NASCAR Car of TomorrowThe NASCAR Car of Tomorrow is a new car style for NASCAR's NEXTEL Cup Series that was first implemented in the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway on March 25, 2007.
On January 12, 2006, NASCAR announced a universal car design named "Car of Tomorrow" (or "CoT") after a five-year design program that evolved mostly due to the death of Dale Earnhardt Sr., one of NASCAR’s legends, in a tragic, fatal final lap crash during the 2001 Daytona 500. In 2001 NASCAR race cars were designed based on Holman Moody's 1966 Ford Fairlane. The primary design considerations were safety, performance and competition, and cost efficiency. All NASCAR race cars are required to fit the same set of body templates, using a device that has been named "the claw" that is designed to fit over the new cars. NASCAR's old rules had a different set of templates for each manufacturer (Ford, Chevy, Dodge, and Toyota). In the past NASCAR frequently adjusted the rules to ensure that different car manufacturers have relatively equal cars. The universal body of the Car of Tomorrow has been designed to eliminate these problems, but could give rise to other concerns or unforeseen problems. The NASCAR Car of Tomorrow features improved handling and reduced dependence on aerodynamics. It has a detachable wing, which has not been used since the Dodge Charger Daytona and Plymouth Superbird in the 1970s. The windshield is more vertical than previous design, which increases drag. The radiator air intake has been placed below the front bumper of the car which will reduce overheating caused by clogged grills. The front bumper is more box shaped, which will catch more air and slow down the race car. The NASCAR Car of Tomorrow design has improved safety features over the current car design. The driver's seat has been moved four inches to the right, the roll cage has been placed three inches to the rear, and the car is two inches taller and four inches wider than before. Increased "crush-ability" or (increased absorbtion of impact) has been built into the car on both sides, ensuring even more protection during wrecks. The car's exhaust has been designed to run through the body and exiting on the right side, diverting heat away from the driver. The fuel cell is stronger, more durable, and has a smaller capacity (17¾ gallons, down from 22 gallons. Original implementation planned called for the NASCAR Car of Tomorrow to be used at 26 events in 2008, starting with both races at Daytona, including the season-opening Daytona 500 and related events (Budweiser Shootout and Gatorade Duels), the spring race at Talladega and Michigan, both races at California Speedway, Pocono Raceway and the event at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was offically announced on Tuesday, May 22, 2007 by NASCAR that the Car of Tomorrow will be used full time in all NEXTEL Cup races starting with the 2008 season, one year earlier than originally planned. Had NASCAR continued with the original schedule of implication, the other tracks would have been added in 2009. On March 25, 2007, the NASCAR Car of Tomorrow debuted in its first NASCAR race. Kyle Busch won the race, the first win by a Chevrolet Impala since 1963.
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