NASCAR tells Nationwide teams the COT will be used in plate, road-course races in 2010

By Lee Montgomery - Associate Editor

Friday, July 03, 2009

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – NASCAR has told Nationwide Series teams that they will use the new model car at restrictor-plate and road-course races in 2010, driver Kenny Wallace said and multiple sources confirmed Friday.

An announcement has not been scheduled, and the use of the car of tomorrow isn’t official yet. But a NASCAR source said the use of the new car is “99.9 percent” certain next year for selected races.

One team owner, who asked not to be named, said the car will be used in all Nationwide races beginning in 2011.

NASCAR told the teams during this weekend’s Subway Jalapeno 250 about the use of the car next year. Currently, there are three restrictor-plate races – two at Daytona International Speedway and one at Talladega Superspeedway – and two road-course races – one each at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve and Watkins Glen International – on the Nationwide schedule.

“NASCAR pretty much told everybody that we’re going to the new car for the superspeedways and the road courses,” Wallace said Friday.

Sources said that indeed was the case.

The car has been under development since late 2008 and is an offshoot of the car currently used in the Sprint Cup Series. The chassis is basically the same, though NASCAR has said it will use a different suspension in the Nationwide car.

Also different from the Cup version is the lack of a rear wing, as the Nationwide car will have a spoiler. The Nationwide car will also have a smaller front splitter.

Ford officials recently said it will brand their car as a Mustang, and Dodge will use the Challenger. Chevrolet will not use its production “pony car,” the Camaro, and instead will use the same model as its Cup version: the Impala. Toyota has said it will also use the Camry, the same model as in Cup.

Some Nationwide owners have resisted the COT, saying the cost of converting to the new car would cost too much money. Using the car in only five events appears to be a concession to those owners’ fears.

One car owner said building cars for the five COT races will cost about an additional $275,000.

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Comments

10 responses to "NASCAR tells Nationwide teams the COT will be used in plate, road-course races in 2010". Post a Comment.

1

Phoenix987 said:
Jul 4, 2009 at 12:53 PM
Yeah, the Truck Series is becoming a 25 lap race for 3/4 of the field, the Cup Series is full of start-and-park teams that can't get the sponsorship costs to cover the tires for the race, and NASCAR decides requiring the NW teams to prepare a new car for all of 5 races next year is a good idea. $275,000 over 5 races means that without $55,000 a race in winnings they're automatically not covering the car's costs. Plus, the car isn't even finalized.

I wish the NW series good luck, because they're going to need it. I wouldn't be surprised to see 35 start-and-park teams next year at some of the races because they could only afford 1 COT and can't afford to wreck it.
2

manzytrophygirl said:
Jul 4, 2009 at 1:50 PM
If Jr doesn't have the $$$$ in the budget for the NW COT, there will be a lot of teams in a world of hurt, especially the small teams that spend every dollar to get to the track and try to qualify.
3

Werner said:
Jul 4, 2009 at 2:13 PM
well the current car is getting old, plus that Monte Carlo that GM is running and has put the Impala name on, is out dated...cost shouldn't be a factor, cause they've always built "special" speedway only cars...
4

osbornk said:
Jul 4, 2009 at 2:30 PM
I think the COT races will have a very short field next year and without changes, the NW series might not exist in 2011. If you add $275,000 development expenses to already struggling teams, you eliminate them. With the truck series struggling and start and parkers in the Cup series, King Brian may be run out of town on a rail. It has long been said that the first generation builds the company, the second generation maintains it and the third generation destroys it. Seems accurate so far.
5

riccary said:
Jul 4, 2009 at 2:52 PM
NASCAR doesn't gve one rip about the little teams that will be killed by this. They don't even care about the Cup teams that are small.
NASCAR is about "POLITICS" AND MONEY, real simple.

I wouldn't be surprised who pushed for this - Hendricks, Roush. If not that that made their decision, they problably have part ownership in who ever will be building these cars. I love the Nationwide cars as they still resemble to a degree the factory cars. Now that will be gone too. Thanks for ruining that too NASCAR. The only intelligent move you've did since France Jr took over is the double file restarts which was a no brainer...
6

bthompson133 said:
Jul 4, 2009 at 4:23 PM
i won't watch
7

BILLFAN50 said:
Jul 4, 2009 at 5:54 PM
The way the economy is today,waiting another year would have been the best thing to do.
8

bthompson133 said:
Jul 4, 2009 at 6:30 PM
another knife in the back of the fans! we're dying here, giveus a break
9

Werner said:
Jul 5, 2009 at 11:02 AM
it might drive out the big teams and give the small teams a chance to make some money so they can pay the bills...as it is right now the big guys are robbing from the small guys..
10

benflorance said:
Jul 5, 2009 at 5:02 PM
well i remember last yeat jd motorsports had built and tested a cot so hopefully theyll be able to survive...it the car is going to be used it should be used more like in a couple in the fall bristol race and some of the fall intermediate races