New Set Of Wheels: New Nationwide COT Differs From Sprint Cup

Nationwide Series Car Of Tomorrow Designed To Be "Distinctly Different" From Cup Series Car

NASCAR VP/Competition Robin Pemberton said that NASCAR's objective in creating the Nationwide Series Car of Tomorrow, which will debut in the series in 2010, "was to keep the Nationwide car distinctly different than the new Cup car so drivers running both series would not be able to use one car set-up in another," according to Jim Utter of the CHARLOTTE OBSERVER. Pemberton added that the Nationwide car "was developed to include all of the safety features" of the new Sprint Cup Series car. Utter noted the Dodge car "has a front nose with a distinct 'pony car' design, much like the class of cars inspired by the 1964 Ford Mustang." Nationwide Series driver Bryan Clausen: "If you had to categorize it I would say it falls in between the current Nationwide car and the new Cup car in how it handles" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 10/14). Pemberton said of teams competing in both the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series, "If they want to play in both garage areas, that's fine, but they need to work just as hard on their setups in the Nationwide Series and not be able to just plug everything they've learned from another series." Pemberton added that differences in the 2010 models for both series "will be substantial," and said that Goodyear "could be forced to build different tires" for the two series once the new car is introduced (SCENEDAILY.com, 10/13).

CAR WARS: Sources with both Petty Enterprises and Chip Ganassi Racing said that there is “speculation that the two struggling teams may somehow merge." The rumor is being fueled by a feeling that fellow Dodge owner and Gillett-Evernham Motorsports (GEM) Majority Owner George Gillett "is '99[%]' certain to jump to Toyota.” In Winston-Salem, Mike Mulhern wrote, “One major complication for Dodge teams like Petty’s and Ganassi’s is that Gillett-Evernham has been a major Dodge engine operation.” If GEM moves to Toyota, then Dodge “loses a very big player” (WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL, 10/12).