While the Sprint Cup cars are said to be improving competition and becoming more favorable to drive, the Nationwide Series cars, like an old shoe, just fit better for some.
The 2008 season marked the first where NASCAR's new chassis will be used for
all 36 races, and Cup drivers moonlighting in the Nationwide Series don't mind getting back into the old chassis. There's no significant benefit or cross-over information transferred for Sunday's Cup event; some just enjoy the racing.
Although the Nationwide cars are running on significantly few horsepower for cost reasons, a handful of Cup drivers practicing their Nationwide cars Saturday at the Auto Club Speedway said they are still better to drive.
After practice, Roush Fenway driver David ragan said the experience can be the difference between driving a luxury cruiser and a sports car.
"The Cup car is kind of like a Ford Econoline van and the Nationwide Car is like a Ford Mustang, you sit down low and it's sucked down to the ground," Ragan said. "The Cup car, you're rolling over you're top heavy. But sometimes the Cup car is more fun to race, because it is all over the track and you can fight it. This Nationwide car is more stuck to the racetrack."
The major difference Cup drivers are finding between the two cars with respect to California's intermediate track is that you can hold the Nationwide car nearly wide open in the corners.
"You roll out of the throttle pretty early in the Cup car and you get to the gas later," said Dave Reutimann, driver of the No. 99 Toyota for Michael Waltrip Racing.
Reutimann still prefers to wheel the Nationwide car over the Cup car.
Reutimann
Ragan said they drive better because they have more downforce and a lower center of gravity.
"The Cup cars are heavier and you have to use more brake," Ragan said. "In the Nationwide car, you tend to feather out of the throttle and get right back in."
Roush Fenway teammate Carl Edwards said he spends a lot more time on the throttle in his Nationwide car than his Cup car.
"The corner speeds are a lot higher compared to straightaway speeds, whereas the Cup car, you have to slow down a lot more because the car slides around a lot more, there's more horse power."
That said; his Cup car is more about the driver.
"You have to drive a lot, it slides around a lot," he said. "My Cup car is a little better than the Econoline. My car doesn't feel that extreme, but I know what my teammate is getting at."
The 2008 season marked the first where NASCAR's new chassis will be used for
all 36 races, and Cup drivers moonlighting in the Nationwide Series don't mind getting back into the old chassis. There's no significant benefit or cross-over information transferred for Sunday's Cup event; some just enjoy the racing.Although the Nationwide cars are running on significantly few horsepower for cost reasons, a handful of Cup drivers practicing their Nationwide cars Saturday at the Auto Club Speedway said they are still better to drive.
After practice, Roush Fenway driver David ragan said the experience can be the difference between driving a luxury cruiser and a sports car.
"The Cup car is kind of like a Ford Econoline van and the Nationwide Car is like a Ford Mustang, you sit down low and it's sucked down to the ground," Ragan said. "The Cup car, you're rolling over you're top heavy. But sometimes the Cup car is more fun to race, because it is all over the track and you can fight it. This Nationwide car is more stuck to the racetrack."
The major difference Cup drivers are finding between the two cars with respect to California's intermediate track is that you can hold the Nationwide car nearly wide open in the corners.
"You roll out of the throttle pretty early in the Cup car and you get to the gas later," said Dave Reutimann, driver of the No. 99 Toyota for Michael Waltrip Racing.
Reutimann still prefers to wheel the Nationwide car over the Cup car.
Reutimann
Ragan said they drive better because they have more downforce and a lower center of gravity.
"The Cup cars are heavier and you have to use more brake," Ragan said. "In the Nationwide car, you tend to feather out of the throttle and get right back in."
Roush Fenway teammate Carl Edwards said he spends a lot more time on the throttle in his Nationwide car than his Cup car.
"The corner speeds are a lot higher compared to straightaway speeds, whereas the Cup car, you have to slow down a lot more because the car slides around a lot more, there's more horse power."
That said; his Cup car is more about the driver.
"You have to drive a lot, it slides around a lot," he said. "My Cup car is a little better than the Econoline. My car doesn't feel that extreme, but I know what my teammate is getting at."
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