A Car of Tomorrow body with Toyota Camry decals.

The Car of Tomorrow (CoT), occasionally called the "Car of Today", and once called the "Car or Truck?" by ex-NASCAR driver Darrell Waltrip^[1] is the current car style for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The larger, boxier Car of Tomorrow boasts better safety, cost maintenance, and competition. It succeeds the older, rounded stock car design used in the NASCAR modern era. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (2048 × 1536 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (2048 × 1536 pixel, file size: 1. ... The Toyota Camry is a mid-size car assembled by Toyota in Tsutsumi, (Japan); Georgetown, Kentucky; Altona, Victoria, Australia and most recently Guangzhou, China. ... Darrell Lee Waltrip (born February 5, 1947 in Owensboro, Kentucky) is a three-time former NASCAR Winston Cup champion, the 1989 Daytona 500 winner, and current television race commentator with Fox Broadcasting Company. ... Jeff Burton (99), Elliott Sadler (38), Ricky Rudd (21), Dale Jarrett (88), Sterling Marlin (40), Jimmie Johnson (48), and Casey Mears (41) practice for the 2004 Daytona 500 The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the largest sanctioning body of motorsports in the United States. ...

The car was first implemented in the 2007 Cup season at the Food City 500 on March 25 and ran a partial schedule of 16 races. The original plan was to fully implement the car in 2009, but NASCAR officials made the decision to run the car full time in the 2008 season. The 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season began on February 10, 2007 at Daytona International Speedway with the Budweiser Shootout and will end with the Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 18 of that same year. ... The Food City 500 is a NASCAR Nextel Cup stock car race held at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee. ... is the 84th day of the year (85th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... NASCARs premiere series becomes the Sprint Cup in 2008 as seen in this new logo. ...

Design

On January 11, 2006, NASCAR announced a universal car named the "Car of Tomorrow" (or "CoT" for short) after a seven-year design program sparked mainly due to the death of Dale Earnhardt Sr., one of the sport's drivers, in a final lap crash during the 2001 Daytona 500.^[2] The then-current cars were based on Holman Moody's 1966 Ford Fairlane.^[3] The primary design considerations were "safety innovations, performance and competition, and cost efficiency for teams."^[4] is the 11th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The accident in the final turn of 2001s Daytona 500, where Earnhardt lost his life Dale Earnhardt was a NASCAR driver whose death on February 18, 2001 led to controversy over its causes and the degrees of responsibility of those involved. ... Holman Moody was an auto racing team, racecar manufacturer, and marine engine manufacturer. ... 1955 Ford Fairlane Crown Victoria Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Ford Fairlane The Ford Fairlane was an automobile model sold between 1955 and 1971 by the Ford Motor Company in North America. ...

The CoT has improved safety features over the older car.^[2] The driver's seat has been moved four inches to the right, the roll cage has been shifted three inches to the rear, and the car is two inches taller and four inches wider.^[2] Larger crumple zones are built into the car on both sides, ensuring even more protection. The splitter is a piece of fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) used on the bottom front of the car to produce downforce, replacing the valence. The car's exhaust runs through the body, and exits on the right side, which diverts heat away from the driver.^[2] The fuel cell is stronger, and has a smaller capacity (17¾ gallons, down from 22 gallons, which as of 2007 has become standard in all cars). A specially constructed frame built around the cab of a vehicle to protect the driver from being injured in an accident, particularly in the event of a roll-over. ... Mercedes-Benz Fintail, an early example of a car with crumple zones The crumple zone on the front of these cars absorbed the impact of a head-on collision Activated rear crumple zone The crumple zone of a vehicle such as a train or an automobile is a structural feature...

The car is advertised as reducing dependence on aerodynamics. It features a detached wing, which has not been used since the Dodge Charger Daytona and Plymouth Superbird in 1970.^[5] The windshield is more upright, which increases drag. The radiator air intake is below the front bumper of the car, which reduces overheating caused by clogged grills. The front bumper is more box-like, which catches more air and slows the car. The front airdam is gapped, as opposed to being a flush piece on the older cars. Dodge, an American automobile brand, has produced three separate vehicles with the name Dodge Charger Daytona, all of which were modified Dodge Chargers. ... The short-lived Plymouth Road Runner Superbird, a sister design to the Dodge Charger Daytona, was designed to beat the Ford Torino Talladega at NASCAR stock car racing and to lure Richard Petty back to Plymouth. ...

All cars are required to fit the same set of templates, using a device that has been named "the claw" that is designed to fit over the new cars. In the first two races at Bristol and Martinsville Speedway, the garages were opened one day early and the inspections took up to ten hours so that everyone (teams, officials, etc.) could get a better grip on the new unified template. NASCAR's old rules had a different set of templates for each manufacturer (Ford, Chevy, Dodge, and Toyota). NASCAR has frequently adjusted the rules to ensure that different car manufacturers have relatively equal cars. The universal body of the CoT will eliminate these problems, but could cause many more unforeseen problems. NASCAR officials are using a template to inspect Casey Atwoods 2004 Busch Series car, courtesy of the U.S. Navy A template is a device used by NASCAR and other sanctioning bodies to check the body shape and height of cars. ... Martinsville Speedway is an International Speedway Corporation owned NASCAR stock car racing track located in Martinsville, Virginia. ...

Dimensions

This chart lists the CoT's dimensions compared with the dimensions of the cars represented.

*Weight displays the curb weight of the least expensive trim level available for model year 2008 unless otherwise specified. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... 1968 Chevrolet Impala at the weekly Garden Grove, California car show on April 16, 2004. ... The Dodge Charger, in its current incarnation, is a rear-wheel drive full-size automobile built by the Chrysler Group for its North American Dodge brand. ... The Toyota Camry is a mid-size car assembled by Toyota in Tsutsumi, (Japan); Georgetown, Kentucky; Altona, Victoria, Australia and most recently Guangzhou, China. ...

Testing

The Car of Tomorrow was first tested in December 2005 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Next it tested at the 2.5 mile Daytona International Speedway, then on NASCAR's two shortest tracks, Bristol (0.533 mi) and Martinsville (0.526 mi.), the 1.5 mile Lowe's Motor Speedway, the 2.66 mile Talladega Superspeedway, and 2.0 mile Michigan International Speedway. Former NASCAR driver, current Sprint Cup pace car driver and Director of Cost Research Brett Bodine also tested the prototype car against cars prepared by current NASCAR teams. Atlanta Motor Speedway is a superspeedway in Hampton, Georgia, USA, 20 miles (32 km) south of Atlanta. ... Daytona International Speedway is a superspeedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. ... Lowes Motor Speedway (formerly Charlotte Motor Speedway) is a speedway in Concord, North Carolina, north of Charlotte. ... Talladega Superspeedway is a motorsports complex located in Talladega, Alabama. ... Michigan International Speedway is a two-mile (3. ... Brett Bodine (born January 11, 1959, in Chemung, New York), is a former NASCAR Winston Cup driver and is the current driver of the pace car in NEXTEL Cup events. ...

Drivers have tested the CoT concurrently with the old car at some NASCAR tests and at special NASCAR-authorized tests. Some teams have tested the cars at the half-mile Greenville-Pickens Speedway, Caraway Speedway in Asheboro, NC, and the one mile North Carolina Speedway, none of which are Sprint Cup tracks, and therefore are tests which do not fall under NASCAR's restrictions. Greenville-Pickens Speedway is a race track located near Greenville, South Carolina. ... A view of downtown Asheboro. ... Rockingham Speedway is a racetrack located in Rockingham, North Carolina. ...

Implementation

The Car of Tomorrow was first raced at the 2007 Food City 500 at Bristol, the season's fifth race. The tracks that saw the CoT twice in 2007 besides Bristol and Martinsville were Phoenix International Raceway, Richmond International Raceway, Dover International Speedway, and New Hampshire International Speedway. Other than Talladega (for the fall event), Darlington Raceway and the road course races at Infineon Raceway (Sonoma, Calif.) and Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International ran the CoT once each in 2007. The Food City 500 is the fifth race of the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season, and will be scheduled to be run on Sunday, March 25, 2007 at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee. ... Phoenix International Raceway is a one mile tri-oval race track located in Avondale, AZ. It opened in 1964, but wasnt used by NASCAR until 1988, with the first race won by the late Alan Kulwicki. ... Richmond International Raceway (RIR) is a A 3/4 mile, D shaped, asphalt race track located outside Richmond, Virginia. ... Dover International Speedway (nickname: The Monster Mile) is a NASCAR race track located near Dover, Delaware. ... New Hampshire International Speedway is a 1. ... Darlington Raceway during the 2006 Dodge Charger 500. ... Infineon Raceway, formerly Sears Point Raceway, is a road course and drag strip located on the landform known as Sears Point in the southern Sonoma Mountains near Sonoma, California, USA. The course is a complex series of twists and turns that go up and down the hills. ... Watkins Glen International (nicknamed The Glen) is an auto race track located near Watkins Glen, New York at the southern tip of Seneca Lake. ...

Original implementation plans called for the CoT 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. Based on the success of the February 28th test at Bristol, NASCAR considered requiring CoT cars for the full schedule in 2008 in order to avoid applying two sets of rules (as supported by a survey of NASCAR owners, with 80% favoring the switch), adding all three events (including the all-star event) at Lowe's Motor Speedway, as well as both races at Atlanta and Texas Motor Speedway, and single races at Chicagoland Speedway, Kansas Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Homestead-Miami Speedway one year earlier than scheduled.^[2] This was confirmed on Tuesday, May 22, 2007 by NASCAR.^[7] Had NASCAR continued with the original schedule of implication, the other tracks would have been added in 2009. The Daytona 500 will turn 50 in 2008. ... The Budweiser Shootout is an annual NASCAR Nextel Cup Series exhibition event held at Daytona International Speedway in February, the weekend before the Daytona 500. ... The Gatorade Duel, is NASCAR Nextel Cup preliminary event to the Daytona 500 held annually in February at Daytona International Speedway. ... The Aarons 499 is a NASCAR Nextel Cup stock car race held at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Alabama. ... The California Speedway is a two-mile, low-banked, D-shaped oval superspeedway in Fontana, California, similar to that of sister track Michigan International Speedway. ... Pocono Raceway is a superspeedway located in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania at Long Pond; it is the site of two annual NASCAR Nextel Cup races held just a few weeks apart in June and July. ... Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway, Indiana (a separate town completely surrounded by Indianapolis) in the United States, is the second-oldest surviving automobile racing track in the world (after the Milwaukee Mile), having existed since 1909, and the original Speedway, the first racing facility historically to incorporate the word. ... The NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge, formerly known as The Winston until 2004, is a race open to race winners (either as a driver or a car owner) from the previous season as well as the current season, plus the past ten event winners and past decades Cup Series... Texas Motor Speedway is a superspeedway located in the northernmost portion of the U.S. city of Fort Worth, Texas -- the portion located in Denton County, Texas. ... Chicagoland Speedway is a speedway in Joliet, Illinois, USA, southwest of Chicago. ... Kansas Speedway is a speedway in Kansas City, in the U.S. state of Kansas. ... Las Vegas Motor Speedway, located at 7000 Las Vegas Boulevard North in Las Vegas, Nevada, is a 1,200 acre (4. ... Homestead-Miami Speedway is a speedway in Homestead, Florida, USA, southwest of Miami. ... is the 142nd day of the year (143rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Debut

On March 25, 2007, the CoT debuted in its' first NASCAR-sanctioned race. Kyle Busch won the race, the first win by a Chevrolet Impala since 1963. Kyle Thomas Busch (born May 2, 1985 in Las Vegas, Nevada) is an American race car driver. ... 1968 Chevrolet Impala at the weekly Garden Grove, California car show on April 16, 2004. ...

Reactions to the CoT's performance were mixed. Dale Earnhardt, Jr., after finishing 7th, said, "It wasn't a disaster like everybody anticipated. It worked out, I reckon. Racing was about the same."^[8] Drivers were also impressed with the car's ability to bump other competitors without causing a spin (as bumper heights were equalized; as street car development continued, nose-to-rear bumper contact caused spins that pre-1988 cars would not cause), and NASCAR officials were pleased with the improvements in safety.

Several drivers and pundits expressed distaste for the car and what they perceived as a less exciting style of racing created by it. Kyle Busch, despite winning at Bristol, commented that "they suck" during his victory lane interview.^[9] Retired driver and TV analyst Rusty Wallace stated on ESPN that the car created a boring, single-file racing environment with little of the passing, action, or crashing that has made NASCAR popular, though after NASCAR announced the COT would run the full schedule, he stated that it was "one of the best decisions NASCAR had ever made." Drivers who placed well at Bristol, Jeff Gordon and Jeff Burton, claimed that the car allowed the use of a second passing lane not usually present at Bristol.^[8] For the most part, however, the racing was strung out and single-file with drivers tentative in trying to make passes. Rusty Wallace on his way to his 55th and final victory in the 2004 Advance Auto Parts 500 at Martinsville Speedway. ... Jeffery Michael Gordon (born August 4, 1971) is a professional American race car driver. ... Jeffrey Brian Burton (born June 29, 1967 in South Boston, Virginia) also sometimes referred to as JB is a NASCAR Nextel Cup Series driver. ...

A major problem with the car's initial race was its front splitter. The splitter is a piece of fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) used on the bottom front of the car to produce downforce. It replaces the valence. One car's splitter running into the tire of another car beside it sometimes punctured the second car's tire.^[10] There were no problems with the splitter causing tire failure at the car's second race. Fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP) is a composite material comprising a polymer matrix reinforced with fibres usually of glass, carbon, or aramid (and in the case of Duroplast even cotton or wool) and is commonly used in aerospace, automotive and marine industries. ... Three different styles of front wings from three different Formula 1 eras, all designed to produce downforce on the front wheels. ...

Another major problem has been that the foam used in the side of the car has caught fire, causing smoke in the cockpit. Kevin Harvick experienced this problem at the first CoT race at Martinsville costing him a good finish or possibly a win, and NASCAR decided to make modifications before the April 21 Subway Fresh Fit 500 in Avondale, Arizona.^[11] The Subway Fresh Fit 500 is a NASCAR Nextel Cup stock car race held at Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale, Arizona. ... Phoenix International Raceway is a one mile tri-oval race track located in Avondale, AZ. It opened in 1964, but wasnt used by NASCAR until 1988, with the first race won by the late Alan Kulwicki. ...

Another problem with the foam was that when the side door was ripped open, as Brian Vickers experienced at Watkins Glen, the foam would spill out, making a mess. Brian Lee Vickers is an American NASCAR driver, from Thomasville, North Carolina. ... Watkins Glen is: a town in New York state, an Auto racing course near the town, and a state park. ...

During the 2007 UAW-Ford 500, the CoT's first debut on a superspeedway track at Talladega, NASCAR assigned a 31/32 inch (24.6 mm) restrictor plate to allow the engines to run at around 8,800 RPMs due to the less aerodynamic design of the CoT. The previous generation car's engine would normally run around 7,000 RPMs with a ⅞ inch (22.2 mm) plate.^[12] This was the most open restrictor plate to race at Talladega since 1988.^[13] On February 24th, 2008, Casey Mears became the first driver to flip the CoT when he was hit in the rear by Sam Hornish Jr. The 2007 UAW-Ford 500 is the 30th race of the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Season and the fourth race in the 2007 Chase for the NEXTEL Cup. ... This page meets Wikipedias criteria for speedy deletion. ... Talladega Superspeedway is a motorsports complex located in Talladega, Alabama. ... Artist rendering of a NASCAR restrictor plate A Restrictor plate or air restrictor is a device installed at the intake of an engine to limit its power. ...

Car models

Chevrolet Impala

Chevrolet teams continued to use the Monte Carlo SS with their old cars while using the Impala SS with the CoT. Chevrolet discontinued the Monte Carlo brand and switched full time to the Impala starting in 2008. Dodge teams used the Charger with the old car while using the Avenger with the CoT; however, Dodge has stated that the Charger will be their 2008 CoT.^[14] Ford used the Fusion while Toyota used the Camry, respectively, for both their old and CoT cars. Chevrolet (IPA: - French origin) (colloquially Chevy) is a brand of automobile, produced by General Motors (GM). ... The Chevrolet Monte Carlo is an American mid-size car. ... 1958 Chevrolet Impala Convertible 1958 Chevrolet Impala Convertible The Chevrolet Impala is an automobile built for the Chevrolet division by General Motors. ... For other uses, see Dodge (disambiguation). ... The Dodge Charger, in its current incarnation, is a rear-wheel drive full-size automobile built by the Chrysler Group for its North American Dodge brand. ... DODGE AVENGERS SUCK MONKEY PENIS The Dodge Avenger is actually three different cars: The Dodge Avenger coupe (1995-2000) The Dodge Avenger Concept from the 2003 North American International Auto Show The Dodge Avenger (JS) sedan released in 2007 for the 2008 model year. ... “Ford” redirects here. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article is about the automaker. ... The Toyota Camry is a mid-size car assembled by Toyota in Tsutsumi, (Japan); Georgetown, Kentucky; Altona, Victoria, Australia and most recently Guangzhou, China. ...

Criticisms

Criticisms of the CoT began with its first tests, with the magazine Speedway Illustrated noting the car's poor performance in traffic (February 2006 issue). The Winston-Salem Journal also noted extensive criticism of the project during 2006 testing, with drivers becoming more vocal by July 2007 and most fans rejecting the model, citing the falsity of many of its technical claims;^[15] one angle of criticism was the differing philosophies of NASCAR officials Gary Nelson and John Darby, with Darby a particularly ardent supporter of the CoT based on a misreading of the sport's competition packages.^[16] Jeff Gordon and Matt Kenseth were pointedly critical of the car's poor performance in traffic, with Gordon stating after the 2007 Lenox Industrial Tools 300, "I'd like to know who it was who said this car would reduce the aero push because I could have told you from when I first drove this car that it would be worse."^[17] The Winston-Salem Journal is a daily newspaper primarily serving the city of Winston-Salem, North Carolina and its county, Forsyth County, North Carolina. ... Jeffery Michael Gordon (born August 4, 1971) is a professional American race car driver. ... Matt Kenseths 2004 car being pushed out by his crew 2007 Busch Series car 2007 Cup car Matthew Roy Kenseth (born March 10, 1972) is a stock car racing driver for the Roush Fenway Racing team in NASCARs Nextel Cup series. ... The 2007 Lenox Industrial Tools 300 will be the 17th race of the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series season. ... For the Daft Punk song, see Aerodynamic (song). ... Ideally, when the car reaches the turn, the driver will steer it along the line marked with green dots. ...

References

• "Car of Tomorrow on track for Bristol debut", written February 1, 2007, nascar.com, Retrieved March 16, 2007
• NASCAR.com article, includes photographs
• NASCAR.com article on the first test at Daytona
• 2000 article about a UniTemplate car
• Benefits of Car of Tomorrow
• Newton, David. "[1] "One race in, Car of Tomorrow does its job well." ESPN.com, 2007-03-25. Retrieved March 26, 2007.

is the 92nd day of the year (93rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 66th day of the year (67th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 59th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 60th day of the year (61st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Holman Moody was an auto racing team, racecar manufacturer, and marine engine manufacturer. ... The Motorsports Hall of Fame of America is a Hall of Fame and museum in Novi, Michigan for American motorsports legends. ... is the 67th day of the year (68th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 68th day of the year (69th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 86th day of the year (87th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 89th day of the year (90th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 86th day of the year (87th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 128th day of the year (129th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 32nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 75th day of the year (76th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... March 26 is the 85th day of the year (86th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ...

External links

• Dale Jr. Chevy/Car Of Tomorrow Ad
• New Chevrolet Car of Tomorrow pictures with Impala SS front end