Car companies and dealerships are hoping NASCAR’s new Gen-6 cars’ “success on the track will lead to higher sales in the showroom,” according to Jeffrey Cassady of the Daytona Beach NEWS-JOURNAL. When Danica Patrick won pole position for the Daytona 500 “in her Chevrolet SS, Chevy dealers across the land -- at least in NASCAR country -- perked up.” Chevy Racing NASCAR Group Manager Pat Suhy said, "It's always been about making our cars on the track look like what's in the showroom." Daytona-area Chevy dealership co-Owner Jack Holcomb said that the Gen-5 car, or Car of Tomorrow, had a “perceived sameness [that] put a damper on fan enthusiasm for showroom models, even when a model made it to the winner's circle." Holcomb said, "It was like, 'My Chevy looks like your Ford, and your Ford looks like my Chevy.'" But he said that the new Gen-6 cars “could fix that -- and at a good time for auto dealers.” The production version of Chevrolet's Gen-6 SS stock car “will go on sale at Holcomb's and other dealerships later this year.” Still, Daytona Toyota Scion dealership Owner Gib Dannehower said that dealers should not “expect the new cars simply to convince fans to pack showrooms the day after races” (Daytona Beach NEWS-JOURNAL, 2/21).
