Kitt as a pace car?

[Crusing]

This might not be a good idea mabey just silly one yet funny. If Pontiac is suppose to be the official pace car for Nasscar why not have just one race were a Kitt replica can be the pace car.

Knowing Pontiac they will probaly get mad. By the things I hear Pontiac is not a big fan of Kitt.

I know it may be silly sounding to some people but what is your opinion.

[rusti_knight]

I think you'd have a really tough time getting that to fly even on Nascar's end. Kitt is lacking the flashing lights on top and would look pretty strange leading a freight train of stock cars around a track. It would also make the car look very out of place and old. Not to mention I've only ever seen honorary drivers of the pace car, never honorary pace cars.

To be perfectly honest, to save Kitt's reputation, we'll leave him off the race track. In my opinion, it would just make that car look pathetic leaving the race track while the other cars blew past.

Rusti

[Michael Pajaro]

Have to disagree with you there Rusti... True, KITT might not be flashy enough for Nascar, but there is absolutely no shame in it. I think it would be an honor for KITT and the fans to see him kick off a race.

Mike

[rusti_knight]

*sighs* I hate it when people put words in my mouth.

I didn't say anything about shame, Mike. It was more concerned with pity. Kitt was supposed to be fast, but a converted T/A will be unable in any way to hold a candle to the Cup cars, television does them absolutely no justice. It just wouldn't look right to me.

Rusti

[JennKitt]

I think it'd be neat to see Kitt start off a race... even if he didn't go out everytime there was a caution.

Now, I've never seen a race live, but I do know how big those cars are. Does the Pontiac Grand Prix, that paces the races now, look any better or worse compared to those cars? To me there is no right or wrong car. Each year they change the pace cars, perhaps next year they'll choose a Ford ( ;p ).

In reality the Grand Prix is no bigger than my Grand Am. And when I compare my '82 Trans Am against my '01 Grand Am I don't see that much difference. Sure technology has changed and the shapes certainly aren't the same, but the length is very close to the same. In fact my Grand Am is about an inch or two shorter than my TA. Roof height is lower on my TA because the entire car was designed to be lower to the ground, but when it comes to clearance under the car my TA wins out being about 1" higher. Funny how it works sometimes.

Would Kitt look good out there? That's a matter of opinion. What would the fans think? That's a guessing game, but I'm sure there are a lot of people out there that would recognize Kitt for the icon he was at the time.

JennKitt

[katz112]

I would love to see KITT cruising down the Indy 500!!!

[Sith]

lol... seeing KITT do the opening lap of the race would be pretty exciting...

...which is more than could be said about oval racing...

[JennKitt]

Now we've got two different types of racing in this thread. The one that was mentioned first was NASCAR. The cars they use in NASCAR are a little bit closer to the cars the average U.S. Joe drives on the street, although they are souped up.

The Indy 500 is an open wheeled race. The cars are very different than the ones used in NASCAR because the wheels are open. There's no metal or plastic around the wheels.

Would Kitt look good at an open wheeled race? I think so, but again that is a matter of opinion.

Ah well, it's wonderful to dream.

JennKitt

[GB]

It was almost the case in '83 with the 500 Daytona Pace Car

[CK]

tehee.....Kitt in SPM racin with them Nascar boys now that's what I'd like to see!

Cheri--I know I'll get kicked for sayin that

[nike2k]

In 1989 the trans am was used as a pace car for the Indianapolis 500 on May 28. And it wasnt even a V-8 trans am, just a 3.8 liter V-6 with a turocharged powerplant capable of 245hp.

[Darknight]

Haha, I LOVE it when I hear someone say "just" a 3.8 v6, because they obviously don't realize the power output available from the engine. The '89 20th Anniversary Turbo Trans Am was faster than any TA up to that point, and faster than the famed Buick Regal GNX, and faster than any TA up till the modern LS1 v8s. The 6.6 liter Trans Ams of old only did 0-60 in the 6s. The turbo 3.8 did it in 5.0 flat. Even now, they're about equal with the latest TA models.

Now, about KITT being a pace car, I'd love to see it. In fact, at Daytona and Talladega, they only allow 450hp or so in the Winston Cars. That much horsepower can be easily by a good engine builder from a decent v8, or a good v6, not that the pace car has to even come close to the actual race cars - they don't. However, they always beef up the pace cars anyway.

DK

[Cuda426440]

The idea to see Kitt as a pace car sounds pretty good to me. It would be great.

I just want to add something to this. Let's imagine that Kitt become a pace car in one of the Nascar races. Do you think it would be a good idea to invite also David Hasselhoff as a Grand Marshal of one of Nascar races to say the most famous words in racing world?

Personally, I think it could not be wrong. It would be another chance to see Michael and Kitt together.

[Leanne]

I think it's an awesome idea! I would love to see it happen. Especially as a tribute to Knight Rider. I'm sure there's lots of Nascar fans who were also once Knight Rider fans...it'd be cool!