NASCAR Nationwide teams could use new car in 2010 road-course, restrictor-plate races
The NASCAR Nationwide Series car of tomorrow, seen testing at Richmond International Raceway, could be used in restrictor-plate and road-course races next season. // David Griffin, NASCAR Scene
WEST ALLIS, Wis. – NASCAR is considering introducing the Nationwide Series car of tomorrow at restrictor-plate races and road-course races in 2010, series director Joe Balash confirmed Friday at the Milwaukee Mile.
The rule book for the car is close to being finished, Balash said. All four manufacturers have had their cars’ aerodynamic profiles approved by NASCAR.
Many Nationwide team owners did not want the COT to be introduced until 2011, citing the prohibitive cost of building new cars. Using the new car at five races – two at Daytona and one each at Talladega, Montreal and Watkins Glen – could appease some of the concerns of car owners.
“We’ve talked about a number of ideas with the garage area,” Balash said. “That happens to be on of the options that we’ve talked to them about.”
But nothing has been decided as far as the car’s introduction, Balash said. The rule book for the car isn’t completed yet.
“Right now, we’re just really waiting to finalize things,” Balash said. “We’re really close to it right now. What we’re working on is the finalization of the templates based upon the [car’s] surface and having a meeting and saying, ‘Here’s what we have, here’s what want to do. Where are you at with this?’”
A town-hall type of meeting like NASCAR had recently with its Sprint Cup teams is a possibility with Nationwide teams, Balash said. Once NASCAR finishes its discussions with competitors and an agreement is made, Balash said the sanctioning body can release the rules so teams can start building cars.
JD Motorsports owner Johnny Davis said he hopes NASCAR will hold off introducing the new car until 2011. His small organization fields three cars, and having to build new cars for superspeedways and road courses would tax his budget.
“That would hurt us, with three operations trying to go,” Davis said. “That would hurt me more than doing it at intermediate tracks or short tracks because I’ve got four speedway cars and three designated road-course cars, and that’s the only race tracks they go to. Those cars, you can’t do anything with them anywhere else. Not another series can use them, so they basically become junk.”
Davis said he understands the COT is safer and that NASCAR wants to bring the car to the series. But he hopes NASCAR holds off another year.
“I’m not saying they don’t need to do it at some point in time,” Davis said. “Myself, personally, I don’t think next year’s the time to do it anywhere, with the economy going the way it’s going.”
