The new-look cars that will race in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup next year got their first test on a restrictor-plate track at Talladega this week. Here’s the story, including a big photo gallery.
Note: For coverage of the latest NASCAR test at Charlotte Dec. 11-12, click here.
For 2013, NASCAR has given the manufacturers far more latitude to build individual brand identity into their Sprint Cup racers, a significant departure for the series. Except for their nose panels and quarter window outlines, the bodies on all four manufacturers’ cars have been nearly identical in recent years, in order to keep the competition tight.
However, NASCAR remains confident it can still maintain a level playing field with these new-look cars with their greater production resemblance. “We have a great deal of confidence now in the wind tunnel and CFD, and we have a much better understanding than we used to about height, width, and length and how they affect the performance of the vehicle,” says John Darby, NASCAR director of competition. “We can give a lot more real estate back to the manufacturers and come to a reasonable balance. We know we can do this.”
For NASCAR, this week’s Talladega test had a short list of objectives. “We’ll look at what it’s going to take for (restrictor) plate size and some other things, but the main concern is how the cars draft, how they react in the draft, and obviously to get more one-on-one racing,” said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president of competition. “All of the input that we have from the drivers and the teams so far has been pretty good.”
The 2013 Chevrolet SS model was tested by Richard Childress Racing’s Jeff Burton, Kasey Kahne of Hendrick Motorsports, and Juan Pablo Montoya of Earnhardt Ganassi Racing. The 2013 Ford Fusion was tested by Penske Racing’s Sam Hornish Jr. and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. for Roush Fenway Racing. Driving the Toyota Camrys were Joey Logano of Joe Gibbs Racing and Brian Vickers for Michael Waltrip Racing.
You’ll find these cars in the slide show gallery below. For good measure, MCG included more photos tracking the development of the 2013 bodies through the past year or so. And even though the brand won’t be racing next year, we threw in the 2013 Dodge Charger for comparative purposes. Photos are courtesy of NASCAR, Ford, Chrysler, General Motors, and Toyota.
Note: You can find an update on the 2013 Chevrolet SS Sprint Cup car including a big photo gallery (minus camo!) here.
For a story and video about the aerodynamic body design of the 2013 NASCAR Ford Fusion, including CFD studies, click here.
For an exclusive, in-depth look at the 2013 NASCAR roll cage, click here. (Links open in new windows.)
Few people outside of NASCAR’s fan base truly appreciate what a good job NASCAR does with its regulations. The regulations consistently produce full grids, cost control, competitive racing, a huge TV audience, profits for the teams, and profits for the race promoters.
Those who don’t follow NASCAR see it as a crude form of racing pursued by a bunch of dim-witted hicks. But this perception fails to explain why former F1 world champs like Montoya or Villenueve have not dominated in their NASCAR efforts.
NASCAR racing on big ovals requires the utmost skill.
The Impala is all new for the 2014 model so I’am assuming NASCAR will just run the current Impala body untill then. Any info on that? Jim.
Chevy is introducing a new model, the Chevrolet SS. It is a re-badged Holden (Australian subsiderary of GM). It will be introduced here in the U.S. in 2013. That is the “zebra-striped”, camoflagued car you see in this picture. Nov 29th is the date that you will see it in regular racing team colors.