Is NASCAR’s Car of the Future Dead?
Written by Marc Boland · January 12, 2006
NASCAR has been working on competitiveness and new safety features that they say will provide a platform for race teams to use far into the future. Not surprisingly it has been dubbed NASCAR’s “Car of the Future.” The question is, will it truly be the future or is the project DOA.
Mike Mulhern of Journal Now has had a reputation of being at the forefront of all things NASCAR, today he takes on the issue of corporate support for NASCAR’s Car of the Future:
NASCAR’s proposed “car of the future” appears to be dead in the water for the moment. Detroit car makers are putting on hold their own operations for the time being, saying that NASCAR executives aren’t offering any clear directions on body configurations or timetables.
NASCAR has planned an exhibition here today of its own in-house built version of the car, which was originally set to debut this fall at Talladega. But it appears no other stock-car teams will be participating.
Another test of the car of the future in its quite different downforce configuration is expected in the next few days at Homestead, although it’s still unclear how many, if any, NASCAR teams will participate.
As noted previously the “different downforce configuration” entails a rear spoiler (Wing?) that “sits up off the deck lid a ways” according to Cup Series Director John Darby. There are no pictures available (See update below) but I presume it’s a much smaller version of the old Superbird and Daytona wings of the early 70’s, but that’s just a guess on my part.
Obviously the biggest news in this piece is the lack of support for the CoF by the sports manufacturers.
NASCAR’s Engine of the Future was pretty much pronounced dead last June by both the engine builders and car owners. In addition the sanctioning body, and using their own form of “logic”, decided it was “best” if the Eof and Cof were both brought online for the 2007 season. (No further comment needed - ed)
Without support from the auto makers the CoF is nothing but a Brian France pipe dream, there is no other way to put it.
As long time readers know I have given zero support for the project. The basic premise is correct. More frontal crush zones for safety and a much “dirtier” aero package are worthy goals. But there is no reason they can’t be achieved in a skin that looks closer to what is on track now. A quick look at the pictures from the last CoF test proves they didn’t make the slightest attempt at providing a skin that resembles a showroom vehicle.
Never being an apologist for Detroit I won’t defend their accusation that no timetable or body configuration has been given by NASCAR. It’s bunk, France and boys has been fairly (Fairly, NASCAR - is that an oxymoron?) straight forward on 2007 being the debut. Although it can be expected with something so radically different to have constant changes in the skin I don’t believe Detroit has bulked because of it.
It’s that damn cow-catcher bumper and “splitter” that has raised hairs on the necks of so many Detroit CEOs, CFOs and marketing types. Until those two “features” go Detroit will give tepid support at best. Considering their current and acute case of cash hemophilia that support may be less than zero.
In that case Mulhern may be correct: The King CoF is dead, long live the King CoF.
UPDATE: John Newsom A/K/A The Spotter reports Dustin Long was on scene for the CoF test that only had Brett Bodine on track and says “engineers and officials from the manufacturers are looking at it [the new wing] with wonder - kind of like man first discovering fire.” John has also posted a photo of the new wing configuration. (Disclaimer: For those with a traditionalist view of NASCAR, or just have a weak stomach please note the airsick bag in the rear pocket of the Lazy-Boy immediately in front of you. Thank you for “flyin’” Fast Machines - ed)
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Once again NASCAR has made another mistake. I’m not sure if NASCAR has lost its mind or its trying to go back to its “roots,”; either way it is a loose/loose situation. What’s worse: the new F1 wing or the new NASCAR wing…
To be honest the wing is just an experiment in what the CoF can produce when in traffic abnd I doubt very much if in it’s final form it will be part of the package.
My biggest problem with the program is it’s further departure from the “showroom look” and never having heard a valid arguement for not putting the safety and competition related features on the current car.
Add in the present state of the auto makers that are bleeding cash like a stuck hog and it makes no sense to me.
I’ve waited a few days to see if any additional fallout was forthcoming from Detroit to no avail.
Can NASCAR think of itself as bigger than Detroit, and willing to give up on any car body identities?
Does the fact that Ford and GM are nearly bankrupt and may pull the plug on NASCAR subsidies have anything to do with creating a generic body type?
Has Jim France led the way in this thinking with his successful Daytona protype cars in Grand Am? All similar body styles with different engine suppliers?
Will Detroit become merely engine suppliers to NASCAR?
Or will NASCAR shoot themselves in the foot ala the IRL and CART and allow Toyota and Honda to spend all the other competitors out of the sport?
Detroit hasn’t spoken that I have seen but NASCAR has in the last few hours.
NASCAR says its Car of Tomorrow will show up at short track and road courses in 2007 (as in next season), long tracks (2 miles plus, including Daytona and Dega) in 2008 and the rest in 2009.
And the bean counters will go wild. They were crying when they had to make the switch for one year. Now they have to keep most of their “old” cars through’08 and some through ‘09.
Brian France is truely NUTS!
Will Detroit only remain as engine suppliers?
We’ll see… but the NASCAR team engineers are already looking EAST (http://tinyurl.com/886j2) so maybe we can expect them to be provided by Rolls Royce, Volvo or Fiat.
At first I was stunned!!. What was an Australian V8Supercar doing on an oval! Now it makes sense. NASCAR wants a car that has fair bit of downforce for short ovals and road courses, but is a lot more adjustible than the current cars. So that is why the wing and the duck bill fronts