How NASCAR Will Fare?

[regoon]

Ever since the inclusion of the Daytona race track, there was a possibility that the NASCAR series will be in the game. Viola la! NASCAR is confirmed.

Since I'm new to the whole series I was wondering how well NASCAR's race cars would fare against modern day super cars or other race cars from other organizations? Like will NASCAR produce the fastest times around the Daytona race track or any other oval tracks for that matter?

I personally think the F1 would easily take the race cars from NASCAR on Daytona simply because F1 is a whole different class on its own. However, race cars from WRC, Super GT, and today's production super cars might also give NASCAR's race cars a run for their money? Or no?

I hope this will lead to a serious discussion without flaming.

Oh and one last thing, I would like to thank PD for including NASCAR and WRC. They surely made me a new fan of these series.

 

[PAPPACLART]

F1 and CART would be quicker on an oval though not much else will beat a NASCAR other than some Le Mans cars would beat them I would imagine.

 

[Kryz11]

I remember some time ago seeing NASCAR race in some track with right and left turns, it was a mess for NASCAR, But oval, NASCAR are pretty good cars with High speeds. But I think the SUPER GT cars would over run them because these cars have way better downfore, but may lack in power... Who knows. But There are way better cars then NASCAR out there. But another consideration, NASCAR cars are build tough for endurance racing and always having High speed without breakdowns.

 

[GTracerRens]

Well, in GT4 there were events with European cars, Le Mans cars, lightweight cars, etc, etc. So I don't think you can race an endurance event for NASCAR with another car as a NASCAR racing car. I don't really like NASCAR myself, but the way it is included next to WRC, Le Mans, DTM, supercarchallenge, and a lot of other challenges is awesome! And I do not think you can post the fastest time with a NASCAR car though.

 

[Earth]

Bill Elliot set the fastest NASCAR lap at Daytona ever in 1987, with a lap time of 42.7 seconds which is an average speed of 210 miles per hour

But that lap was 20 years ago before they started slowing the cars down with restrictor plates.

I heard Rusty wallace got a current unrestricted CoT up to 225mph at Talladega, which is a similar track to Daytona. He also made note that with a few adjustments to the gears and car he believes 230+ is easily reachable

I doubt PD will put restrictors on the cars, so we will see their true speed at Daytona

As for roadcourses, a stock car would get smoked by pretty much anything because of it's weight, narrow tires and primitive aero. For example a LMP1 car weighs 1900 lbs, a Chevrolet Corvette C6 race car weighs 2,400 lbs, while a CoT weighs 3400lbs

It should be noted that when NASCAR desgins the cars they are not looking for speed but for raceability and what makes for the best racing on ovals, thus the heavy weight, high power, low aero, small tires and primitive design

 

[toyota_gt1]

Rusty said it scared the hell out of him too. He said it felt like the car was about to just lift up in the air.

 

[GTracerRens]

Rusty said it scared the hell out of him too. He said it felt like the car was about to just lift up in the air.

I would be very scared when racing at that speed!!! Meybe Gran Turismo can make the NASCAR races a great event. The EA sports version was not cool instead of that... I also hope they make the races not too easy, I mean in GT4, you were able to finish a couple of laps before the second car.

 

[regoon]

Earth, if COT cars have no restricted plates whatsoever, can they beat the lap record of 1987? What was the HP cap limit back in the 87 versus now?

 

[Cap'n Jack]

The CoT should come out on top around ovals in GT, because (assuming there's no IRL cars) all the other racing categories featured in GT aren't designed to run on ovals. At least, that's how it should be but as we've seen in GT5: Prologue, even the Ferrari F2007 can run around Daytona Speedway very comfortably at speeds it shouldn't be able to do in real life. I don't think an F1 car has every really been taken around an oval in recent years (probably not since F1 cars were eligible to run in the Indy 500), so this is just my assumption.

On a road course however, the CoT wouldn't be as competitive as an F1 car, sports/GT car and probably some touring cars simply because they're not designed with road racing in mind, as Earth previously stated. F1, Champcar, NASCAR and the Rolex Sportscar series have all ran at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, so you should be able to find some interesting times for comparison.

 

[toyota_gt1]

Earth, if COT cars have no restricted plates whatsoever, can they beat the lap record of 1987? What was the HP cap limit back in the 87 versus now?

Tough to say. The COT turns about 850 horsepower. They have they speed. But Daytona's surface has gotten so rough i'm not sure they cars could handle the bumps at that speed.

 

[FoolKiller]

I remember some time ago seeing NASCAR race in some track with right and left turns, it was a mess for NASCAR, But oval, NASCAR are pretty good cars with High speeds.

NASCAR runs a handful of road races every year. It isn't the cars as much as the men. Some of the drivers and mechanics get so used to ovals that they don't set up well for road courses. There are a few great examples though, like Dale Jr and Jeff Gordon when it comes to roads.

One thing to keep in mind is that, minus restrictor plates, NASCAR stock cars have been tuned to death for oval running. How we will fair switching them back and forth is going to be purely up to how good we are at tuning them.


The joy of having so many cars from so many racing series in GT5 will be that we will get an opportunity to test out these questions. Imagine a race with a stock car, Super GT car, Le Mans car, F1 car, etc. running first on Daytona Oval and then Daytona Road. Repeat on Indy. Then try it on Infineon Stock Car course (which NASCAR races on) and then the Sports Car layout. Or better yet you can hot lap each so no difference can be attributed to the driver and compare your times to see what you do best with on what kinds of courses.

 

[regoon]

If they are unrestricted, the stock cars can easily go up to 215+ thanks to the 850 hp engine. What is the top speed of Super GT, WRC, and Le Mans cars? Because if they are not averaging over 210-215+ or they can't even run that high, I don't think they will beat a stock car. Which is good because I really want NASCAR to at least win something in their own category. 👍

Thoughts?

 

[deep_sky]

I just have the feeling that Sony and Polyphony pounced on the NASCAR licence instantly, knowing how popular it is in the US.

The PS3 is being handsomely outsold by the 360 and Wii, but if you make a decent NASCAR incorporation, it will do some good for PS3 sales as a consequence...especially if NASCAR in GT5 is the only way that you're going to able to race NASCAR now that EA has finished it.

 

[Earth]

Circuit Gilles Villeneuve Lap Times

1'12.8 (+00.0) Formula 1
1'18.9 (+06.1) IndyCar
1'33.1 (+20.3) Grand Am (Daytona Prototypes)
1'42.0 (+29.2) NASCAR Nationwide car

A Sprint Cup car is a little over one second faster then a nationwide car on the road courses

Earth, if COT cars have no restricted plates whatsoever, can they beat the lap record of 1987? What was the HP cap limit back in the 87 versus now?

I think they could break the lap record now. As toyotagt1 said the surface has become very bumpy now so I dont think they could go more then 195 or 200 through the corners, but they would hit 220+ on the straights easily. I think they could break the record but not by 20mph or something. They would have to lift going into the corners at Daytona

Also doesn't NASCAR restrict the rear shocks and other parts of the cars at superspeedways? If they freed up the rules more they could go even faster.

Rusty wallace ran his laps at Talladega, a 2.5 mile oval like Daytona but Talladega has been repaved recently therefore the cornering speeds are much higher then Daytonas.

As for what HP they had back then I'm not sure.
If they are unrestricted, the stock cars can easily go up to 215+ thanks to the 850 hp engine. What is the top speed of Super GT, WRC, and Le Mans cars? Because if they are not averaging over 210-215+ or they can't even run that high, I don't think they will beat a stock car. Which is good because I really want NASCAR to at least win something in their own category.

Thoughts?

A stock car can haul on the straights, but in the corners of an oval a lemans car would pass it. Also a lemans cars would have much better tire wear.

stock cars are sort of like the F1, there really isn't a car like them to have an equal race with.

 

[regoon]

Has it been confirmed that the COT produces a better lap time than the predecessor with the lip spoiler? I just know that the COT is a much safer car.

Also, other than Talledega and Daytona, are stock cars actually free from ALL restrictions? Or are there still restrictions outside of Talledega and Daytona races? And when I mean restrictions, I mean horsepower, etc etc etc.

 

[Earth]

Has it been confirmed that the COT produces a better lap time than the predecessor with the lip spoiler? I just know that the COT is a much safer car.

Also, other than Talledega and Daytona, are stock cars actually free from ALL restrictions? Or are there still restrictions outside of Talledega and Daytona races? And when I mean restrictions, I mean horsepower, etc etc etc.

The COT is slower then the older car. In fact it was so much slower then the older car that the nationwide cars became almost as fast. So NASCAR slowed them (Nationwide) down.

I know the cars have no horespower restriction outside of daytona and talladega.

At a recent dyno test of several cars they averaged 815 - 838 horsepower

At a 2 mile relatively flat oval like Michigan they have to slow to 150mph in the corners, but they still are able to accelerate to 210mph on the straights before braking for the next corner.

That should give an idea of how fast they would be unrestricted at a high banked 2.5 mile oval like Daytona or talladega

 

[StrokerAce]

It is interested to watch the Superspeedways though. In two years time i have seen two car breakaways launch cars up to 215mph WITH plates on them. Denny Hamlin did it this year and last year. They got about 3 seconds ahead of the pack it was amazing. This years spring race at Talladega that happened as well with Dale Jr.
Im really hoping they put a limiter on the cars. The restrictor plate made racing that much better as well.

 

[Live The Dream]

For me personally NASCAR is a bad inclusion in the game, their isn't much skill required to drive around in circles and it's going to get extremely boring.

 

[StrokerAce]

For me personally NASCAR is a bad inclusion in the game, their isn't much skill required to drive around in circles and it's going to get extremely boring.

Why do we always have these halfwits saying this.

 

[regoon]

For me personally NASCAR is a bad inclusion in the game, their isn't much skill required to drive around in circles and it's going to get extremely boring.

Then I guess the bore factor is what is stopping you from actually seeking a professional job at NASCAR because quite frankly, I rather make millions then be bored. But hey, it should be easy for you, right? Since, you know, it doesn't take any skills!

Take your trolling elsewhere, please.

Actually, since driving in circles is rather "easy", why don't you post your lap times around the Daytona track. I expect to see #1 ranks on all cars you have driven online.
NASCAR driving takes skills. Saying otherwise would make you a fool and everyone in here knows the importance of NASCAR and understands the challenges it can impose on a racer.

 

[FoolKiller]

For me personally NASCAR is a bad inclusion in the game, their isn't much skill required to drive around in circles and it's going to get extremely boring.

There are a few real-life open wheel to NASCAR converts who will disagree with you.

 

[FLASH48]

I think it depends on how many NASCAR CAR fan, have PS3's. I also think that is why NASCAR CAR is in GT5. To see if it will boost sales from NASCAR CAR fans, in the U.S.

 

[G.T.Ace]

then i guess the bore factor is what is stopping you from actually seeking a professional job at nascar because quite frankly, i rather make millions then be bored. But hey, it should be easy for you, right? Since, you know, it doesn't take any skills!

Take your trolling elsewhere, please.

Actually, since driving in circles is rather "easy", why don't you post your lap times around the daytona track. I expect to see #1 ranks on all cars you have driven online.
Nascar driving takes skills. Saying otherwise would make you a fool and everyone in here knows the importance of nascar and understands the challenges it can impose on a racer.

qft!

 

[DaddyVDUB]

For me personally NASCAR is a bad inclusion in the game, their isn't much skill required to drive around in circles and it's going to get extremely boring.

HMMM No skill , It takes everybit as much skill in car setup,and driving strategy on ovals as any where. Just ask Juan Pablo Montoya.

 

[deadlyz33]

About any car with equal or better HP will destroy a nascar because they are so restricted. They really are like dinosaurs on the track, ancient and primitive. lol. 3400lbs? Can you imagine the forces this puts on their little tires when they corner? Then imagine a car that weights half as much with the same size wheels or wider. Nascar's aren't designed to be cutting edge like F1, they are designed to be safe and have even competition.
That said I can't wait to take one out on Nurburgring for the lulz.

 

[regoon]

See, this is what confuses me. How good is the power to weight ratio of a NASCAR unrestricted? Like you said, the technology of a NASCAR is prehistoric. So does that mean modern day supercars which have over 800hp can beat a stock car? This I really want to know.
My mind tells me that a super car will never beat a race car but I'm beginning to have my doubts.

Although I don't really know much about stock cars, I do know that their tires are a lot better than today's supercars. Simply because they are slick tires. As for handling and aerodynamics, etc... I don't know which one wins...

One interesting note is that a stock car is surprisingly VERY fast in terms of acceleration despite being heavy, dinosaur age tech, and RWD. I remember reading online that the stock car can accelerate 0-60 around a very low 3 secs mark. 1/4 was around 10.6.

 

[steve30x]

I hope we wont be forced to drive some nascar races because its one of the few motorsports I have no interest in. I think watching a car go round in a circle is incredibly boring.

 

[Studentdriver]

I hope we wont be forced to drive some nascar races because its one of the few motorsports I have no interest in. I think watching a car go round in a circle is incredibly boring.

You won't be watching though, will you?

 

[steve30x]

You won't be watching though, will you?

Wether im watching the car going in circles or driving the car in circles. Its still the most boring motorsport I know of. But thats just me.

 

[No46_TheDoctor]

I ain't bashing NASCAR, so don't start bashing me, I realise it is probably one of the most exciting spectacles in motorsport, and probably a hell of a lot scarier than F1 now a days, however, I also didn't care much for the races in any of the GT series that were oval based, but thats just me.