This Car RUINED NASCAR

We take a deep dive into the COT starting in 2007. NASCAR's attempt to make racing safer. #nascar #nascar2023 #cheating #hendrickmotorsports #dennyhamlin #dalejr
Credit for the live shots:
indiajaponesa
DanielKy
codyvano
J Calvert
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[@fivewidesports]

🟠 What did you guys think of the COT? There were so many moments that I left out because the video would’ve been hours long.

[@HI-kb2cg]

Did we just get 2 videos in a week IN A WEEK

[@fivewidesports]

Yes I think the world is ending.

[@SpreadAU]

Weird, should’ve added a ? In title but we want clicks

[@GoodOlRoll]

I wouldn't say it ruined NASCAR like the title says, but it may have been a contributing factor.

[@BIGEDSIK28]

Personally was not a big fan of them BUT I do have the whole Hendrick team diecasts of the COT under my monitors!

[@ChuckyLarms]

Ironically, the final years of the COT (no splitter or wing) produced some of the most competitive racing

[@rjpeiffer8819]

It still had the splitter it was just not exposed

[@YELLTELL]

TELL EM!​@@rjpeiffer8819

[@wayneblackburn3146]

No it didnt.

[@Twinspinner]

The fact that Gordon has back problems, but still managed to leave the sport on his own terms after all the terrible hits he took, just shows how safe these cars were. I can't imagine what the sport would look like if hits like those were recreated with gen 4 cars.

[@bradsanders407]

Well considering at Pocono he hit 99gs in the old car I'd say you can't really knock it too bad. It wasn't the car it was the HANS device that saved lives, and lack of it was the reason all those drivers were killed at the turn of the century.

[@Daniel-hm8xq]

​@bradsanders407 I think it's fair to say the HANS device saved lives but the COT prevented career altering injuries. Certainly not all of them, but I wager many of those vicious hits would have many caused broken bones and / or concussions, and knockouts, such as was common with the Gen4.

[@titanicgaming1148]

@@Daniel-hm8xq Do not forget safer barriers on the walls. the simple fact that the energy could now be dissipated into the object you are hitting at speeds upwards of 150 miles per hour rather than straight into a hard wall probably saved many people as well. Though some of the accidents here were hard hits into solid metal walls with dirt behind them but some of these accidents would of been straight fatal of the combination of all safety measures were not in place.

[@YELLTELL]

Dale Jr. Also

[@chadsneve5564]

No one generation of car ruined NASCAR. NASCAR ruined NASCAR.

[@noaahhhoke4012]

They shouldn’t have given Carl Edwards a DNF because after he got out of the car he ran across the finish line 🏁

[@fivewidesports]

I agree lol

[@Blitz4824]

Terrible safety advancements? Having a couple of bad races? Drivers being outspoken of the car? Where have I heard this before….🤔

[@fivewidesports]

History repeating itself 😬

[@bob8776]

Grandpa Simpson yelling at a cloud, that’s where

[@dmurphy1578]

These cars fell to peices and the drivers walked away. Now the car is fine and the driver is wrecked in the head.

[@fivewidesports]

Wild isn’t it.

[@JohnDoes620]

The cars ripping apart like that aid in absorbing the impact if im not mistake Something about dissipation of energy. Someone smarter than me probably has a video on it

[@presinald]

@@JohnDoes620 yes this is a huge part of why F1 cars are carbon fiber. It's lighter, but when they crash it basically breaks instead of crumples there was a horrible crash where the engine and rear half of the car broke off but the driver tub was a solid piece and the driver was safe. The section that takes the impact is designed to break off instead of the car staying in one piece and transferring that force to the driver

[@CGoody564]

​@@presinald same reason commercial cars are designed with intentional crumple zones

[@wesleyem3]

Love that you're able to find and add fan-captured footage to these videos. Makes the video feel a lot more unique. I can't tell you how many times I've seen the normal TV Footage of these cars and how stale it can make a video. Major props.

[@fivewidesports]

Some fans have incredible footage and my goal is to make sure those clips aren’t lost forever!

[@derek112217]

Nah, the 550 HP ruined Nascar.

[@captainfordo3978]

At least the COT lives on in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

[@LexyThomas134]

I want the horsepower back, was just watching classic NASCAR races and man do I miss that.

[@davesnothere8859]

racing should be about building the fastest car. Not making all the cars exactly the same it is boring.

[@grahamcrackergaming1540]

I will say the wing on the CoT wasn’t a bad idea, it was just how it was used. The problem was NASCAR was using the wing like normal spoiler, having it tucked to the deck lid just about and only using the top portion for downforce. The thing is that’s not completely how wings r supposed to work. From what I understand wings r supposed to act like swords slicing through air, both upper AND bottom portions of the wing play key in downforce on wings, especially the bottom. It’s why ya see some street car spoilers be just an arch on the back. If NASCAR had more of a traditional wing you’d see on say GT race cars like GTE or GT3 for example, u may not have the extreme flips that happened since you’d have a bigger gap under the wing and air would actually have a place to go while in reverse at 190 mph. Wasn’t a bad idea, it’s just NASCAR at that time, maybe even still now, were like F1 back in the late 60s/early 70s when teams were still figuring how aero worked.

[@wxracer23]

*Carl Edwards possible dies* Mike Joy: “That destroyed the front end of NEWMANS car”

[@gabingston3430]

NASCAR would've been better off using the more aesthetically pleasing 2011/2012 COT from the beginning.

[@davisowen97]

Being a Gordon fan was hard for the most part in this era…but I really forgot how many hard hits he endured during 08’-10’. Also, I think the COT produced the best short track racing than any other generation car.

[@Derping098]

Maybe its nostalgia goggles but there were so many banger races in the COT era.

[@fivewidesports]

I know. So so many!

[@Mr.CoachBeaulieu]

That was the most Genz thing you could've said and you said it.

[@LessGo7921]

@@Mr.CoachBeaulieu saying the word banger has been around for decades old man

[@Twinspinner]

​@@LessGo7921 I think it was more toward "nostalgia" and "COT" being in the same sentence than saying "banger" lol

[@LessGo7921]

@@Twinspinner ah yea even that kinda makes me feel old 😭

[@ShawnMcClurg]

I just have tons of nostalgia for the COT. 2007 was the first season that I paid attention to as a kid. So many memories.

[@fivewidesports]

I hate it but miss it.

[@VKED23]

Me too, it was crazy to think they raced both cars that season, plus I was a jeff gordon fan, so it was an amazing season for me lol.. until richmond lol

[@dgb921]

To bad you missed all the good racing

[@CatchiestWorm12]

I always loved the way the COT looked, even if everyone else hated it, and hey, the intermediate tracks had miles better racing then than they do now.

[@fivewidesports]

I liked it too. I think it was because of how young I was. The wing was just cool looking to me.

[@CatchiestWorm12]

@@fivewidesports I was also very young and so that's what I grew up with also

[@Zoonsky]

Finally some people on the same page as me.

[@rolux4853]

I hate the wing (and this whole car) deeply! It’s the worst nascar car we ever had!

[@UnderwaterAlexJones]

@@rolux4853 *laughs in Gen6*

[@chromediesel444]

I personally enjoyed the final 2 years of that car when they revamped the front end along with that spoiler that replaced the wing. I miss it. Wished they kept racing with that car instead of Gen 6 or Gen 7. Luckily COT is still around thriving at Xfinity Series. Wierd enough somehow COT was safer than the Gen 7 car.

[@PaperBanjo64]

That version of the COT is better too, and even Gen 6, races so much better.

[@dgb921]

Wish they never went to the COT at all

[@AutoRockinRacing94]

As a Gordon fan, I REALLY have sore feelings about the COT. No fond memories at all!

[@PaperBanjo64]

His worst crashes and worst years were with the pile of crap COT.

[@nickb8618]

Car might of been safer but boy did it suck and the racing sucked

[@ShibbyRL]

Jeff Gordon always seemed to find the 1 spot on the track that doesnt have a safer barrier.. it shortened his career.

[@fivewidesports]

He had the worst luck

[@wsbill14224]

​@@fivewidesportsJeff Gordon won a ton. Bad luck????

[@mountaindrew4711]

@@wsbill14224 could’ve won more

[@wsbill14224]

@@mountaindrew4711 Here's the thing about racing. If you can do it well and you weigh nothing you have an advantage whether you're Jeff Gordon or Shirley Muldowney or any other little twerp who can drive.

[@Johnny-es1wl]

Cookie cutter tracks and greed is what caused the decline. As well as not realizing that most new fans were fickle and wouldn't stick around long.

[@pjstempel6094]

I watch McDowells crash live, 1st thought was i just watched him die

[@fivewidesports]

Same here I couldn’t believe what I was seeing!

[@SpreadAU]

Me too. I saw it live. I was emotional

[@nfitz11]

They haven't released any radio or in car footage from that Jeff Gordon crash in the nicorette car bc it was too violent. He was never the same again

[@fivewidesports]

Yes Jeff wanted to see it after the race and after he viewed it, the footage was destroyed per Hendrick Motorsports request because Jeff’s body was thrown so violently in the car.

[@williejack7935]

I literally started watching nascar videos a month ago when I was high as Fxxx, I’m now a fan from 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 ✌️

[@thegreattreon0177]

The Gen 6 ruined NASCAR racing

[@g_men2121]

Yea it didnt

[@camaroboy1968ss]

The later COT was a better looking car once they went back to a lip spoiler and they got rid of the recessed splitter. I could not stand the tandem drafting they created. Gen 4 and early plate racing was so much better. Granted the end of the gen 4 cars with all the "twisted sisters" were not pretty but still a piece of art of the teams fabs shops body building. The gen 6 was a good step getting past the COT, now the next gen is the next pile of garbage.

[@conradsamson1142]

Might have ruined nascar but maybe saved some lives 🤔

[@chukowiley3823]

May have been safer for impact, but that stupid wing causes them to blow over like they are a feather.

[@vintvarner16]

​@@chukowiley3823 very true but no deaths since that. But did blow over easily and the front splitter was horrible and no different manufacturer difference except decals and ugly. However it saved lives and prevented a lot of injuries

[@chukowiley3823]

@@vintvarner16 I believe the reason there was no difference in splinter was because of the fact it was supposed to be a spec car like the new Next-Gen car. And yes, I do believe that while the spoiler was horrible, the car overall was very safe.

[@williammitchell4417]

Ask Eliot Sadler who barrel rolled on the back stretch of Talledega

[@phattyfresh]

@@williammitchell4417 he died?

[@BooneLuebchow]

900hp was pretty cool too during this era

[@theLongPigChef]

It wasn't all bad. It was more fun to watch at certain tracks. That can be said of every iteration of stock car racing.

[@Doodlebob-tc1wc]

I forgot Jeff Gordon had so many bad crashes in that era

[@SpreadAU]

Every notice how Carl edwards & keslowski both had damage on the right rear panel at the top right in front of the spoiler. Absolutely the same spot. Sure it’s a coincidence, before they flipped. Plus I don’t think edwards flips without Newman

[@cito1101]

IanPerez2000 would like to know your location COT was good, but I HATED the wing that was like snapped onto the back decklid of the car. I prefer the spoiler more.

[@adampatterson5475]

How did they not know what would happen when the car spin backwards

[@fivewidesports]

Great question.

[@Theweouthereforrealclub-]

Someone had the idea of putting the COT wings on miatas to great effect so the development wasn’t even wasted on those things. They lived a second life after NASCAR teams dumped them.

[@legoferrari14]

The COT was my NASCAR era; while my first exposure to NASCAR racing was the 2006 _Cars_ movie and a few episodes of the _NASCAR Racers_ Cartoon, Gran Turismo 6 introduced me to NASCAR machinery in its actual context, and personally coming off of the other race cars in the game they felt heavy and cumbersome compared to the rest of the dedicated racing cars in tht game.

[@LessGo7921]

If the COT started out like how it was in 2010 with the spoiler instead of the wing, that alone would’ve definitely prevented a lot of COT issues and make it less unpopular from the start

[@mrs6968]

I'll never forget that stretch of time where Gordon legit hit the one lone spot of bare concrete week after week. You don't forget bad luck like that

[@appleinfl]

I saw that McDowell crash live on Speed channel as a kid. Thought he was dead or seriously injured.

[@fivewidesports]

Same here. Scary.

[@JeffWeselyan]

I saw it when I'm healing from nose surgery

[@nickfranklin4295]

Same

[@Beast_is_a_dumbass220]

Same. Watched it live, not a replay. To this day any time it pops up somewhere I can’t help but rewind at least 5x. No different with this video

[@bendavis2652]

How can you say the COT ruined nascar after the introduction of the nextgen ? The cot saved lives and careers. However the nextgen has costs careers of fabricators and drivers. Not to mention how slow it is

[@SpreadAU]

I kinda couldn’t wait to see what my fav driver paint scheme would look like in the CoT

[@ScottXC91]

When NASCAR goes 100% in on the Fast and the Furiouw craze.

[@CommodoreFloopjack78]

Fortunately, the Car Of Tomorrow is now the S**tbox Of Yesterday. Although, these Next-Gen things aren't any better. They suck royally, too.

[@g_men2121]

Yea the Next Gen is way better

[@penguinbrony2415]

Jeff Gordon had the worst luck hitting walls in the late 2000s and early 2010s. I feel he was the main reason why NASCAR made the push to install the SAFER barriers over the entire walls. The COT was not my favorite, but it was an important push to making the cars and the sport safer so that we never have another Adam Petty, Kenny Irwin Jr, or Dale Sr. situation.

[@NathanChambers]

~17:00 It wasn't just Jeff that seemed to always find/hit where there was no safer barrier. I remember it was like everyone seemed to find those spots when they wrecked. LOL JG did have it really bad though. :/

[@fivewidesports]

From 2007 till the end he had the worst luck!

[@wavywetemup9629]

Gordon got wrecked so many damn times in that car

[@jeremythurman5261]

Race cars don’t need to look like production cars. But the Supercars are the best looking stock cars based on production cars in the world right now. And they have a wing.

[@cookncrack5334]

I just go watch old races from the 80s

[@g_men2121]

Snoozers

[@justinjones7604]

I love how the car of the tomorrow is just adding a spoiler like sixteen year get thier first car

[@_red_scorpion_]

I've wondered for years if the mounting brackets for the wing or something could've been hinged where the wing folds forward towards the front of the car when it's turned around. Maybe that could've kept it from creating a pocket of low pressure and keep the car better stuck to the ground when it's backwards? I have no idea but I'd love to see a simulation of something like this

[@fivewidesports]

That’s honestly a great idea.

[@andrewrollason4963]

Even this video shows that cars were already airborne before the point where the CoT wing is presented to the airflow. The assertion that it cause flips is statistically rubbish.

[@_red_scorpion_]

​@@andrewrollason4963I disagree. Sure, they're lifting up before they're 180° around but that wing is still catching air. Obviously this does not apply to every situation and different situations have different factors to a flip. I do still think the wing was an issue that needed some kind of fix, even if it didn't totally solve the problem. Doing something is better than doing nothing.

[@andrewrollason4963]

@@_red_scorpion_ Fluid dynamics does not work that way. You need a presenting surface and even then, turning that surface through a different orientation is actually a different set of conditions.

[@kamurray67]

The title alone is why I started to watch this video but to fix this title I would say “NASCAR ruined NASCAR!

[@jandjdestruction]

of all the issues that the COT had, I still think strictly from an aesthetic point of view those cars looked dang cool with those wings and splitters!

[@evanwilliams6406]

The Car of Tommorow fundamentally changed everything about Nascar and there were times where I was like what am I watching? Most of the safety features they could have put on a regular Stock Car. The Car was completely different from the street models and collecting Nascar diecast of these things was hard because they were difficult to find and only Winners Circle and action and CFS made them. The COT is where things started getting out of hand with trying to equal out the competition but close does not equal better.

[@g_men2121]

But if they didnt move the seat in, brad k or mcdowell would've died from the impacts they had in their wrecks

[@codycutrer6919]

Great video man you’re my favorite NASCAR KZbinr all of your stuff is great keep up the great work! Can’t wait for the next one!

[@conradsamson1142]

Hell yeah!!

[@rhondohslade]

The COT was always a failure in my book. Under the body panels they were all the same vehicle precluding any engineering innovation.

[@beastslayer2413]

Video idea Why Kyle Busch is the best to ever drive for RCR and The best to drive the 8 car

[@jerrley346]

excuse me? did you forget about the earnhardts?????

[@beastslayer2413]

Dale Earnhardt couldn’t hold Kyle Busch’s HANS device

[@bradsanders407]

It wasnt just this car. It was the the ever changing "playoff" system where it got to the point a driver could lead every lap of every race and win the first 35 races and still finish 4th in the standings. Stage racing, the Brickyard going to that stupidass road course, repaving Bristol i could go on and on and on. Brian France is the worst sports commissioner ever.

[@g_men2121]

Yea. Blame something that doesn't have anything to do with it. 🫵🤡🫵

[@mikewagner9395]

Kyle Busch wasn't wrong

[@fivewidesports]

Didn’t hide his words in 2007 and still doesn’t in 2023 🤣

[@joshuasweeney7864]

idk how they decided on putting a wing on it? puzzling how no one brought up the spoiler first

[@austinlewis3273]

Another fantastic video man! Your videos are always informative and very entertaining. Watched many of them a couple times to make sure I took it all in

[@fivewidesports]

Thank you so much. Plenty more to come!

[@Jrh-rp7np]

I know it’s hypothetical and we don’t know and will never know but Jeff Gordon should be the name tied with Petty and Earnhardt,,, not Jimmy Johnson., I think from the best I can tell had it not been for the chase or whatever the hell it’s called now Jeff would be a 7 time Champion and that’s the Name that belongs with those legends he transcended the sport .. the COT and the Chase made me go from a Die Hard,,having the stickers on my car., the t shirts,,die cast cars and buying tickets to now just a highlight watcher,, and if I do put the race on I fall asleep every single time..Btw I’m not even a Jeff Fan in fact I hated Jeff Gordon,, but over the years he grew on me and made me appreciate the talent I got to watch all those years…

[@PaperBanjo64]

Jeff Gordon is a name the general public recognizes, nobody knows who Jimmie Johnson is and frankly I think he's overrated, and only won all those championships because of the chase and Chad Knaus sandbagging all year until then and turning it up at the end, he's washed up, had no business in IndyCar when he sucked on road courses and I lost some respect for him after he renamed Petty GMS to Legacy Motor Club, deleting the great Petty name from the team, yes I realize that Petty GMS is not the same Petty Enterprises of old but at least from 2009-2022 there was still a team with the famous Petty name, but now that's been ruined, they could have just called it Petty Johnson GMS, length of a team name ain't a problem, look at Roush these days!

[@jek4837]

@@PaperBanjo64 Jimmie Johnson - 7 time champion.

[@tragene2250]

At the 15:00 minute mark. Actually it started prior to that. They talk about Gordon. I f you watch Hornaday, he gets three incredibly hard hits to the driver side of the car. The miracle was that he could walk away.

[@ChrisJones-xz7hb]

I think the person the new car saved the most was the true torch bearer for RCR - Austin Dillon at Daytona

[@agentcrm]

NASCAR have ruined the sport with the stage racing, etc far more than any car could. Not that the generation of cars looked anything like their road car counterparts. I do wonder why they couldn't get the spoiler to work, when they're so well known.

[@IanTheMotorsportsMan_YT]

The COT was a good car, but not perfect. It’s painfully overhated and doesn’t deserve as much backlash. If you wanna know a terrible car in NASCAR, look at the Gen 6. - way too many changes - too aerodependant - horsepowers kept getting taken away

[@FastLane46]

If only NASCAR stopped micromanaging every damn aspect of the Gen 6 and left it alone after 2014, I firmly believe fans would look back on it much more fondly.

[@IanTheMotorsportsMan_YT]

@@FastLane46 that’s what I’m saying

[@AlonsoRules]

The COT was so aero dependant that you could stay out on old tyres at Dover and hold off 4 tyres

[@TThomp22]

NASCAR is ruining NASCAR

[@tracksdodge4436]

Always thought Earnhardt was the last thing keeping NASCAR alive Like it or not, earlier NASCAR was far more dangerous and was loved because of how violent and dangerous it was. The death of 3 caused such a massive knee jerk reaction that it damn near killed the sport. Wild how one so responsible for the popularity to this day, almost ended it with his death.

[@davesnothere8859]

looks like it will end up killing it.

[@ddvshow6473]

People talk about the safety of the COT yet the Gen 4 was enhanced safety and aero wise around 2003 and that car was extremely safer than the 2001 car and we didn't see many issues once the safer barriers were implemented during the 2002-2004 seasons.

[@jamesbutterfield9260]

Ngl I loved the COT cars with the wings and the ones up to I think it was the gen 6 change

[@longjohn526]

COT pretty much killed Rousch Racing, they never could get a handle on it and went from one of the most dominant teams to one that struggled to win even one race a season with 3-4 cars on the field

[@king1dmt]

Man I don’t care what anyone says, this car had high horsepower, produced great racing and was just different with the paint schemes! I personally loved the wing and splitter ❤🙌🏽

[@toddhewett1027]

You kinda missed a the biggest point, and that was how NASCAR went from the hottest, fastest growing sport in the USA to a steady decline. You also missed on the marketing aspect of the COT. Having a car like this, one that NASCAR can control better gave them the ability to fix races and champions. Notice how GM was in the middle of being bailed out, they never forgot to send NASCAR their money? Or how many times in a row did #48 win the cup? The COT is when NASCAR and the WWE decided to merge.

[@jek4837]

Nascar wasn't fixing things for Johnson because it made zero sense for them to do so. He wasn't the most popular driver. Fans were sick of him winning so much. I think it was Darrell Waltrip who commented during a race that Johnson's dominance was "stinking up the show". If Nascar was going to be fixing it for anyone, then Junior would have won at least one championship. If not Junior, then they would have been smart to fix it so Gordon won a championship. A GM car AND one of the most popular drivers? It's a no-brainer. If there was any fixing at all, it was when Nascar created the winner-take-all format. It was the only way to prevent further dominance/championships.

[@denver924471]

The COT did not "ruin" NASCAR. The wing was a mistake, no doubt. But some of the best racing in the history of the sport came with these cars. Of the 10 most competitive races in NASCAR history, 6 of them came between October 2008 and October 2011.

[@jek4837]

I agree. I only really started following Nascar in 2005, and so I didn't really have any loyalty to a manufacturer or the look of a car. I just cared about the racing itself. Year after year, it was fans nonstop whining and crying about the COT. One old school co-worker/friend really cared about the cars appearing more stock and wanted to go back to the days of "run on Sunday, sell on Monday" (whether the racing was good or not). I couldn't understand why these fans were complaining so much when the racing was so much better.

[@schmiddy8433]

There must have been some tremendous internal development issues for the wing to do that. No other racing series in the world has that problem despite massive rear wings or all-around complex aerodynamics at play. In F1 each individual team has fully customized aerodynamics and they don't have this issue. There are some famous instances of cars flipping in some s ries due to aerodynamics but they are extremely rare and usually experimental cars long before digital aerodynamic testing.

[@BadcheezYoutube]

That 00 CoT lookin like a snickers celebrations bar

[@spectrelfc1152]

Now they moved the damn number and ditched the manual. It’s so dumb.

[@DNSV-ex8of]

True man it's a double edge... I miss 90s threw mid 00s nascar all the time.. started watching in 1990 when I was five with my grandfather.. Favorite was Richard Petty when he retired it was Rusty Wallace till 2005 after him it's been Kyle Busch since.. even thought out of all of them Busch is my favorite all time so far I've always hated the cars since 2008.. my grandfather said people would slowly stop watching and they have sure as poop.. He passed in 2011 and I still watch every Sunday. I remember the old nascar feel and grew up in it when the cars looked awesome.. Having said all that drivers were dieing as well back then... I hated when the new car was introduced but now it was the best and only option.. I do have to say I like the Gen 7 look but again style and durability killed Kurt Buschs career and has Injured others.....

[@brandon42054]

They said the COT safety advances could have been implemented into the gen 4 which was a way better racing car. Cot racers were horrible. Yea they had a few good ones but for the most part the splitter and downforce was too dependent. Btw the gen 6 was a a COT with a different body. Gen 7 is an example of what happens when leadership is more interested in becoming a sports car racing organization they are taking road race sports cars and trying to race them on ovals and they are probably the most unsafe cars of the last 3 generations

[@jaymerino1912]

NASCAR was already ruined a long time ago. real racing you turn right and left..real racing like v8 supercars real.

[@taneumjct5156]

Dont forget about the foam catching fire

[@racerboy5827]

I like your videos. It’s like one of those video essays, but you just let the clips speak for themselves.

[@uAaronn]

As a little kid back then I thought these cars were the most beautiful looking and refused to take anyone's reasoning on why they didn't, now I realize how bulky and weird they are, people change i guess lol

[@davidpate6095]

I wish they would have just slowed the cars down by taking aero off. It would have made the racing better and kept the personality of the cars.

[@tufstuff2586]

The COT from 2011-2012 is what the COT should have been. But I the Gen 4 car was a lot better in the racing department.

[@oldskoolchevelle]

I was at the Talladega race that Edwards flipped and it was wild to see.

[@fivewidesports]

Insane!

[@robkenji4371]

Those wings were hideous

[@xavierjuno4572]

Makes me wonder what would've happened had they stuck the 2010 looks of the cars earlier?

[@tambourland]

Don’t forget that it wasn’t until Blaise Alexander’s death in an ARCA race in October 2001 that his father fought to have the HANS device mandated in Nascar. It had already been around for years.

[@davesnothere8859]

Nascar ruined itself by making it so freaking complicated, let them race. It is boring competition yellows and lucky spot to get back on the lead lapped then some freaking playoff system and they play bumper cars as an acceptable racing style. "rubbins racing" is a movie line. Freaking playoffs that has nothing to do with actual motor sport. Let them race.

[@spg1026]

COT was a huge failure from the fan perspective. Few fans my age(48) and up would agree with you that it brought happiness. I would say most seasoned drivers hated this car. The COT took what differences the different manufacturers we’re allowed to have away creating a staleness to the cars. 3years to remove the fin from the back of the car doesn’t seem to suggest that safety was the top concern. DW and any number of drivers, crew chiefs, etc. pointed out the dangers thru experience alone that made the cars catch too much air leading to huge high wrecks endangering the fans. Drivers tend to walk away from these wrecks due to the dissipation of energy, but debris and nearly the car itself almost led to fan death. 3 years to change is likely due to NASCAR not wanting to admit it was wrong and maybe the additional costs to teams, etc.. Brian France was very arrogant in Dale Jr.’s recent podcast interview that you played a tiny audio clip from in this video. Arrogant in regards to the positive safety changes out weighing anything negative that the COT brought to NASCAR. Safety barriers, new helmets, and the HANS device impacted the safety of NASCAR drivers way more than the COT did. I doubt any NASCAR driver would’ve died had they not had the COT at all, and only changed the walls, helmet, etc.. Good video and it’s good that someone passionate is making videos showing NASCAR in a positive light. I despise the numerous changes made since 2003 or so; especially the point system and race layouts. Manipulating the structure of the sport to create drama and “excitement” ruined the sport. Brian France ought to ashamed of himself.

[@graysondossett1558]

As someone who grew up in the COT, 90% of the fanfare is nostalgia and safety improvements. The Next Gen is just down right better imo.

[@ANotSoHotRodGarage]

When NASCAR went away from taking a showroom floor car and turning it into a race car that is when it went downhill. Go back to that, take away the restrictor plates and give them tires that don't give all the grip, that so what will give them the best racing

[@pushups5876]

6:34 BRAD KESELOWSKI WON THIS RACE

[@fivewidesports]

Legendary 🤣

[@Continuum7]

Glad to see a recent video about the COT. That first design is still so ugly even looking back at it now my opinion of its design has not changed. I get it had new safety additions but also the wing was a danger making the cars get airborne in new ways never possible before. With that said I did like the 2012 COT version that looked more generic and like an actual stock car, no more wing and no more front splitters. Some people can try and argue looks don't matter with racing cars but iconic paint schemes and car bodies that look GOOD can affect race viewership, the COT is the perfect example of this.

[@pacthesir]

despite this, we seem to have a problem with tires now...

[@g_men2121]

Not really

[@adamweger40]

It’s kinda crazy to look at old races before they had safer barriers on the inside walls like what was nascar thinking?

[@nathanwichman5114]

I always thought they looked cool, maybe a bit boxy for my liking, but even now, I still think they look cool. I liked the wing even if it did cause cars to take off like plywood in a tornado

[@gooseflatwaterfowlers]

Could’ve fixed the old car with the same safety features. The main thing on this is people like Brett Bodine and Elton Sawyer are destroying the sport. The cars from the 90’s and early 2000’s were awesome and produced great racing at every track

[@daltonhawbaker1166]

I wish they'd bring back a style of car that looked like the cars before COT. Just with the modern improvements.

[@g_men2121]

Thats what the CARS tour has. Better they have that car than cup cars. If they brought a gen 4 design back, ot wouldn't be safe anymore.

[@benniebullock3301]

I had seen pictures of Dale Sr test the beginning stages of development of the COT a few years before his death, specifically a larger greenhouse.