Thread: "Stock" Car Racing

I read an article on the history of stock car racing and thought about the way it's evolved to allow modifications. I'd like to watch a race or two with cars as they were straight from the factory.

What do you think about that?

I totally agree. It's funny because until I stopped and read the word "Stock" by itself like that, I had almost forgotten that that was the original point of the phrase "stock car racing."

LOL. I'm still learning what the difference is with all of this-- do you think that there is a huge difference between stock cars and factory cars?

Originally Posted by speedydemon

LOL. I'm still learning what the difference is with all of this-- do you think that there is a huge difference between stock cars and factory cars?

I'm sure that there can be. I'm not a mechanic, but I'd think the most effective modification on most cars would be a bigger engine.

I'd be curious to hear from someone who has the specs on their own "stock" car and how it improved.

Wouldn't the bigger engine slow it down though? Because of the added weight? I guess they'd ditch weight by getting rid of other things in the car? Hmm... Anyone here know more?

Stock car racing started with modified street cars, however over the years they have evolved to the point where they are merely vague silhouettes of current street cars, they have nothing in common anymore, from the tubular chassis, carburated V8 engines and rear wheel drives, the cars that they are supposed to represent are all front wheel drive, fuel injected V6 engined cars. Now this also true with many touring car series, such as the DTM (German Touring Car Championship)
In the case of stock car (NASCAR, ARCA, etc) it would be unpractical to use an actual street car, for one thing they would be hard pressed to reach the speed that their racing counterparts can achieve, not to mention the modifications required to make the cars as safe as the current crop of stock car (just look at the horrendous crashes at places like Talladega, where the drivers walk away unscathed for the most part). Although at smaller venues they might have a class for various street stock cars, I know at Winnipeg Speedway, a dirt oval south of Winnipeg, they do have such a class.
Now having said that, there are classes of street stock car races where actually modified street cars compete, usually more at the club level but there are some pro or semi pro series, such as the Volkswagen Jetta TDI serie and others.

Canuck saves the day again! I really feel like they should have changed the name from "stock" car racing seeing as they are anything but now, but I guess it's just easier to stick with the same one. I'd still be interested in seeing "stock" cars, modified only for safety, take on some tracks, though.