The Car of Tomorrow Races Sunday
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C M Y K E12 DAILY 03-22-07 MD RE E12 CMYK E12 Thursday, March 22, 2007 R The Washington Post Inside the Game The Car of Tomorrow Races Sunday After seven years of researching, revamping, testing and retesting, NASCAR’s new Nextel Cup officials believe they have reduced — and ideally eliminated — the need for teams to build car is ready for racing. The “Car of Tomorrow” debuts Sunday in its first of 16 events this different cars for different types of tracks. In theory, this would allow teams with smaller season and could be the only car used in Nextel Cup races as soon as next year. Why the budgets to be more competitive. In the process, NASCAR created a car that looks more like change? NASCAR hoped to make drivers safer, improve competition and cut costs. Series the models fans can buy at their neighborhood Ford, Chevy, Dodge or Toyota dealers. OLD VERSUS NEW SAFETY The driver’s seat has moved 3 to 4 inches closer to the center of the car. CURRENT CAR CAR OF TOMORROW Roll cages are larger and 51 inches 53.5 inches stronger and must be (minimum) identical. Teams used to use different cages for different drivers and different tracks. Now only the 200.7 inches 198.5 inches seat should vary between Weight: 3,400 pounds Weight: 3,400 pounds drivers. Tire tread width: 60.5 inches Tire tread width: 61.5 inches maximum from the outside of the maximum from the outside of the ROLL CAGE right tire to the outside of the left. right tire to the outside of the left. (view from rear) Double frame rail on driver’s side makes Thick blocks of impact- Fuel cell capacity: About 22 gallons* Fuel cell capacity: About 18 gallons the car harder to penetrate in a collision. absorbant foam sit between Horsepower: 850 @ 9,000 rpm 72.5 inches Horsepower: 850 @ 9,000 rpm 74 inches the roll cage and door panels. *13 gallons for restrictor plate races Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS Chevrolet Impala SS REAR WING BODY STYLE The front end of the car is shorter in length but the cockpit is 2A inches taller, so the windshield is more upright like a passenger car’s. That gives the driver more headroom and a larger space for getting in and out. It also means the car is less aerodynamic, which may mean slightly slower speeds, although initial testing speeds were within a couple of miles per hour of current cars on the same track. ROLL CAGE NOSE Each manufacturer must have its nose design approved, then all cars of that make must fit a template. In other Steel Impact- words, Fords may plates absorbant cover foam have different doors noses from Dodges, but all Fords must be the same. Dodge Avenger INSPECTION Car bodies are required to be nearly identical. In the past, teams could tweak the body and Air underbody design as long as it met certain intake measurements and fit a general template. The new car is tested with a new template that measures 220 different points on the chassis. FRONT REAR WING The rear wing replaces the spoiler and is intended to make the air coming off the car SPLITTER less turbulent. NASCAR expects that the amount of passing will increase because cars will be easier to control in heavy traffic. The wing is adustable in three ways: Fans of truck racing will recognize Teams can adjust how far the splitter sticks out, from 4 to 6 inches, 1. ANGLE 2. END PLATES TOP VIEW The driver the splitter, a A-inch thick shelf depending on the type of track, hoping to achieve the perfect balance Teams can adjust its angle from As they slice through the air, selects sticking out from under the front between stability FLAT PLATES 0 degrees (flat) to 16 degrees they generate “side force” that based bumper where the valence used and speed. Create the least by moving bolts in precut holes. pushes the back of the car side force. on how a to be. toward the middle of the track. car feels, The splitter’s job is making not the the car easier to control by using FLAT MINIMAL DRAG CAMBERED PLATES type of the pressure of on-rushing air Create more. track. to force the front end down. Braces, as well as bolts underneath (not shown), hold the splitter to the bumper. SPLITTER SPLITTER Bolt holes WING Farther out: On short tracks and Closer in: On longer tracks, ADJUSTMENT road courses, where control and likely all the way in on the is more important than giant restrictor plate tracks for ON SUPERSPEEDWAYS: A level wing flat-out speed. maximum speed on long makes the car faster, more aerodynamic. straightaways. DOWNFORCE STEEP Wicker IN TESTING Wings for all cars are made by the same The splitter accidentally banged company and distributed by NASCAR to teams on the ground of high-banked when they arrive at the tracks. While a car tracks such as Bristol, especially could continue if a splitter broke off, no car when coming from the flat apron Bolt WING onto the steep banks. To placement ADJUSTMENT would be permitted to race without a wing. counteract that, teams will use much stiffer front springs, which ON SHORTS TRACKS: Steeper angles force allow for less up-and-down movement of the front of the car. the rear end down, making it more stable. DOWN FORCE 3. WICKERS BUMPER HEIGHT A O-inch high, flat metal strip called a Front and back bumpers are the same The farther the splitter wicker must be attached along the back height off the ground, which means cars sticks out, the more stable of the wing to add more down force. will hit bumpers when they touch. the front end is, but a lot of Teams may add a wicker to the back edge The front end of current cars are lower, down force slows the car as well. of each end plate to add more side force. so the nose of one sometimes wedges under the rear bumper of another. The splitter sits roughly 4 inches above the ground when the car is stopped. NEW CAR BEING PHASED IN (car will run exclusively at 16 of 36 Nextel Cup races this year, by type of track) RACES WITH SHORT TRACKS (ovals of 1 mile or less) INTERMEDIATE (ovals of more than 1 mile but less than 2 miles) ROAD COURSES (require right and left turns) SUPERSPEEDWAYS (2 miles or greater) CURRENT CAR ONLY Sunday April 21 May 12 June 24 Aug. 12 Sept. 8 Sept. 23 Oct. 21 Bristol, Tenn. Phoenix Darlington, S.C. Sonoma, Calif. Watkins Glen, N.Y. Richmond Dover, Del. Martinsville, Va. April 1 May 5 June 3 July 1 Aug. 25 Sept. 16 Oct. 7 Nov. 11 Martinsville, Va. Richmond Dover, Del. Loudon, N.H. Bristol, Tenn. Loudon, N.H. Talladega, Ala. Phoenix SOURCES: Brett Bodine, NASCAR Director of Cost Research, former Nextel Cup driver and the primary test driver for Car of Tomorrow prototypes; NASCAR; photos courtesy of NASCAR BY TODD LINDEMAN AND BONNIE BERKOWITZ – THE WASHINGTON POST C M Y K E12.