Years ago, most sanctioning bodies had Claiming Rules. Usually motors were involved but I seriously think NASCAR should allow BODY claiming AND Motor claiming by other teams.
A low man on the totem pole (points)system could be established and a set Dollar figure set for a complete body or motor or both.
NASCAR knows how much a body costs to build on average and same with motors. NASCAR tacks on a Premium to the claiming cost and that's the Claiming price. The opportunity to claim would go up the totem pole at each race if the bottom team doesn't claim or can't afford it.
Let's answer the question of Driver/Team X's performance driving claimed body and/or motor from Driver/Team Y.

Ha!ha!ha!

Would'nt that be a riot!

Team super money builds a car and watches as team no money claims it as their own!

I love that idea!

And immediately watch all the money from Ford, Chevy, Dodge and Toyota leave the series as they would want no part in it.

I guess most current NASCAR fans haven't been exposed to grass roots racing much. Even NASCAR divisions had Claiming Rules in the past.
Not all things old are automatically bad.
An updated Claiming Rule could help equalize the field and force the SUPER Teams to step up their game to remain Super.

rustystpete - 17 November 2009 08:29 AM

I guess most current NASCAR fans haven't been exposed to grass roots racing much. Even NASCAR divisions had Claiming Rules in the past.
Not all things old are automatically bad.
An updated Claiming Rule could help equalize the field and force the SUPER Teams to step up their game to remain Super.

NASCAR had it in the days before Chevy paid good money to make sure Tony Stewart and Dale Jr. were driving their cars. The manufactures would not want anything to do with the sport if they didn't get a say in which drivers they wanted.

i'm a pro stock racer that is racing dirt tracks and we to this day have claimer rules so thats fine for all forms of racing as rustypete its grass roots

Obviously you could not have a Toyota team claiming a Chevy. So you could have claiming within the manufacturers. that could work. But, claiming suspension pieces, especially shocks, could be done across all brands. That could shake some things up a little.

Also, I advocated a claim rule for the IZOD IndyCar Series on another thread here. The winners car, most likely a Ganassi or Penske car, could be claimed straight up for another car and $25,000. This could change the way Chip and Roger develop things. Because if not, they win a race and next week it's Milk Dud in a Penske!

in our rules its only if its found to be illegalthat you can claim it as i understand it

Claimer rules have a place. That place is about 10 levels below Cup racing.

You're talking about multi-million dollar operations in a multi-billion dollar industry ...

Two things...

#1 you can already lease a Toyota engine and buy a car from the same place everyone else gets theirs. TRD. You can do the same for a Chevy at Hendricks, or Ford at Roush. You will get top notch equipment from any of the three. If you even have a hint that the stuff they sell/lease to you is inferior, they are out of the business forever.

#2, you could put a backmarker driver in the 48 car, and put JJ and CN in his car, and JJ would still win. The best are going to win, no matter how you try to level the playing field.

Compare Haas 2008 with Stewart Haas 2009. Same equipment. Better drivers and better crews.

Nice idea. In the end it will just be the same teams on top, and the same teams on the bottom.

You Negatives out there are missing the MAIN points of a Claiming Rule.
#1 Anyone thinking a 'Leased' car or motor from a big name is the exact same as team car is VERY naive. The tricks aren't in rentals.
#2 Put JJ, Jeff, Mark, & Dale Jr in Norm Benning cars. Does anyone Really believe they'd still win? Get real!
#3 Manufacture $$$- now is the time. Except for Toyota the other Big 3 have cut back drastically on $ support. The manufacturers don't have the Pull they used to.
#4 Top Dollar Teams won't spend so much if they know a car or motor may not be theirs next day.
#5 COT has not equalized the playing field as intended.
#6 blah, blah, blah
NASCAR won't admit they still have 3 tiers of teams and until we, the ticket buyers/TV watchers, speak up the status quo will remain and next year probably a 5th straight championship.