NASCAR announced today that the Car of Tomorrow will become the Car of every day (Coed) beginning in 2008. NASCAR has finally done something right. Way to go NASCAR; this makes great economic sense as team will no longer have to maintain two separate race car programs for the same series.
In a press release from NASCAR:
“We are proud of how the new car has performed at multiple tracks,” said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR’s Vice President of Competition. “NASCAR, with the support of team owners, agreed that the new car is ready to compete at all NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series events in 2008. Beginning next year the Car of Tomorrow is officially ”the car”, a Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford and Toyota,” said Pemberton.
The original transition program had the new car running 16 races in 2007; 26 races in 2008; and the entire schedule in 2009. So far this season, the new car has run five times – at Bristol, Martinsville, Phoenix, Richmond and Darlington – with the races featuring close competition on the track and the safety and durability features of the car well-demonstrated.
The average margin of victory through the first five Car of Tomorrow races has been a mere .505 seconds (compared to 1.286 seconds at these same races a year ago) and there have been six fewer DNFs through this same race sequence from 2006. Additionally, 13 teams have used the same chassis for three of the five races; four teams have run the same chassis in four of the five races; and one team – the No. 29 Chevrolet – has run the same chassis in all five Car of Tomorrow races.
NASCAR’s Car of Tomorrow has shown to be dependable, racy and economical. Way to go NASCAR.
photos: CO-ed magazine, foxsports
Makes sence to me. Will save some $$$ and will let these teams concentrate solely on the COT which should help to improve some of the problems drivers (including winners) are complaining about.
Mike
http://ryannewmanfan.blogspot.com
Posted by: Michael Pratt | May 23, 2007 at 03:15 PM
Michael it's almost a shame that they can't just start running it full time right now.
Posted by: charlie | May 23, 2007 at 11:49 PM
NASCAR won't adopt it now. But what about for the entire chase? It would seem logical (oops--blows that idea) that all the races for the Nextel Cup Championship should be run with the same rules. The 12 guys running for the championship would be on the same page and the "not good enoughs" would have 10 straight practice sessions going into 2008.
Posted by: Steve | May 24, 2007 at 09:31 AM