving aids whatsoever (especially of the electronic variant). It's funny, because I recall a certain Gilles Villeneuve saying the same thing 35 years ago...
Last weekend, I attended the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Of course, NASCAR and Formula 1 are worlds apart, but there's something quite refreshing about the realization that you don't need to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in carbon fibre, super-computers, and ultra-sophisticated wind tunnels to get wild, action-packed races with intense battles.
Despite its ruggedly Spartan looks, a Sprint Cup car is fairly advanced, and uses a number of technologies from Formula 1. Having said that, it's not what I fell in love with recently.
Let me tell you about the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour (NWMT), which involves open-wheel stock cars powered by small-block V8 engines. This might shock you, but I got way more excited watching these machines than exotic racing series like the Ferrari Challenge or even the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup!
NWMT cars, aka Modifieds, are built on a highly rigid tubular chassis wrapped in plain sheetmetal. To prevent wheel damage and allow some contact between drivers, they feature nerf bars at both ends and on the sides, similar to older karts.
The mighty engines rely on good old Holley carburetors to crank out around 650 horsepower.
The incredibly wide slick tires are bolted to an asymmetrical suspension. Yep, since Modifieds only race on small, paved ovals, their left wheels are set farther off the centre of the car than the right ones.
The V8's massive torque is put to good use by way of a two-speed transmission.
I took a close look at the various parts, components and welds, and I can attest to their high levels of quality. There's no cheap stuff, here; only professional work.
With a relatively low weight of 1,200 kg (2,645 lbs), Modifieds deliver mind-blowing performance with the rear driving wheels spinning at full throttle.
A quick search online yields a large selection of used Modifieds still in great condition. Most of them are priced at around $20,000, which is very reasonable given their capabilities.
So, here's the recipe for success: a stock car, lots of power, minimal aerodynamics, and no driving aids whatsoever (especially of the electronic variant). It's funny, because I recall a certain Gilles Villeneuve saying the same thing 35 years ago...
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| Photo: Getty Images for Nascar |