Thoughts on the new dash? According to NASCAR.COM teams may begin running it on August 5th of this year. Many are expected to do so. It will also be mandatory full time next year. I understand trying to modernize the sport but I'm not sure how I feel. Personally I think the gauges look smaller and may be harder to read clustered together especially at the speeds they go. Secondly I'm not sure I like all this technology being introduced. I remember when they switched to fuel injection Jeff Gordon voiced concern over it. He was afraid NASCAR would begin to become high tech and computer dominated like F1. He was assured by NASCAR he had nothing to worry about. Now teams can read all kinds of data during practice and tests. Teammates can now view drivers throttle and brake data. Despite what Jeff was told, now we have buttons to automatically adjust the track bar from the cockpit. We have automated pit road monitors. Now with the addition of the digital gauges one only gets the sense that witin 3-4 years we will see even more technology enter the cars and sport. Could it be that in 5 or so years NASCAR steering wheels will closely resemble what we see in F1? I remember the days when F1 was simple and it was in the drivers hands. Loved seeing old clips of Prost and Senna. Now you have to almost be a rocket scientist to understand the sport much less work in it. That was the beauty of NASCAR. The pure simplicity. Mechanical grip and horsepower. The days where the average mechanic could get involved with the sport or simply understand it may be about to disappear for good.

 

Another picture of the new dash.

 

No thoughts? Either that or the forum is slacking.

 

I think that new dash would be very difficult to get used to while racing!!!
Yeah, the forum gets kind of slow in the afternoons