Did NASCAR really abandon stock cars? All you need to know

NASCAR is primarily known for stock car racing and is regarded as one of the most elite forms of motorsport. The abbreviation stands for National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. The question arises, does NASCAR truly field stock cars for racing, or did they abandon them? Let's find out.

During the sport's early days, there was a provision that the cars would strictly have to be stock ones. One such race where the cars adhered to this rule was held at Charlotte Speedway (not the same as Charlotte Motor Speedway) on June 19, 1949.

Following this race, which was won by Jim Roper, and over the next decade, the cars were allowed to have safety and performance-related modifications. By the mid-1960s, the cars were still built mostly like true stock cars but had all kinds of modifications, making the 1949 race one of the last to stay true to the provision.

The reason? Well, the stock cars simply did not come installed with all the safety and performance-related modifications that gradually came to be acknowledged as necessary for high speeds. Therefore, a switch from the commerically-produced car to the modified racing car took place, though the newer machines remained under the class of a stock car after 'modifications' were permitted.

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Further changes made to NASCAR cars

Technically, NASCAR still uses the stock car, but in a modified way. Here are some reasons why:

1. Safety: Safety comes foremost in motorsport. Considering the dire need for this, NASCAR introduced multiple safety procedures, such as decreasing the G-force experienced in cars and installing the SAFER barrier, which absorbs the impact of a crash. Other safety features include the kill switch throttle and the anti-spill bladder in fuel cells.

The unfortunate death of Dale Earnhardt served as a wake-up call for NASCAR in terms of safety, after which the HANS (Head and Neck Support) system arrived as NASCAR buffed up its safety provisions.

In 2007, NASCAR launched Cars of Tomorrow. Cars from this generation had a wider cockpit and higher roof, and the driver's seat was located more towards the center. Naturally, these were not available in stock cars, and thus, a further switch in car design can be seen to have been made via this series.

2. Performance: The stock cars did not have the capacity required for performing in present-day races. They gradually proved to be inadequate in terms of speed and aerodynamics and lacked suitable suspension. Therefore, cars were increasingly modified in these respects to make them race-worthier as the sport progressed.

3. Branding: While the cars used in NASCAR now are not exactly those commonly seen on roads, they still resemble conventional production cars. The Chevrolet Camaro, Ford Mustang and Toyota Camry used in NASCAR all appear to be ordinary cars, but considering their substantive modifications, they are most certainly not. However, car companies can still showcase their brands on the global stage through the modified automobiles used in NASCAR races.

4. Cost-effectiveness: Lastly, while modifying cars might seem expensive for teams looking to win races, it proves to be beneficial in the long run. Due to their custom-built nature, modified cars can withstand heavy crashes. Thus they are more durable than stock cars.