We're approaching the final few weeks of the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season, marking the 75th anniversary of the stock car series. To commemorate this milestone, Ryan McGee is sharing his top five favorite aspects of the sport each week until the season's end.
Already covered are the top five best-looking cars and the toughest drivers. While there won't be a list for the top five mustaches due to the uniqueness of that category, the previous installment highlighted the top five best-looking race cars. However, in the spirit of balance, this universe of racing has its fair share of less appealing elements.
Just as there's light and dark, beauty and imperfection, McGee delves into the not-so-appealing side of the sport in this article. In contrast to the stunning race cars highlighted previously, here are the top (or rather, bottom) five worst-looking NASCAR race cars.
Back in August 1966, during the latter part of his first season as a team owner after retiring from driving, the legendary Last American Hero was challenged by fellow Ford icon John Holman to create a car that pushed the limits of the rules. This led to the creation of a peculiar Ford Galaxie named "the Banana" due to its unconventional design, which included a sloped nose, lowered roof, and a raised-then-lowered rear end. Despite its unique appearance, the car led a race and crashed during the Dixie 400 at Atlanta, after which both it and a similar car by Smokey Yunick were banned by NASCAR.
Number five on the list is the 1951 Studebaker. This car participated in NASCAR's top series for a brief period in the early 1950s. One of its memorable moments was when Frank "Rebel" Mundy drove it to victory, complete with quirky features like chicken wire on the front bumper and a nose that resembled a torpedo tip.
At number four is the 1978 Dodge Magnum. Chrysler and Petty Enterprises introduced this squared-off car as a successor to the iconic Charger. Unfortunately, its peculiar design, featuring a rectangular grill resembling a mustache, didn't fare well, leading Petty to switch to a Chevy midseason.
The number three spot goes to the 1997 Ford Taurus (prototype). This car marked the introduction of the four-door model to NASCAR's Cup Series, but its rounded-off design left observers confused about the placement of the passenger doors. Despite later improvements, the initial model resembled an egg on wheels.
Taking the second place is the 2006-07 'Twisted Sister' era. These cars were designed with aerodynamics in mind, leading to a distinct asymmetry where one side appeared as a regular car while the other side seemed broken. While they performed well on the track, their appearance off the track left much to be desired.
Finally, topping the list is the notorious "Car of Tomorrow" (CoT). Introduced as a solution to aero-related concerns and driver safety, the CoT shared a common design across Ford, Chevy, and Toyota, resembling shipping containers more than the cars they represented. Adding a large carbon fiber wing to the back didn't help its appearance either.
In summary, while the NASCAR world features stunning cars and remarkable drivers, it also has its fair share of unconventional and unattractive designs, reminding us that balance exists even in the world of racing.