Is NASCAR considering quieter race cars?

Stock car racing without the mega-decibel roar of the engines would definitely be different.

If you’ve never been to a NASCAR race before, here are two free pieces of advice: don’t drink a beverage without a lid, because tiny tire pieces will end up in it, and don’t expect to have a conversation with the person next to you except during cautions.

Noise is an inherent part of the NASCAR experience, with Fox Sports even famously (or infamously, depending on who you ask) urging TV viewers to “Crank it Up” each week and listen to the sounds of the track. But maybe it doesn’t have to be.

A report in Sports Business Journal suggests that NASCAR is studying the idea of quieter race cars as one of “15 to 20 initiatives NASCAR is studying across categories including fan engagement and competition.” It’s the same evaluation process that led to stage racing for the 2017 season and the slow adoption of same-day qualifying and racing for the Cup Series.

The impetus behind the proposed change, which would rely on a new muffler and tailpipe system, appears to be making races more attractive to younger fans, who appreciate the social experience of spectator events. The downside would be alienating existing fans, something that is always a consideration whenever NASCAR tinkers with rules or … well, anything, really.

Yet even some racing greybeards seem to think the idea of quieter cars is worth a shot, as Michael Waltrip told SBJ at a preseason media day:

"“Right now they’re obnoxious, and I guess I’ve gotten old because it really gets on my nerves.”"

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It would definitely be different to be able to talk to the people around you at races, but would it be a good different? Like any change NASCAR considers making as it ponders its future, there’s no way to know for sure ahead of time.