[jks812]

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- NASCAR announced Tuesday that the Car of Tomorrow will be fully implemented for the 2008 Nextel Cup Series season.
The move accelerates the integration of the new car into the series by one full year. In January 2006, NASCAR had announced a three-year roll-out schedule that would conclude with the new car running in every race by 2009.
As the new car began its initial phase-in program over the past several months, team owners expressed support of the new car and its full implementation by the 2008 season. Therefore, starting next year the new car will run the entire Cup schedule.
"We are proud of how the new car has performed at multiple tracks," said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR's vice president of competition. "NASCAR, with the support of team owners, agreed that the new car is ready to compete at all NASCAR Nextel Cup Series events in 2008. Beginning next year the Car of Tomorrow is officially 'the car,' a Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford and Toyota."
The original transition program had the new car running 16 races in 2007; 26 races in '08; and the entire schedule in '09. So far this season, the new car has run five times -- at Bristol, Martinsville, Phoenix, Richmond and Darlington -- with the races featuring close competition on the track and the safety and durability features of the car well-demonstrated.
The average margin of victory through the first five Car of Tomorrow races has been a mere .505 seconds (compared to 1.286 seconds at these same races a year ago) and there have been six fewer DNFs through this same race sequence from 2006.
Additionally, 13 teams have used the same chassis for three of the five races; four teams have run the same chassis in four of the five races; and one team -- the No. 29 Chevrolet -- has run the same chassis in all five COT races.
The COT is the culmination of a seven-year project undertaken at NASCAR's Research and Development Center in Concord, N.C. The new car was built primarily with safety in mind, but during the development process, NASCAR also discovered ways in which the car could improve competition and enable teams to be more cost-efficient.
The design has also enabled manufacturers to have an increased product and branding opportunity. The manufacturers' 2007 COT models -- the Chevrolet Impala SS, Dodge Avenger, Ford Fusion and Toyota Camry -- more closely resemble production cars than the former race car did.

[LSC9901]

I'm OK with running all the races with the NEW CAR next year. It seems to be safer and the competition has been better.

[Mike24]

YES!

COT= Safer, better competition, which means better racing!

[Nevadastars]

Originally Posted by Mike24

YES!

COT= Safer, better competition, which means better racing!

Safety concerns aside, I still think it is FUGLY and just can't get used to a ricer wing on the back of a "stock car". I could embrace it a little better if it had a more traditional spoiler.
Even though he is winning, your boy still isn't sold on it.....

FOX Sports on MSN - NASCAR - NASCAR to use COT exclusively in 2008

[jks812]

I'm glad they are too. They sure don't seem to come apart after hitting the wall the way the old ones do. And since they know, the teams can during the off time concentrate on just it. I didn't think it was right for them to have be building all the new ones and old ones too.

[jks812]

[quote=Nevadastars;128116]Safety concerns aside, I still think it is FUGLY and just can't get used to a ricer wing on the back of a "stock car". I could embrace it a little better if it had a more traditional spoiler.
But your boy still isn't sold on it.....

FOX Sports on MSN - NASCAR - NASCAR to use COT exclusively in 2008
/quote]

I,ve noticed that the more they run it the less I notice the wing.

[Souporscotty]

Originally Posted by jks812

I could embrace it a little better if it had a more traditional spoiler.

With exception to the freaky looking Dodge Daytona, I don't think there IS a traditional spoiler.

[jks812]

Originally Posted by Souporscotty

With exception to the freaky looking Dodge Daytona, I don't think there IS a traditional spoiler.

Oops. Didn't do the quote thing right. I was quoting Nevadastars on that. Actually, wing or spoiler, I don't really care as long as they race. I've gotten to where I hardly even notice the wing when they are racing now anyway.

[Racer X]

I would agree that the COT is defiantly not a good looking vehicle… when it is standing still. But when they are going in circles at 190 mph, they all look awesome to me!

I am also glad to see that they are going to the COT next year. So far, it has accomplished all of the goals NASCAR has set for it:

• Safer for the drivers
• Better Racing

I don’t see any reason not to use it full time next year. Well… except Kyle still thinks it “sucks”!

[Phils20]

Other than the wing, which really isn't that bad, I think they look Better than the old cars. Watch the Sat race, with the cars all out of whack, then look on a COT race, and see how the cars are "square" on the chassis, and how the noses aren't all stretched out like a fun house mirror.

PLus, it will be cheaper for all the teams, since there will be no track specific cars, one you take out all the gray area. I think the Dale Jr fine is proof that they are not going to let these cars become the twisted mess that the old ones became.

Embrace the change, a new era of racing is coming soon. Let's hope it kkeps the drivers safer, and liven up the competition. Even though Hendrick seems to have this thing down, that gap will change. Look how DEI concentrated on the plate tracks, and dominated for a bit. But the other teams closed that gap. The longer they race these things, the better the other teams will become.

This was the right call.

[drnascar48]

No I am not happy with NASCAR going to drive the COT for the 2008 season full-time. I think this is going to my last season as a Nascar fan. I starting to hate NASCAR mostly because of the COT. I think next year I am going to start becoming and IRL Fan. NASCAR has got away from their roots and NASCAR is also starting to become nothing. that sport is starting to go down hill.

[Mike24]

Originally Posted by drnascar48

No I am not happy with NASCAR going to drive the COT for the 2008 season full-time. I think this is going to my last season as a Nascar fan. I starting to hate NASCAR mostly because of the COT. I think next year I am going to start becoming and IRL Fan. NASCAR has got away from their roots and NASCAR is also starting to become nothing. that sport is starting to go down hill.

I will respond to this with one sentence.

If NASCAR doesn't change with the times, there will be no NASCAR.

[Racer Duck]

Originally Posted by Phils20

PLus, it will be cheaper for all the teams, since there will be no track specific cars, one you take out all the gray area.

wish that was true, but as long as NA$CAR allows the teams to mess with the suspension and as long as they can fiddle with the bodies and still make the template, there'll be cars for specific tracks or types of tracks. watch for the rush to the wind tunnels to start working on the restrictor plate bodies to find one or two mph....

[Nevadastars]

Originally Posted by drnascar48

I think this is going to my last season as a Nascar fan.

I've been saying that since the death of the late great Dale Earnhardt and the invasion of the networks with their glamourizing/overhyping of the sport, but for some unknown reason, I'm still here.

[Mike24]

Originally Posted by Nevadastars

I've been saying that since the death of the late great Dale Earnhardt and the invasion of the networks with their glamourizing/overhyping of the sport, but for some unknown reason, I'm still here.

Yep, the emotions take over sometimes....