[Tuck4Bama]

CONCORD, N.C. - Change is inevitable and even healthy, but for NASCAR fans there's been a little too much of it the past few years, so NASCAR Chairman Brian France is looking to give the sport a breather.

"We're getting back to the basics," France said Monday during an address on the opening day of NASCAR's Media Tour.
"We're going to try to minimize the changes going forward."



The sport this year has seen some changes that NASCAR has had no control over - name changes as Nextel Cup becomes Sprint Cup and the Busch Series becomes the Nationwide Series - and changes induced by NASCAR, like the full-time introduction of the Car of Tomorrow.

It's been a lot for fans to keep up with, especially longtime fans who complain NASCAR just isn't what it used to be.

"This is still the NASCAR you fell in love with," NASCAR President Mike Helton said.

NASCAR fans finally getting a break from big changes in sport- al.com

[bears9]

NASCAR right now is as popular as it ever has been, I think they can stand still for now.

[Quality88]

Originally Posted by bears9

NASCAR right now is as popular as it ever has been, I think they can stand still for now.

I hate to disagree bears... but ratings have dropped and attendance at tracks as well. I think the popularity is down.

[Quality88]

Originally Posted by Tuck4Bama

"We're getting back to the basics,"

Too late.... that boat has long sailed away and ain't comin back

"We're going to try to minimize the changes going forward."

I'll believe it when I see it.

"This is still the NASCAR you fell in love with," NASCAR President Mike Helton said.

Just from my standpoint, and my opinion.... no it isn't

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by Tuck4Bama

"This is still the NASCAR you fell in love with," NASCAR President Mike Helton said.

I don't think so Mike .... but nice try !!

[Tuck4Bama]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

I don't think so Mike .... but nice try !!

I ran across this article looking for Bama and Auburn NEWS and had no idea before reading this how much has changed from last year. I guess I need to come on up to racing forums more often.

Ethanol in racing fuel???

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by Tuck4Bama

I ran across this article looking for Bama and Auburn NEWS and had no idea before reading this how much has changed from last year. I guess I need to come on up to racing forums more often.

Ethanol in racing fuel???

Not yet ... just something they are considering so they can claim they are "green."

[Racer Duck]

Originally Posted by Tuck4Bama

I ran across this article looking for Bama and Auburn NEWS and had no idea before reading this how much has changed from last year. I guess I need to come on up to racing forums more often.

Ethanol in racing fuel???

Luckily, or unluckily, NASCAR is one of the last bastions against the "green" movement. But I don't expect it to stay that way long.

The FIA has announced many changes/mandates for the future which promote "green initiatives", not the least of which is "bio-fuels". They've even gone so far as mandate wasted energy retrieval and reuse in F1: recovering heat energy from the engine (and brakes?) to be stored in the race car and used by the race car; recovering energy from the engine exhaust to be stored in the race car and used by the race car; and reducing maximum engine RPM to reduce the amount of fuel used.

You see some of that kind of thinking in NASCAR where they specify the rear end gears that can be used at certain tracks, the CON, aka COT, which aerodynamically is not as fast as the previous car, smaller fuel cells, and harder tire compounds to name a few.

Last year Audi successfully raced a diesel powered race car and were so pleased by it, they're not only bringing it back this year, but are making more of them and there's other manufacturers working on their version as well. Toyota is rumored to be pulling out of F1 in order to focus on completing development of their hybrid race car.

It's no secret that many of the "bright ideas" coming out of Daytona Beach have already been discussed in FIA and mandated in Formula One.