NASCAR doesn't try to "take the boat out of the equation". Tuning is an essential part of sailing or any other type of racing.
Equally NASCAR doesn't have drivers change cars; the Olympics doesn't require a boat swap.
Maybe sprinters should change shoes between heats, pole vaulters exchange poles, tennis players exchange rackets...
It was IROC (International Race of Champions) that had identically prepared race cars. The drivers came from all sorts of racing "classes"; Indy, NASCAR, GT, Grand-AM...etc. Makes complete sense. It's about the driver. Don't mock what has been a great event with poor analogies.
