Car of Tomorrow
Encyclopedia
The Car of Tomorrow, sometimes called CoT or "Car of Today", is the car style for the NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series. Larger and boxier than the design it replaced, the Car of Tomorrow is safer, costs less to maintain, and was intended to make for closer competition.
The car was introduced in the 2007 Cup season at the Food City 500
on March 25 and ran a partial schedule of 16 races. The plan was to require all teams to use the new car in 2009, but NASCAR officials moved the date up to the 2008 season
as a cost saving measure.
in a final-lap crash during the 2001 Daytona 500. The then-current cars were based on a design by Holman Moody
first used for the 1966 Ford Fairlane. The primary design considerations were "safety innovations, performance and competition, and cost efficiency for teams."
The CoT has improved safety over the older car. The driver's seat has been moved four inches toward the center, the roll cage
has been shifted three inches to the rear, and the car is two inches taller and four inches wider. Larger crumple zone
s are built into the car on both sides. The splitter
is a piece of fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP, "fiberglass") used on the bottom front of the car to produce downforce, replacing the valance. The car's exhaust exits on the right side, which diverts heat from the driver. The fuel cell is stronger, and has a smaller capacity 17.75 gallons (67.2 l), down from 22 gallons (83.3 l), which as of 2007 has become standard in all cars.
NASCAR officials say the car is less dependent on aerodynamics. It had a detached wing, which has not been used since the Dodge Charger Daytona
and Plymouth Superbird
in 1970. The windshield is more upright, which increases drag. The radiator air intake is below the front bumper of the car, which reduces overheating caused by clogged grilles. The front bumper is more box-like, which catches more air and slows the car. The front airdam is gapped, as opposed to being a flush piece on the older cars.
All cars are required to fit the same set of templates, using a device that has been named "the claw" that is designed to fit over the new cars. Yet there are still minor differences between the makes. In the first two races at Bristol and Martinsville Speedway
, the garages were opened one day early and the inspections took up to 10 hours so that everyone (teams, officials, etc.) could get a better grip on the new unified template. NASCAR's old rules had a different set of templates for each manufacturer (Ford, Chevy, Dodge, and Toyota). NASCAR has frequently adjusted the rules to ensure that different car manufacturers have relatively equal cars.
On Friday, January 15, 2010, Sprint Cup Series director John Darby informed teams NASCAR will transition back to the spoiler, and get rid of the rear wing because it is contributing to flips.
* Weight displays the curb weight of the least expensive trim level available for model year 2008 unless otherwise specified.
. Next it tested at the 2.5 mile Daytona International Speedway
, then on NASCAR's two shortest tracks, Bristol (0.533 mi) and Martinsville (0.526 mi.), the 1.5 mile Lowe's Motor Speedway
, the 2.66 mile Talladega Superspeedway
, and 2.0 mile Michigan International Speedway
. Former NASCAR driver, current Sprint Cup pace car driver and Director of Cost Research Brett Bodine
also tested the prototype car against cars prepared by current NASCAR teams.
Drivers have tested the CoT concurrently with the old car at some NASCAR tests and at special NASCAR-authorized tests. Some teams have tested the cars at the half-mile Greenville-Pickens Speedway
, Caraway Speedway in Asheboro, NC, and the one-mile North Carolina Speedway
, none of which are Sprint Cup tracks (the North Carolina Speedway was a regular venue until 2005), and therefore are tests which do not fall under NASCAR's restrictions.
at Bristol Motor Speedway, the season's fifth race. The tracks that saw the CoT twice in 2007 besides Bristol and Martinsville International Speedway were Phoenix International Raceway
, Richmond International Raceway
, Dover International Speedway
, and New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Other than Talladega (for the fall event), Darlington Raceway
and the road course races at Infineon Raceway
(Sonoma, Calif.) and Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International
ran the CoT once each in 2007.
Original implementation plans called for the CoT to be used at 26 events in 2008, starting with both races at Daytona, including the season-opening Daytona 500
and related events (Budweiser Shootout
and Gatorade Duels), the spring race
at Talladega and Michigan, both races at California Speedway
, Pocono Raceway
and the event at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
. Based on the success of the February 28th test at Bristol, NASCAR considered requiring CoT cars for the full schedule in 2008 in order to avoid applying two sets of rules (as supported by a survey of NASCAR owners, with 80% favoring the switch), adding all three events (including the all-star event) at Lowe's Motor Speedway, as well as both races at Atlanta and Texas Motor Speedway
, and single races at Chicagoland Speedway
, Kansas Speedway
, Las Vegas Motor Speedway
and Homestead-Miami Speedway
one year earlier than scheduled. This was confirmed on Tuesday, May 22, 2007 by NASCAR. Had NASCAR continued with the original schedule of implication, the other tracks would have been added in 2009.
won the race, the first win for the Chevrolet
Impala since Wendell Scott
's historic race in 1963.
Reactions to the CoT's performance were mixed. Dale Earnhardt, Jr., after finishing 7th, said, "It wasn't a disaster like everybody anticipated. It worked out, I reckon. Racing was about the same." Drivers were also impressed with the car's ability to bump other competitors without causing a spin (bumper heights were equalized due to street car development, and nose-to-rear bumper contact caused spins that pre-1988 cars would not cause), and NASCAR officials were pleased with the improvements in safety.
Several drivers and pundits expressed distaste for the car and what they perceived as a less exciting style of racing created by it. Kyle Busch, despite winning at Bristol, commented that "they suck" during his victory lane interview. Retired driver and TV analyst Rusty Wallace
stated on ESPN that the car created a boring, single-file racing environment with little of the passing, action, or crashing that has made NASCAR popular, though after NASCAR announced the CoT would run the full schedule, he stated that it was "one of the best decisions NASCAR had ever made." Drivers who placed well at Bristol, Jeff Gordon
and Jeff Burton
, claimed that the car allowed the use of a second passing lane not usually present at Bristol. For the most part, however, the racing was strung out and single-file with drivers tentative in trying to make passes.
A major problem with the car's initial race was its front splitter. The splitter is a piece of FRP used on the bottom front of the car to produce downforce
. It replaces the valence. One car's splitter running into the tire of another car beside it sometimes punctured the second car's tire. There were no problems with the splitter causing tire failure at the car's second race.
Another major problem has been that the foam used in the side of the car has caught fire, causing smoke in the cockpit. Kevin Harvick experienced this problem at the first CoT race at Martinsville costing him a good finish or possibly a win, and NASCAR decided to make modifications before the April 21 Subway Fresh Fit 500 in Avondale, Arizona
.
Another problem with the foam was that when the side door was ripped open, as Brian Vickers
experienced at Watkins Glen
, the foam would spill out, making a mess.
During the 2007 UAW-Ford 500
, the CoT's first debut on a superspeedway track at Talladega
, NASCAR assigned a 31/32 inch (24.6 mm) restrictor plate
to allow the engines to run at around 8,800 RPM due to the less aerodynamic design of the CoT. The previous generation car's engine would normally run around 7,000 RPM with a ⅞ inch (22.2 mm) plate. This was the most open restrictor plate to race at Talladega since 1988.
Chevrolet
teams continued to use the Monte Carlo SS name on the old style car while using the Impala SS
name on the CoT. Chevrolet discontinued the Monte Carlo model after 2007 and switched full time to the Impala nameplate starting in 2008. Dodge
teams used the Charger
name on the old car while using the Avenger
name on the CoT; however, for 2008 the Charger name was used on the CoT. Ford
used the Fusion
while Toyota used the Camry
, respectively, for both their old and CoT cars.
also noted extensive criticism of the project during 2006 testing, with drivers becoming more vocal by July 2007 and most fans rejecting the model, citing the falsity of many of its technical claims; one angle of criticism was the differing philosophies of NASCAR officials Gary Nelson and John Darby, with Darby a particularly ardent supporter of the CoT based on a misreading of the sport's competition packages. Jeff Gordon
and Matt Kenseth
were pointedly critical of the car's poor performance in traffic, with Gordon stating after the 2007 New England 300
, "I'd like to know who it was who said this car would reduce the aero
push
because I could have told you from when I first drove this car that it would be worse." Kyle Busch
, who won the very first race with the car at Bristol in 2007, proclaimed that the car "sucks" afterward and expanded on this criticism at Dover in 2008 in noting how the CoT was "hitting a wall of air" in the wake of a leading car, thus neutralizing ability to close up on leaders.
at Texas Motor Speedway
, Michael McDowell
struck the wall outside of Turn 1 at 190 MPH, and proceeded to barrel-roll eight times as fire came from the engine compartment. McDowell emerged from the Toyota unharmed. The car was praised for its safety as impact of the crash was about 30 miles an hour more than Dale Earnhardt's fatal accident
, but similar hits with the old car (such as Todd Bodine
at Talladega in 1996) had produced identical effectiveness in safety, and safety features considered exclusive to the CoT could be implemented on the current stock car.
In the 2008 Brickyard 400
, the longest run under green flag conditions was 12 laps due to extreme wear of right-side tires, especially the right rear. The CoT, in its first use at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
, created no improvement of the conditions on the track, which is well known for its rough surface. The lack of downforce on the car and its higher center of gravity
created conditions that made it very hard on the right side tires. During the race, the tires used on the cars generally lasted no more than 10 laps at a time.
It has been claimed that the bulky rear wing that was affixed to the rear of the car from 2007 to early 2010 increased to the severity of many on-track incidents by sending the car airborne. On the final lap of the 2009 Aaron's 499
at Talladega, Carl Edwards
swerved into the path of Brad Keselowski
; Keselowski blasted Edwards into the air and Edwards was hit in mid-air by Ryan Newman
and flipped into the tri-oval fencing, destroying most of the car. Edwards was uninjured. The crash was compared to the accident involving Bobby Allison
in 1987 where his car became airborne and hit the catch fence in a similar location. Allison's crash (coming at speeds 20 MPH faster than Edwards' crash) ripped out some 100 feet of catchfence, while Edwards' crash only bent the support poles. Seven spectators were injured in Edwards' accident from debris. The aftermath of the accident spawned questions about the aerodynamic features of the CoT, the nature of pack racing with restrictor plate
s, and the safety features of Talladega Superspeedway. Video replay showed that despite deploying, the car's roof flap
s did nothing to stop the car from flipping – a common failing of the devices dating to their very first month in use – and the second hit from Newman flipped the car higher. In the 2009 AMP Energy 500 at Talladega, Ryan Newman's car was spun backwards at high speed, and then flipped backwards ending up on its roof. At the 2010 Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta – the second to last race to use the rear wing – Carl Edward's car swerved into the path of Brad Keselowski, causing the car to turn around backwards, and once again flip over despite the roof flaps being deployed.
These three accidents - as well as the general consensus that the wing made the car look like it was not even a stock car - were factors in NASCAR's eventual decision, in February 2010, to replace the wing with a more traditional rear spoiler starting at Martinsville in late March. Denny Hamlin won the first race with the new/old spoiler, beating out Jeff Gordon and Matt Kenseth.
For the 2011 season, the car's splitter and nose configuration were redesigned. The splitter's braces were removed, and the splitter was made nonadjustable. The nose as a whole was given a cleaner, rounder look that resembled that of NASCAR's previous model, now dubbed the "Car of Yesterday", and manufacturers were given free rein to construct the lower grille area to reflect that of their NASCAR models' production-car counterparts. In the past, all cars were required to run the same exact grille arrangement, allowing for very little, if any, real differentiation between them. The new nose was received by fans with wide acclaim.
The first racing with the redesigned car was the 2011 Daytona 500
and its supporting races (Budweiser Shootout
and Gatorade Duels), all held on brand new pavement for Daytona International Speedway
. The 500 broke long-standing records for leaders and lead changes, as 22 drivers changed the lead 74 times. But the story of the new car was a phenomenon of lock-bumper superdrafts - two cars would literally lock together and push into a clear lead, with speeds up to ten MPH faster than with a conventional draft (on numerous occasions 2-car superdrafts topped 206 MPH); this phenomenon had first debuted at Talladega Superspeedway
in 2009 and in 2010 the result was a combined 175 lead changes for that track, but for Speedweeks 2011 it changed radically; three or four tandems of superdrafts would break clear of the pack and they generated a substantial aero push effect where air was impeding cars behind the lead group from passing the leaders. The phenomenon also led to a new level of "team" racing reminiscent of the team orders ethos common to Formula 1; drivers would communicate with each other over radio to coordinate "swaps" instead of actually fighting for position.
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
and veteran drivers such as Richard Petty
and David Pearson
were sharply critical of this new style of racing, especially in the wake of a race-record sixteen yellows, most of them for crashes caused when push-cars spun out leaders; Earnhardt, Jr. was a notable victim of a wreck late in the 500.
will replace the caburetor as the fuel distributor in the Car of the Tomorrow starting in 2012. NASCAR is also reportedly designing a brand-new body style for the COT chassis that will resemble a given production car even more. The change is purely cosmetic, as the chassis and mechanics of the car will remain the same. This new car is tentatively set to debut in 2013.
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
Sprint Cup Series. Larger and boxier than the design it replaced, the Car of Tomorrow is safer, costs less to maintain, and was intended to make for closer competition.
The car was introduced in the 2007 Cup season at the Food City 500
Food City 500
The Food City 500 is a 500 lap race NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held on the track at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee. This is one of two NASCAR races held at Bristol, the other being the Irwin Tools Night Race, and is considered one of NASCAR's best races...
on March 25 and ran a partial schedule of 16 races. The plan was to require all teams to use the new car in 2009, but NASCAR officials moved the date up to the 2008 season
2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
The 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season began on February 9, 2008 at Daytona International Speedway with the Budweiser Shootout, followed by pole qualifying on Sunday, February 10, 2008 for the 50th Daytona 500 on February 17...
as a cost saving measure.
Design
On January 11, 2006, NASCAR announced the Car of Tomorrow after a seven-year design program sparked mainly by the death of Dale Earnhardt Sr.Death of Dale Earnhardt
Dale Earnhardt was an American race car driver who gained fame driving stock cars for NASCAR and winning seven championships. He was involved in a car accident during the last lap of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 18, 2001. He was taken to Halifax Medical Center,...
in a final-lap crash during the 2001 Daytona 500. The then-current cars were based on a design by Holman Moody
Holman Moody
Holman Moody was an auto racing team, racecar manufacturer, and marine engine manufacturer. The team built virtually all of the factory Ford racecars of the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. It owned racecars that competed in NASCAR, drag racing, ocean boat racing, rallys, and sports car racing. The team...
first used for the 1966 Ford Fairlane. The primary design considerations were "safety innovations, performance and competition, and cost efficiency for teams."
The CoT has improved safety over the older car. The driver's seat has been moved four inches toward the center, the roll cage
Roll cage
A roll cage is a specially constructed frame built in the cab of a vehicle to protect its occupants from being injured in an accident, particularly in the event of a roll-over. Roll cages are used in nearly all purpose-built racecars, and in most cars modified for racing...
has been shifted three inches to the rear, and the car is two inches taller and four inches wider. Larger crumple zone
Crumple zone
The crumple zone is a structural feature mainly of automobiles. Crumple zones have also been incorporated into railcars in recent years.They are designed to absorb the energy from the impact during an accident by controlled deformation. This energy is much higher than is commonly recognized...
s are built into the car on both sides. The splitter
Diffuser (automotive)
A diffuser, in an automotive context, is a shaped section of the car underbody which improves the car's aerodynamic properties by enhancing the transition between the high-velocity airflow underneath the car and the much slower freestream airflow of the ambient atmosphere...
is a piece of fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP, "fiberglass") used on the bottom front of the car to produce downforce, replacing the valance. The car's exhaust exits on the right side, which diverts heat from the driver. The fuel cell is stronger, and has a smaller capacity 17.75 gallons (67.2 l), down from 22 gallons (83.3 l), which as of 2007 has become standard in all cars.
Dodge Charger Daytona
Dodge, an American automobile brand, has produced three separate vehicles with the name Dodge Charger Daytona, all of which were modified Dodge Chargers. The name is taken from Daytona Beach, Florida, which was an early center for auto racing and still hosts the Daytona 500, one of NASCAR's premier...
and Plymouth Superbird
Plymouth Superbird
The short-lived Plymouth Road Runner Superbird was a highly modified version of the Plymouth Road Runner with well known graphics and horn. It was the factory's follow up stock car racing design for the 1970 season to the Dodge Charger Daytona of 1969, and incorporated many engineering changes and...
in 1970. The windshield is more upright, which increases drag. The radiator air intake is below the front bumper of the car, which reduces overheating caused by clogged grilles. The front bumper is more box-like, which catches more air and slows the car. The front airdam is gapped, as opposed to being a flush piece on the older cars.
All cars are required to fit the same set of templates, using a device that has been named "the claw" that is designed to fit over the new cars. Yet there are still minor differences between the makes. In the first two races at Bristol and Martinsville Speedway
Martinsville Speedway
Martinsville Speedway is an International Speedway Corporation-owned NASCAR stock car racing track located in Henry County, near Ridgeway, Virginia, just to the south of Martinsville. At in length, it is the shortest track in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The track was also one of the first paved...
, the garages were opened one day early and the inspections took up to 10 hours so that everyone (teams, officials, etc.) could get a better grip on the new unified template. NASCAR's old rules had a different set of templates for each manufacturer (Ford, Chevy, Dodge, and Toyota). NASCAR has frequently adjusted the rules to ensure that different car manufacturers have relatively equal cars.
On Friday, January 15, 2010, Sprint Cup Series director John Darby informed teams NASCAR will transition back to the spoiler, and get rid of the rear wing because it is contributing to flips.
Dimensions
This chart lists the CoT's dimensions compared with the dimensions of the cars represented.| Model | Length | Width | Height | Wheelbase | Weight* |
| Monte Carlo Chevrolet Monte Carlo The Chevrolet Monte Carlo was an American-made two-door coupe introduced for model year 1970, and manufactured over six generations through model year 2007. It was marketed as a personal-luxury coupe through most of its history, with the last model version being classified as a full-sized coupe... |
200.7 in (5,098 mm) | 72.5 in (1,842 mm) | 51 in (1,295 mm) | 110 in (2,794 mm) | 3400 lb (1,542 kg) |
| COT | 206 in (5,232 mm) | 78.5 in (1,994 mm) | 53 in (1,346 mm) | 110 in (2,794 mm) | 3450 lb (1,565 kg) |
| Ford Fusion Ford Fusion (North America) The Ford Fusion is a mid-size car produced by the Ford Motor Company since the 2006 model year. The 2010 model was awarded the Motor Trend Car of the Year and its hybrid version won the 2010 North American Car of the Year Award... |
190.6 in (4,841 mm) | 72.2 in (1,834 mm) | 56.9 in (1,445 mm) | 107.4 in (2,728 mm) | 3101 lb (1,407 kg) |
| Chevy Impala SS Chevrolet Impala The Chevrolet Impala is a full-size automobile built by the Chevrolet division of General Motors introduced for the 1958 model year. Deriving its name from the southern African antelope, Chevrolet's most expensive passenger model through 1965 had become the best-selling automobile in the United... |
200.4 in (5,090 mm) | 72.9 in (1,852 mm) | 58.7 in (1,491 mm) | 110.5 in (2,807 mm) | 3711 lb (1,683 kg) |
| Dodge Charger Dodge Charger The Dodge Charger is an American automobile manufactured by the Dodge division of Chrysler. There have been several different Dodge vehicles, built on three different platforms and sizes, all bearing the Charger nameplate... |
200.1 in (5,083 mm) | 74.4 in (1,890 mm) | 58.2 in (1,478 mm) | 120 in (3,048 mm) | 3820 lb (1,733 kg) |
| Toyota Camry Toyota Camry The Toyota Camry is a series of mid-size automobiles manufactured by Toyota since 1982, and sold in the majority of automotive markets throughout the world... |
189.2 in (4,806 mm) | 71.7 in (1,821 mm) | 57.9 in (1,471 mm) | 109.3 in (2,776 mm) | 3263 lb (1,480 kg) |
Testing
The Car of Tomorrow was first tested in December 2005 at Atlanta Motor SpeedwayAtlanta Motor Speedway
Atlanta Motor Speedway is a track just outside Hampton, Georgia, twenty miles south of Atlanta. It is a quad-oval track with a seating capacity of over 125,000. It opened in 1960 as a standard oval. In 1994, 46 condominiums were built over the northeastern side of the track...
. Next it tested at the 2.5 mile Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, one of the most prestigious races in NASCAR. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosts races of ARCA, AMA Superbike, Grand-Am and Motocross...
, then on NASCAR's two shortest tracks, Bristol (0.533 mi) and Martinsville (0.526 mi.), the 1.5 mile Lowe's Motor Speedway
Lowe's Motor Speedway
Charlotte Motor Speedway is a motorsports complex located in Concord, North Carolina, United States 13 miles from Charlotte, North Carolina. The complex features a quad oval track that hosts NASCAR racing including the prestigious Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend and the Sprint All-Star Race...
, the 2.66 mile Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway is a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama, United States. It is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base just outside the small city of Lincoln. It was constructed by International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France Family, in...
, and 2.0 mile Michigan International Speedway
Michigan International Speedway
Michigan International Speedway is a two-mile moderate-banked D-shaped superspeedway located off U.S. Highway 12 on more than in Brooklyn, in the scenic Irish Hills area of southeastern Michigan. The track is used primarily for NASCAR events. It is sometimes known as a "sister track" to Texas...
. Former NASCAR driver, current Sprint Cup pace car driver and Director of Cost Research Brett Bodine
Brett Bodine
Brett Bodine is a former NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver and is the current driver of the pace car in Sprint Cup events. Brett is the younger brother of 1986 Daytona 500 winner Geoff Bodine and the older brother of 2006 Craftsman Truck Series champion Todd Bodine...
also tested the prototype car against cars prepared by current NASCAR teams.
Drivers have tested the CoT concurrently with the old car at some NASCAR tests and at special NASCAR-authorized tests. Some teams have tested the cars at the half-mile Greenville-Pickens Speedway
Greenville-Pickens Speedway
Greenville-Pickens Speedway is a race track located in Pickens County, South Carolina, just west of Greenville, South Carolina, USA, and just east of Easley, South Carolina. The track hosts weekly NASCAR sanctioned races. Several touring series visit the track each year, including the Whelen...
, Caraway Speedway in Asheboro, NC, and the one-mile North Carolina Speedway
North Carolina Speedway
Rockingham Speedway, formerly North Carolina Motor Speedway and later North Carolina Speedway is a racetrack located near Rockingham, North Carolina...
, none of which are Sprint Cup tracks (the North Carolina Speedway was a regular venue until 2005), and therefore are tests which do not fall under NASCAR's restrictions.
Implementation
The Car of Tomorrow was first raced at the 2007 Food City 5002007 Food City 500
The Food City 500 was the fifth race of the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season, and was run on Sunday, March 25, 2007 at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee.- Overview :...
at Bristol Motor Speedway, the season's fifth race. The tracks that saw the CoT twice in 2007 besides Bristol and Martinsville International Speedway were Phoenix International Raceway
Phoenix International Raceway
Phoenix International Raceway, also known as PIR, is a one-mile, low-banked tri-oval race track located in Avondale, Arizona. The track opened in 1964 and currently hosts two NASCAR race weekends annually. PIR has also hosted the Indycar Series, CART, USAC and the Rolex Sports Car Series...
, Richmond International Raceway
Richmond International Raceway
Richmond International Raceway is a 3/4-mile , D-shaped, asphalt race track located just outside Richmond, Virginia in Henrico County. It hosts the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series...
, Dover International Speedway
Dover International Speedway
Dover International Speedway is a NASCAR-sanctioned race track located in Dover, Delaware, owned by, and serving as the corporate headquarters of, Dover Motorsports, Inc. It is co-located with a harness racing track, Dover Downs, and shares the complex with Dover Downs Hotel & Casino...
, and New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Other than Talladega (for the fall event), Darlington Raceway
Darlington Raceway
Darlington Raceway is a race track built for NASCAR racing located near Darlington, South Carolina. It is nicknamed the "Lady in Black" and "The Track Too Tough to Tame" by many NASCAR fans and drivers and advertised as "A NASCAR Tradition"...
and the road course races at Infineon Raceway
Infineon Raceway
Infineon Raceway, formerly Sears Point Raceway, is a road course and drag strip located on the landform known as Sears Point in the southern Sonoma Mountains near Sonoma, California, USA. The course is a complex series of twists and turns that go up and down the hills...
(Sonoma, Calif.) and Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International
Watkins Glen International
Watkins Glen International is an auto race track located near Watkins Glen, New York, at the southern tip of Seneca Lake. The facility is owned by International Speedway Corporation...
ran the CoT once each in 2007.
Original implementation plans called for the CoT to be used at 26 events in 2008, starting with both races at Daytona, including the season-opening Daytona 500
2008 Daytona 500
The 2008 Daytona 500 was the 50th annual running of "The Great American Race", the Daytona 500. The race took place on Sunday, February 17, 2008 at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. The race was the 50th to be run since the first in 1959, won by Lee Petty. To commemorate...
and related events (Budweiser Shootout
Budweiser Shootout
Budweiser Shootout at Daytona, generally referred to as the Bud Shootout, is an annual invitation-only NASCAR Sprint Cup Series exhibition event held at Daytona International Speedway in February, the weekend before the Daytona 500. It is the first competitive event of the season and serves as a...
and Gatorade Duels), the spring race
Aaron's 499
The Aaron's 499 is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car auto race held at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Alabama. The race has always been held in late April or early May. The Aaron's 499 is also one of four races currently run with restrictor plates, the others being the AMP Energy 500,...
at Talladega and Michigan, both races at California Speedway
California Speedway
Auto Club Speedway is a two-mile , low-banked, D-shaped oval superspeedway in Fontana, California which has hosted NASCAR racing annually since 1997. The track was also used for open wheel racing events until 2005. The racetrack is located near the former locations of Ontario Motor Speedway and...
, Pocono Raceway
Pocono Raceway
Pocono Raceway also known as the Tricky Triangle, is a superspeedway located in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania at Long Pond...
and the event at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway, Indiana in the United States, is the home of the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race and the Brickyard 400....
. Based on the success of the February 28th test at Bristol, NASCAR considered requiring CoT cars for the full schedule in 2008 in order to avoid applying two sets of rules (as supported by a survey of NASCAR owners, with 80% favoring the switch), adding all three events (including the all-star event) at Lowe's Motor Speedway, as well as both races at Atlanta and Texas Motor Speedway
Texas Motor Speedway
Texas Motor Speedway is a speedway located in the northernmost portion of the U.S. city of Fort Worth, Texas – the portion located in Denton County, Texas....
, and single races at Chicagoland Speedway
Chicagoland Speedway
Chicagoland Speedway is a tri-oval speedway in Joliet, Illinois, USA, southwest of Chicago. The speedway opened in 2001 and currently hosts NASCAR racing including the opening event in the 2011 Chase for the Sprint Cup. Until 2011, the speedway also hosted the IZOD IndyCar Series, recording...
, Kansas Speedway
Kansas Speedway
Kansas Speedway is a tri-oval race track in Kansas City, Kansas. The speedway was built in 2001 and currently hosts two annual NASCAR race weekends. The IndyCar Series also raced at the speedway until 2011...
, Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Las Vegas Motor Speedway, located in Clark County, Nevada near Las Vegas, is a complex of multiple tracks for automobile racing. The complex is owned by Speedway Motorsports, Inc., which is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.-History:...
and Homestead-Miami Speedway
Homestead-Miami Speedway
Homestead-Miami Speedway is a race track in Homestead, Florida southwest of Miami.Since 2002 Homestead has hosted the final races of the season in all three of NASCAR's series: the Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series, and the Camping World Truck Series...
one year earlier than scheduled. This was confirmed on Tuesday, May 22, 2007 by NASCAR. Had NASCAR continued with the original schedule of implication, the other tracks would have been added in 2009.
Debut
On March 25, 2007, the CoT debuted in its first NASCAR-sanctioned race. Kyle BuschKyle Busch
Kyle Thomas Busch, is an American NASCAR driver and team owner. He currently drives the No. 18 Mars/Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing in the Sprint Cup Series, the No. 18 Z-Line Designs/NOS Energy Drink Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs in the Nationwide Series, and the No...
won the race, the first win for the Chevrolet
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
Impala since Wendell Scott
Wendell Scott
Wendell Oliver Scott was an American stock car racing driver from Danville, Virginia. He is the only black driver to win a race in what is now the Sprint Cup Series. According to a 2008 biography of Scott, he broke the color barrier in Southern stock car racing on May 23, 1952, at the Danville...
's historic race in 1963.
Reactions to the CoT's performance were mixed. Dale Earnhardt, Jr., after finishing 7th, said, "It wasn't a disaster like everybody anticipated. It worked out, I reckon. Racing was about the same." Drivers were also impressed with the car's ability to bump other competitors without causing a spin (bumper heights were equalized due to street car development, and nose-to-rear bumper contact caused spins that pre-1988 cars would not cause), and NASCAR officials were pleased with the improvements in safety.
Rusty Wallace
Russell William Wallace, Jr. is a past NASCAR Winston Cup Champion, currently a broadcaster on ESPN, car owner in the Nationwide Series, and a co-host of NASCAR Angels.-Early racing career:...
stated on ESPN that the car created a boring, single-file racing environment with little of the passing, action, or crashing that has made NASCAR popular, though after NASCAR announced the CoT would run the full schedule, he stated that it was "one of the best decisions NASCAR had ever made." Drivers who placed well at Bristol, Jeff Gordon
Jeff Gordon
Jeffery Michael "Jeff" Gordon is a professional NASCAR driver. He is the driver of the #24 Drive to End Hunger/DuPont/Pepsi Chevrolet Impala. He is a four-time Sprint Cup Series champion and a three-time Daytona 500 winner. He is third on the all-time wins list, with 85 career wins, and has the...
and Jeff Burton
Jeff Burton
Jeffrey Brian "Jeff" Burton , also referred to as JB or The Mayor, is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver who drives the #31 Caterpillar Chevrolet Impala for Richard Childress Racing. Burton is the younger brother of Ward Burton, who is a former Sprint Cup driver...
, claimed that the car allowed the use of a second passing lane not usually present at Bristol. For the most part, however, the racing was strung out and single-file with drivers tentative in trying to make passes.
A major problem with the car's initial race was its front splitter. The splitter is a piece of FRP used on the bottom front of the car to produce downforce
Downforce
Downforce is a downwards thrust created by the aerodynamic characteristics of a car. The purpose of downforce is to allow a car to travel faster through a corner by increasing the vertical force on the tires, thus creating more grip....
. It replaces the valence. One car's splitter running into the tire of another car beside it sometimes punctured the second car's tire. There were no problems with the splitter causing tire failure at the car's second race.
Another major problem has been that the foam used in the side of the car has caught fire, causing smoke in the cockpit. Kevin Harvick experienced this problem at the first CoT race at Martinsville costing him a good finish or possibly a win, and NASCAR decided to make modifications before the April 21 Subway Fresh Fit 500 in Avondale, Arizona
Phoenix International Raceway
Phoenix International Raceway, also known as PIR, is a one-mile, low-banked tri-oval race track located in Avondale, Arizona. The track opened in 1964 and currently hosts two NASCAR race weekends annually. PIR has also hosted the Indycar Series, CART, USAC and the Rolex Sports Car Series...
.
Another problem with the foam was that when the side door was ripped open, as Brian Vickers
Brian Vickers
Brian Lee Vickers is a American NASCAR driver. He was the 2003 Busch Series champion, and at age 20, became the youngest champion in any of NASCAR's three top-tier series...
experienced at Watkins Glen
Watkins Glen International
Watkins Glen International is an auto race track located near Watkins Glen, New York, at the southern tip of Seneca Lake. The facility is owned by International Speedway Corporation...
, the foam would spill out, making a mess.
During the 2007 UAW-Ford 500
2007 UAW-Ford 500
The 2007 UAW-Ford 500 was the 30th race of the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Season and the fourth race in the 2007 Chase for the NEXTEL Cup. This race was raced on Sunday, October 7, 2007 at the Talladega Superspeedway outside of Talladega, Alabama....
, the CoT's first debut on a superspeedway track at Talladega
Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway is a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama, United States. It is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base just outside the small city of Lincoln. It was constructed by International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France Family, in...
, NASCAR assigned a 31/32 inch (24.6 mm) restrictor plate
Restrictor plate
A restrictor plate or air restrictor is a device installed at the intake of an engine to limit its power. This kind of system is occasionally used in road vehicles for insurance purposes, but mainly in automobile racing, to limit top speed and thus increase safety, to provide equal level of...
to allow the engines to run at around 8,800 RPM due to the less aerodynamic design of the CoT. The previous generation car's engine would normally run around 7,000 RPM with a ⅞ inch (22.2 mm) plate. This was the most open restrictor plate to race at Talladega since 1988.
Car models
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
teams continued to use the Monte Carlo SS name on the old style car while using the Impala SS
Chevrolet Impala
The Chevrolet Impala is a full-size automobile built by the Chevrolet division of General Motors introduced for the 1958 model year. Deriving its name from the southern African antelope, Chevrolet's most expensive passenger model through 1965 had become the best-selling automobile in the United...
name on the CoT. Chevrolet discontinued the Monte Carlo model after 2007 and switched full time to the Impala nameplate starting in 2008. Dodge
Dodge
Dodge is a United States-based brand of automobiles, minivans, and sport utility vehicles, manufactured and marketed by Chrysler Group LLC in more than 60 different countries and territories worldwide....
teams used the Charger
Dodge Charger (LX)
The Dodge Charger LX is a rear-wheel drive four-door automobile introduced in February 2005. Built by Chrysler for its North American Dodge brand, the car was created to continue the Dodge Charger line, and replaced the Dodge Intrepid as Dodge's full-size sedan...
name on the old car while using the Avenger
Dodge Avenger
The Dodge Avenger is a front-wheel drive, mid-size sedan, built by the Chrysler Corporation for the Dodge marque. In its initial debut, the Avenger was produced from 1995 to 2000 as a 2-door coupe...
name on the CoT; however, for 2008 the Charger name was used on the CoT. Ford
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
used the Fusion
Ford Fusion (North America)
The Ford Fusion is a mid-size car produced by the Ford Motor Company since the 2006 model year. The 2010 model was awarded the Motor Trend Car of the Year and its hybrid version won the 2010 North American Car of the Year Award...
while Toyota used the Camry
Toyota Camry
The Toyota Camry is a series of mid-size automobiles manufactured by Toyota since 1982, and sold in the majority of automotive markets throughout the world...
, respectively, for both their old and CoT cars.
NEXTEL Cup era
Criticisms of the CoT began with its first tests, with the magazine Speedway Illustrated noting the car's poor performance in traffic (February 2006 issue). The Winston-Salem JournalWinston-Salem Journal
The Winston-Salem Journal is a daily newspaper primarily serving the city of Winston-Salem, North Carolina and its county, Forsyth County, North Carolina. It also features coverage of Northwestern North Carolina and circulates as far west as Tennessee and north to Virginia.The paper is owned by...
also noted extensive criticism of the project during 2006 testing, with drivers becoming more vocal by July 2007 and most fans rejecting the model, citing the falsity of many of its technical claims; one angle of criticism was the differing philosophies of NASCAR officials Gary Nelson and John Darby, with Darby a particularly ardent supporter of the CoT based on a misreading of the sport's competition packages. Jeff Gordon
Jeff Gordon
Jeffery Michael "Jeff" Gordon is a professional NASCAR driver. He is the driver of the #24 Drive to End Hunger/DuPont/Pepsi Chevrolet Impala. He is a four-time Sprint Cup Series champion and a three-time Daytona 500 winner. He is third on the all-time wins list, with 85 career wins, and has the...
and Matt Kenseth
Matt Kenseth
Matthew Roy "Matt" Kenseth is an American stock car driver. Kenseth currently drives the No. 17 Crown Royal Ford Fusion in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for Roush Fenway Racing...
were pointedly critical of the car's poor performance in traffic, with Gordon stating after the 2007 New England 300
2007 Lenox Industrial Tools 300
The 2007 Lenox Industrial Tools 300 was the 17th race of the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series season, held on July 1, 2007, at New Hampshire International Speedway in Loudon, New Hampshire...
, "I'd like to know who it was who said this car would reduce the aero
Aerodynamics
Aerodynamics is a branch of dynamics concerned with studying the motion of air, particularly when it interacts with a moving object. Aerodynamics is a subfield of fluid dynamics and gas dynamics, with much theory shared between them. Aerodynamics is often used synonymously with gas dynamics, with...
push
Understeer
Understeer and oversteer are vehicle dynamics terms used to describe the sensitivity of a vehicle to steering. Simply put, oversteer is what occurs when a car turns by more than the amount commanded by the driver...
because I could have told you from when I first drove this car that it would be worse." Kyle Busch
Kyle Busch
Kyle Thomas Busch, is an American NASCAR driver and team owner. He currently drives the No. 18 Mars/Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing in the Sprint Cup Series, the No. 18 Z-Line Designs/NOS Energy Drink Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs in the Nationwide Series, and the No...
, who won the very first race with the car at Bristol in 2007, proclaimed that the car "sucks" afterward and expanded on this criticism at Dover in 2008 in noting how the CoT was "hitting a wall of air" in the wake of a leading car, thus neutralizing ability to close up on leaders.
Sprint Cup era
On April 4, 2008, while in a qualifying run for the 2008 Samsung 5002008 Samsung 500
The 2008 Samsung 500 was the seventh race for the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup season and run on Sunday, April 6th at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas...
at Texas Motor Speedway
Texas Motor Speedway
Texas Motor Speedway is a speedway located in the northernmost portion of the U.S. city of Fort Worth, Texas – the portion located in Denton County, Texas....
, Michael McDowell
Michael McDowell (NASCAR)
Michael Christopher McDowell is an American race car driver. He currently drives the #66 Toyota Camry for HP Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and the #18 Pizza Ranch Toyota Camry part-time for Joe Gibbs Racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series...
struck the wall outside of Turn 1 at 190 MPH, and proceeded to barrel-roll eight times as fire came from the engine compartment. McDowell emerged from the Toyota unharmed. The car was praised for its safety as impact of the crash was about 30 miles an hour more than Dale Earnhardt's fatal accident
Death of Dale Earnhardt
Dale Earnhardt was an American race car driver who gained fame driving stock cars for NASCAR and winning seven championships. He was involved in a car accident during the last lap of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 18, 2001. He was taken to Halifax Medical Center,...
, but similar hits with the old car (such as Todd Bodine
Todd Bodine
Todd Bodine is a NASCAR driver. Todd is the younger brother of former racers Geoff Bodine and Brett Bodine. Bodine is known for his bald head, which has given him the nickname The Onion...
at Talladega in 1996) had produced identical effectiveness in safety, and safety features considered exclusive to the CoT could be implemented on the current stock car.
In the 2008 Brickyard 400
2008 Allstate 400 at the Brickyard
The 2008 Allstate 400 at the Brickyard was the twentieth race of the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup season and the fifteenth NASCAR race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway . It was also the first race under the ESPN/ABC section of the TV coverage for the 2008 season...
, the longest run under green flag conditions was 12 laps due to extreme wear of right-side tires, especially the right rear. The CoT, in its first use at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway, Indiana in the United States, is the home of the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race and the Brickyard 400....
, created no improvement of the conditions on the track, which is well known for its rough surface. The lack of downforce on the car and its higher center of gravity
Center of gravity
In physics, a center of gravity of a material body is a point that may be used for a summary description of gravitational interactions. In a uniform gravitational field, the center of mass serves as the center of gravity...
created conditions that made it very hard on the right side tires. During the race, the tires used on the cars generally lasted no more than 10 laps at a time.
It has been claimed that the bulky rear wing that was affixed to the rear of the car from 2007 to early 2010 increased to the severity of many on-track incidents by sending the car airborne. On the final lap of the 2009 Aaron's 499
2009 Aaron's 499
The 2009 Aaron's 499 was the ninth race of the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. The race was run at the Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Alabama on April 26...
at Talladega, Carl Edwards
Carl Edwards
Carl Michael Edwards, II is a NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #99 Fastenal/Aflac Ford Fusion in the Sprint Cup Series and the #60 Ford in the Nationwide Series for Roush Fenway Racing...
swerved into the path of Brad Keselowski
Brad Keselowski
Bradley Robert Keselowski is an American auto racing driver currently competing in the #2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger in the Sprint Cup Series and the #22 Discount Tire Company/Ruby Tuesday Dodge Challenger in the Nationwide Series for Penske Racing...
; Keselowski blasted Edwards into the air and Edwards was hit in mid-air by Ryan Newman
Ryan Newman
Ryan Joseph Newman is a driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. He drives the #39 United States Army/Tornados/Haas Automation Chevrolet Impala for Stewart Haas Racing under crew chief Tony Gibson. Newman graduated from Purdue University in 2001 with a B.S. in vehicle structure engineering...
and flipped into the tri-oval fencing, destroying most of the car. Edwards was uninjured. The crash was compared to the accident involving Bobby Allison
Bobby Allison
Robert Arthur Allison is a former NASCAR Winston Cup driver and was named one of NASCAR's 50 greatest drivers. His two sons, Clifford Allison and Davey Allison followed him into racing, and both died within a year of each other....
in 1987 where his car became airborne and hit the catch fence in a similar location. Allison's crash (coming at speeds 20 MPH faster than Edwards' crash) ripped out some 100 feet of catchfence, while Edwards' crash only bent the support poles. Seven spectators were injured in Edwards' accident from debris. The aftermath of the accident spawned questions about the aerodynamic features of the CoT, the nature of pack racing with restrictor plate
Restrictor plate
A restrictor plate or air restrictor is a device installed at the intake of an engine to limit its power. This kind of system is occasionally used in road vehicles for insurance purposes, but mainly in automobile racing, to limit top speed and thus increase safety, to provide equal level of...
s, and the safety features of Talladega Superspeedway. Video replay showed that despite deploying, the car's roof flap
Roof flap
A roof flap is an aerodynamic feature on race cars, mainly stock cars, which functions as an emergency spoiler to prevent the vehicle from lifting off the ground...
s did nothing to stop the car from flipping – a common failing of the devices dating to their very first month in use – and the second hit from Newman flipped the car higher. In the 2009 AMP Energy 500 at Talladega, Ryan Newman's car was spun backwards at high speed, and then flipped backwards ending up on its roof. At the 2010 Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta – the second to last race to use the rear wing – Carl Edward's car swerved into the path of Brad Keselowski, causing the car to turn around backwards, and once again flip over despite the roof flaps being deployed.
These three accidents - as well as the general consensus that the wing made the car look like it was not even a stock car - were factors in NASCAR's eventual decision, in February 2010, to replace the wing with a more traditional rear spoiler starting at Martinsville in late March. Denny Hamlin won the first race with the new/old spoiler, beating out Jeff Gordon and Matt Kenseth.
For the 2011 season, the car's splitter and nose configuration were redesigned. The splitter's braces were removed, and the splitter was made nonadjustable. The nose as a whole was given a cleaner, rounder look that resembled that of NASCAR's previous model, now dubbed the "Car of Yesterday", and manufacturers were given free rein to construct the lower grille area to reflect that of their NASCAR models' production-car counterparts. In the past, all cars were required to run the same exact grille arrangement, allowing for very little, if any, real differentiation between them. The new nose was received by fans with wide acclaim.
The first racing with the redesigned car was the 2011 Daytona 500
2011 Daytona 500
The 2011 Daytona 500, the 53rd running of the event, was held on February 20, 2011 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida over 200 laps on the 2.5 mile asphalt tri-oval. First race of the 2011 Sprint Cup Series season, it was won by the Wood Brothers...
and its supporting races (Budweiser Shootout
Budweiser Shootout
Budweiser Shootout at Daytona, generally referred to as the Bud Shootout, is an annual invitation-only NASCAR Sprint Cup Series exhibition event held at Daytona International Speedway in February, the weekend before the Daytona 500. It is the first competitive event of the season and serves as a...
and Gatorade Duels), all held on brand new pavement for Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, one of the most prestigious races in NASCAR. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosts races of ARCA, AMA Superbike, Grand-Am and Motocross...
. The 500 broke long-standing records for leaders and lead changes, as 22 drivers changed the lead 74 times. But the story of the new car was a phenomenon of lock-bumper superdrafts - two cars would literally lock together and push into a clear lead, with speeds up to ten MPH faster than with a conventional draft (on numerous occasions 2-car superdrafts topped 206 MPH); this phenomenon had first debuted at Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway is a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama, United States. It is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base just outside the small city of Lincoln. It was constructed by International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France Family, in...
in 2009 and in 2010 the result was a combined 175 lead changes for that track, but for Speedweeks 2011 it changed radically; three or four tandems of superdrafts would break clear of the pack and they generated a substantial aero push effect where air was impeding cars behind the lead group from passing the leaders. The phenomenon also led to a new level of "team" racing reminiscent of the team orders ethos common to Formula 1; drivers would communicate with each other over radio to coordinate "swaps" instead of actually fighting for position.
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
* NOTE: References to "Earnhardt", "he", and "him" refer to the subject of this article, unless otherwise specified. References to his father will include "Sr."...
and veteran drivers such as Richard Petty
Richard Petty
Richard Lee Petty is a former NASCAR driver who raced in the Strictly Stock/Grand National Era and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series...
and David Pearson
David Pearson
David Gene Pearson is a former American stock car racer from Spartanburg, South Carolina. Pearson began his NASCAR career in 1960 and ended his first season by winning the 1960 NASCAR Rookie of the Year award. He won three championships every year he ran the full schedule in NASCAR's Grand...
were sharply critical of this new style of racing, especially in the wake of a race-record sixteen yellows, most of them for crashes caused when push-cars spun out leaders; Earnhardt, Jr. was a notable victim of a wreck late in the 500.
Fuel injection
Fuel injectionFuel injection in NASCAR
The idea behind fuel injection in NASCAR is that the stock car automobile technology can catch up to the technology used by actual Toyota, Chevrolet, Dodge, and Ford vehicles on the road today....
will replace the caburetor as the fuel distributor in the Car of the Tomorrow starting in 2012. NASCAR is also reportedly designing a brand-new body style for the COT chassis that will resemble a given production car even more. The change is purely cosmetic, as the chassis and mechanics of the car will remain the same. This new car is tentatively set to debut in 2013.