May 20th, 2010 
T.C. The Dayonta test for the new Nationwide Series COT is complete. Teams took to the 2.5 mile track on Tuesday and Wednesday to get familiar with the new car and to help NASCAR gather data ahead of it’s debut on July 2nd at the Subway Jalapeno 250. Most of the drivers who participated said the car must be driven differently then the old car, but that it would lead to more exciting racing. Those battles at the front of the NNS fields however, will probably feature more Cup drivers then ever before.
The redesigned car features many of the safety measures that were first implemented with the Cup Series COT. The Nationwide versions also have bodies that more closely resemble their stock brethren. The new Mustang, Challenger, Impala, and Camry bodies have been lauded by the drivers and the fans. With the exception of the sheet metal though, much is the same between the Cup and Nationwide cars now. The two COTs are so similar in fact, that they share the same chassis, wheelbase, and other components. And it’s those similarities that will widen the gap between the Nationwide only guys and the Cup “Busch-Whackers.” (I will never let it die!)
Think about it. While younger drivers have been coming up and learning on cars that are not too different then the current Nationwide car, Cup drivers have had the last few years to learn what it takes to drive and setup a COT car. They will now be able to use that COT knowledge on Saturdays as well. The younger, Nationwide only guys who don’t have that experience will suffer.
Having the cars be so markedly different at least gave some of the younger drivers a fighting chance. And by fighting chance, I mean Cup drivers who still dominate the series and win every race. Before, information couldn’t really be shared between the two series, and having to constantly be transitioning from car to car at least made things interesting. Now we don’t even have that.
Don’t get me wrong though, I certainly don’t think NASCAR should scrap the new COT. In fact, I’m a big proponent of the introduction. The safety innovations are certainly needed, and transitioning back to cars that appear more stock will do wonders with the fans. I just wish we could find a way to fairly limit participation among the Cup crowd.
It isn’t all bad news though.
Among my doom and gloom there is a silver lining. While these younger drivers might struggle now, their transition to Cup rides in the future will be much smoother and much shorter. The skill-set necessary to make an NNS COT go fast won’t be too different then what they will need on Sundays. And that will be good for the future of the sport and everyone involved.
Let’s just hope the Nationwide Series owners have enough patience to let these kids learn.
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“Among my doom and gloom there is a silver lining. While these younger drivers might struggle now, their transition to Cup rides in the future will be much smoother and much shorter. The skill-set necessary to make an NNS COT go fast won’t be too different then what they will need on Sundays. And that will be good for the future of the sport and everyone involved.” I was thinking while reading the entire article and was going to posta comment on it but T.C did it for me. It’s a very true point. Also an interesting article.
One thing I thought NASCAR could do to help the Nationwide only drivers was a similar rule that I think either ARCA or the old DASH series had that stated that if a driver was in the top 20 (i think) in Cup standings they could not compete in the lower series. While I understand with sponorship and the draw of the cup drivers the top 20 would be too restricting how about top 10 or 12 and maybe limit the number of races they compete in. Like if you qualified for the cup chase the year before you can only race in 12 Nationwide races or something like that. At least give some more up and coming guys more seat time in equipment that is worth something to show what they have.
Cup drivers need to drive cup races, period. The Busch races were exciting many, many years ago when the up and coming drivers won the races and got some TV time. It’s become a joke.
Derek Jeter does not play AAA play in his days off.
Lance Armstrong is not entered in my nephew’s school bike race that will happen this afternoon.
Get the cup drivers out of the Nationwide series and it will be worth watching again.
My opinion is that there should be a maximum of 5 cup drivers in the lower series races based on fastest qualifiers. Cup guys have virtually taken over the Nationwide, and I for one don’t care to watch Cup guys take candy from babies. Funding alone makes it way unfair to let them race Nationwide cars.
Sponsors only want to sponsor Cup drivers in the Nationwide series. While on the surface that seems all fine and dandy but the Cup drivers are not the ones that need the sponsorship. Get the Cup guys completely out of the series so these sponsors have no choice but to sponsor a Nationwide regular. That was the whole idea behind this series wasn’t it? To let these guys compete on a level playing field while honing their skills for a shot someday at the Cup series.
I don’t beleive for a second that the Cup guys put butts in the seats, but that’s Nascar’s reasoning for allowing it. People are getting turned off by Cup guys winning or should I say dominating every week. The crowd at the Riohmond race was laughable. Watching Kyle Busch in superior equipment lead 180 laps of 200 sounds like nothing I want to watch…..and I don’t watch that series anymore because of it.
I totally support and want the new NNS COT and would actually like to see its manufacturer characteristics transition towards the Cup series, for COT 2.0. Isn’t it about time stock cars look like “stock cars” again?!
When the cars in the 2 series Cup & NNS became different, it was my understanding it was NASCAR who wanted to get away from NNS being a “Cup development” series only, and become a separate series entirely like Mods and Trucks, in which case it wouldn’t matter if, when or how many Cup drivers raced there & earned points. A couple years later, that plan seems to have failed. All series “lower” than Cup (assuming our best drivers are in Cup) are still perceived as “development” no matter what the race vehicle, and I think its time for NASCAR to address the issue of Cup drivers earning points and their lower series champ eligibility in the Rules. But I foresee a ton of disagreement and opposition to such a change from sponsors, teams, and Cup drivers. Because of, you know, money.
Cup drivers are “supposed” to be just that…Cup drivers. They get on TV and talk about how they enjoy running the Nationwide series, there’s no pressure, it’s just fun, they are racing because they are “racers”….they want the trophy, yadda, yadda….Right…Then don’t let them run for the championship, don’t let their “Cup team owners” acquire owners points, and pay the purse to the Nationwide only teams….It can be summed up in one word….GREED!
Isn’t it possible that Nationwide-only drivers are benefitting from having to compete against a few very good Cup drivers? If they competed against only “minor league” drivers, wouldn’t they really have less experience when jumping to the Cup series?
While it may devalue the cameratime of the “minor leaguers”, I think it benefits everyone in every series in the end.
Widen the gap. Isn’t the “cup light” series already dominated by cup drivers? This series is unwatchable in it’s present form. One third of the field are start and parkers. Fifteen cup drivers at Dover was more then I could take. Didn’t watch it.
Busch probably got out of this series because of what’s going on. You’ll notice nas$car is losing a lot of long time sponsors because there’s no return on empty causes. And that’s what the “cup light” series. An empty cause with little or no affect.