Is there really any difference between the different car makes in NASCAR?

Question

Is there really any difference between the different car makes in NASCAR?

Answer 1

The front nose is different.

The biggest difference is the engine's. Each manufacture, Ford, Chevy, Dodge and Toyota are required to design there own engine blocks etc. within the NASCAR rule book.



Toyota builds most of the engines for the Toyota teams through there TRD department. TRD stands for Toyota Racing Development.

Penske Racing receives there Dodge engines in pieces and they build them themselves in there engine shop.

A lot of Ford engines are built by Roush/Yates for themselves and other Ford teams.

A lot of Chevrolet engines are built by Hendrick and Earnhardt/Childress, otherwise known as ECR, for themselves and other Chevy teams.



All 4 car makers give ongoing research and development support.



The rest of the car is pretty much the same. However, in 2013, there letting the car makers shape the body's to more resemble the real thing again like the old days which is awesome! No more flat boring sides. All the body lines are contoured.



Here's the 2013 NASCAR Dodge Charger: http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&biw=1280&bih=653&tbm=isch&tbnid=Oi9_HVn2cOFtJM:&imgrefurl=http://www.inflexwetrust.com/2012/03/12/auto-talk-2013-nascar-dodge-charger-sprint-cup-car-unveiled-in-las-vegas/&docid=xd_5ott0PTbbPM&imgurl=http://www.inflexwetrust.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/IFWT_2013NASCARDodgeCharger.png&w=628&h=431&ei=qwDUT5SAHYuk8gS9l-nBAw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=189&vpy=129&dur=408&hovh=169&hovw=239&tx=116&ty=91&sig=114057761190957881805&page=4&tbnh=144&tbnw=192&start=55&ndsp=20&ved=1t:429,r:10,s:55,i:288

Here's the 2013 NASCAR Ford Fusion: http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw=1280&bih=653&tbm=isch&tbnid=QRdI8JrvqyI5KM:&imgrefurl=http://www.autobytel.com/ford/fusion/news/nascar-s-2013-ford-fusion-helps-put-the-stock-back-in-stock-car-109943/&docid=UvGnZMRouJmIZM&imgurl=http://img.autobytel.com/car-reviews/autobytel/2013_ford_fusion_nascar2.jpg&w=376&h=282&ei=fwHUT7uYJYyQ8wS4uaXjAw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=401&vpy=175&dur=581&hovh=194&hovw=259&tx=124&ty=101&sig=114057761190957881805&page=3&tbnh=143&tbnw=191&start=35&ndsp=20&ved=1t:429,r:6,s:35,i:209

Here's the 2013 NASCAR Toyota Camry: http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&biw=1280&bih=653&tbm=isch&tbnid=s4AvwYyOxDvV9M:&imgrefurl=http://www.jayski.com/teams/toyota.htm&docid=Zj8kgB5TQsYfKM&imgurl=http://www.jayski.com/schemes/2013/2013toyota-camry-jgr-nose.jpg&w=700&h=639&ei=3QHUT_J0kajyBLm2xd8D&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=568&sig=114057761190957881805&page=1&tbnh=145&tbnw=172&start=0&ndsp=15&ved=1t:429,r:12,s:0,i:118&tx=89&ty=74

Chevrolet has yet to introduce there new 2013 model yet but it is confirmed it won't be the Impala. There bringing out a new car called the 'SS Sedan' that's somewhat of a continuation of the popular V8 rear wheel drive Pontiac G8 but in Chevy form!

Answer 2

The engines mainly. Also even though they have a lot of rules, some teams will use different parts. NASCAR usually gives more than one choice on a lot of things. Also I doubt no 2 cars' setups will be the exact same at any giving time in and giving race.

Answer 3

Engine makes are different. So are suspension packages. Other than that..they are cookie cutter cars that have no individual 'personality' that they used to have. Take the 1970's for example. Petty's Dodge Charger and Pearson's Ford Mercury along with Waltrips Monte Carlo and Bobby Allison's AMC Matadore. Four different cars with four unique personalities to them.

Answer 4

In simple terms, Jay has the best answer. But may I add, that Dodge has the hottest looking race cars in NASCAR And for some odd reason the front end of a Toyota has a foreign look to it. I guess Mongo is pretty hip on his technology. I'm going to have to study up on that flexible welding stuff. With a flexible frame and remote technology, the sky's the limit on what we can do on the track!

Answer 5

Biggest difference between cars is the engine. Other than that, if you remove the paint and sponsor decals, you'd be hard pressed to see any differences.

Answer 6

The engine at the moment, but the nose and sides will start to be varied from next year.

Answer 7

Not that reflects the automakers. Most of the technologies are done by teams. Stuff like how the frames are welded, the flex properties of the welds, the pivot points in the cars, the size of the sway bars [phuck u fluffy], the front nose aerodynamics, the radiator openings, the yaw in a car's axles, shock packages, and the mapping of the car's computers are team specific and driver specific. The rest of the cars are pretty much the same. Thy are held to certain specifications which require them to fit templates. Some teams may find certain gray areas to work in.

Answer 8

No it is just a sticker package at this time in Cup.

Answer 9

There may be,but it doesn't look like it to me.