I guess if I could run NASCAR for a day, one thing I would address is increasing the ability to make changes to this current Sprint Cup car. I wish more things were available to a crew chief or driver.
Now granted, it has to be a combination of pluses and minuses. If the crew chief wanted to add more downforce to, say, the front of the car, well he would be allowed as long as he gave up something else on the rest of the car.
I’d like to see them have a little more freedom in the aero package. It simply can’t just be springs and shocks. Again, you don’t want to make these things drive themselves.
I don’t want it where even a crew chief could jump behind the wheel and drive as good as these drivers. These drivers have to earn their pay.
My point is, let them build some adjustability into these cars. Now we have the technology to drive these cars like open-wheel cars if we want to. You feel like you can drive them wide open through the corners if you want to.
That’s not what we are all about, though. I am simply saying, make the car a little more tunable and have some fun with it along the way. It would add a new dimension.
The other thing I would like to see? Quit messing with everything on pit road. Part of the allure of our sport is watching what these athletes do on pit road.
First, NASCAR restricted the number of men over the pit wall. At one time we were allowed to have two air wrenches and we can’t do that anymore. At one time we were allowed two jacks and we can’t do that anymore either.
They just keep narrowing the box. With the new gassing configuration, I think they are going to add time to the pit stop. It’s going to be a new challenge to the pit crew coaches and the teams.
I still maintain one of the big components of speed isn’t always on the track, it’s also what these crews are able to accomplish in such a quick period of time.
We’ve seen how what happens on pit road can impact the result of a race. I am concerned that things could evolve to the point that when drivers come down pit road, the race is basically stopped to let the crews take all the time they need. To me, that would make our sport very, very boring.
I know NASCAR has made the changes for the crews in 2011. I just hope we don’t keep going down this road of slowing these stops. To me, the pit stops make our sport exciting. People like to point out how Formula One crews are faster than us. Sure they are, but look at everything they are allowed to use.
We have a lot more variables that separate our sport and make it intriguing, exciting and, yes, dangerous. Pit road will never be totally safe. I’ve been hit. I’ve seen people burned and injured. Unfortunately, I have watched people get killed. I really have seen it all on pit road.
The reality is this is not a safe sport. The element of danger on the track and on pit road is alluring to a lot of folks. When you get to the point where that is gone, we’ve lost another vital component of our sport.
