Comments on: Year in Review: Car of Tomorrow

By: Tim Zaegel

Tim Zaegel — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 04:51:04 +0000

That last lap was definitely a thrill, and huge props to everyone that’s had a hand in developing the COT, because it’s not the first great finish we’ve seen thanks to the Car of Tomorrow. My big hangup right now, though, is how boring the first three quarters of many of these races are due to everyone still trying to figure out the car. That’ll pass with time, obviously, but still a bit frustrating.

I’m not sure about the splitter rods, but I don’t believe so.

By: BWB

BWB — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 06:31:02 +0000

Well…I still think a trackfull of these cars looks a wee bit too generic for my taste, but you have to admit, that last-lap change-up at Daytona last week was a thrill, so there might be something to this CoT thing yet. (Did the Penske drivers break any splitter rods in that late maneuver?)

- Barrett

By: Tim Zaegel

Tim Zaegel — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 19:31:49 +0000

Appreciate the feedback, Charlie (as always). The stats I compiled, though, were actually the 16 COT races run this year and the same 16 races in 2006. Comparing stats from Bristol to Daytona is obviously like comparing apples to oranges. I agree, though, that it’s nowhere near enough to put together a complete analysis of the COT, and it’s also still too early to give it a real grade, but I was impressed mostly by the fact that they didn’t have more issues in the debut season than what they did.

By: Charlie

Charlie — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 19:27:09 +0000

The front end of the CoT actually held up better than anyone expected – as evidence look at the results of all the bump drafting at Talladega. Mechanical failures generally relate to powertrain and suspension issues – which are basically identical in both cars. Nice stats, but the sample of comparative races is probably too small for any real analysis.

By: Tim Zaegel

Tim Zaegel — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 14:37:29 +0000

I think it’s fairly evident that the new car will deter some of the bumping and rubbing for awhile. You have to remember, though, that one of the ultimate goals for this new model is to provide a safer ride for these drivers while still maintaining the great competition at the end of races. I think that they may not have achieved it in whole in the inaugral COT season, but it was a lot better than some of the more reason seasons in the old car. My favorite stat is the one that points out that the COT averaged only 2.38 mechanical failures of any kind that eliminated drivers from the 16 races that they ran the car. In those same 16 races last season, that average was 3.44 … yet, one of the main gripes about the car is mechanical failures.

By: Don

Don — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 16:09:48 +0000

Car looks cool but I still think the splitter is going to eventually take away from allot of the bumping and rubbing as the corners and rods become issues with breaking off or cutting tires. Drivers will become weary of that. The spoiler with the old front end would have looked better.