Does "COT" Spell the End of the Dominant Team?

For the past few seasons, Hendrick Motorsports has dominated in NASCAR victory lane. And with the addition of Dale Jr. to the Hendrick fold, few expected that pattern would change this year. Initially, things were going as planned--Jr. taking the Bud Shootout and then winning the first Gatorade 150 qualifying race.

 But then came the second Gatorade 150, with Joe Gibbs' Denny Hamlin (in a Toyota, of all things) victorious, while teammate Tony Stewart claimed victory in the season's first Nationwide race in Daytona.

Then came the Daytona 500--Ryan Newman taking the checkered flag in a Dodge, the first since Ward Burton's victory in 2002.

Could all today's stiff competition among the various makes indicate that the Car of Tomorrow has leveled the "playing field" and allowed the historically less dominant teams to catch up with the perennial winners? When first introduced, the idea of the COT must have seemed, to the old school NASCAR fan, virtually a step toward socialism, to say the least, if not downright Marxist in theory. Equal distirubtion? Is there no more room in racing for free market competition?

But maybe the idea was simply to decrease the apparent monopoly and give other teams the fair opportunity to compete. And wouldn't all teams benefit from cutting expenses--not needing a different car for each type of track?

Most importantly, the young season so far has lived up to expectations of improved safety--the "Big Wreck" never occured this year at the 500.

What does seem evident is that the COT is heightening the need for teamwork. And so far, teamwork has played a vital role in the victories. Following his Shootout win, Dale Jr. gave half the credit to his own car and half to his help from teammate Jimmie Johnson. Winning the second Gatorade 150, Denny Hamlin received assistance from teammate Tony Stewart; who, in turn, won the Camping World 300 aided by teammate Kyle Busch. And, of course, Kurt Busch played a part in Ryan Newman's 500 victory.

Seems like fans are getting their money's worth in excitement, if nothing else, thanks, perhaps, to the COT.