The revamped stock car for NASCAR

[Perfectlap]

Nascar is working on the "car of tomorrow", current one is getting stale.
This new prototype looks to be going in the direction of Germany's DTM and the Uk's BTCC:
a universal body for all teams (should cut costs considerably), higher roof, wider, detachable rear spoiler, lots of aero bits up front, driver seated more to the center with larger crumple zones, and what looks like ground effects, exhaust spilling out of the left.

Actually its not really prototype anymore because it will be raced in 16 races this season including both of NA$CAR's road course races at Infineon and Watkins Glenn.

http://www.jayski.com/schemes/2007/ncup/48lowes-COT-front.jpg
http://www.jayski.com/schemes/2007/ncup/48lowes-COT-nose.jpg
http://www.jayski.com/schemes/2007/ncup/48lowes-COT-lside.jpg
http://www.jayski.com/schemes/2007/ncup/48lowes-COT-lrear.jpg

[jwilson95]

Looks blocky and butt ugly to me but as long as it is safer for the guys, I guess we'll give it a go...

Jeff :barf:

[Perfectlap]

The thing that got my attention the most about seeing these cars up close (not this particluar one) was how SMALL they are, both in height and length. Really not at all how they come off on TV, big lumbering loud and slow.
The cockpit is very tight for stock cars in general I can see the desire to make them taller and wider.
And yes safety for sure, I think more guys have been killed in the last 10 years in NASCAR then any other formula. Fatalities in Europe are nearly non-existent, Michele Alboreto's death in Audi testing for LeMans is the only one I can think of in this milenium. Americans like danger.

p.s.
NASCAR really has to work on its wheel appearance and style. THey look like what the guy in the NYC taxis are sporting. A great oppourtunity to sell allot of wheels is passed up every season. I can just see it now guy walks into Wal-Mart Auto:
"I want my Ricky Bobby 5 spokes for my F150 RAAIGHT NOW!"