In a meeting with NASCAR team owners Tuesday the sanctioning body announced that the newly redesigned Nationwide Series racecar would make its limited debut in 2010 with an eye towards becoming the full time racecar in 2011.
The 2010 schedule calls for 5-6 races for the car.
"We had a very productive meeting this morning (Tuesday, July 28) with the team owners from the NASCAR Nationwide Series about the rollout schedule for that series’ new race car,” said NASCAR vice president of competition Robin Pemberton. "In the days ahead, we will digest what was discussed today and make a final decision on the rollout for next season with full anticipation of integrating the new car for the entire 2011 schedule."
While the exact make of the cars from Dodge, Chevrolet and Toyota haven’t been finalized, Ford announced Tuesday afternoon that they would campaign the 2010 Mustang.
Brian Wolfe, director of Ford North America Motorsports, made the announcement.
“We’re excited about Mustang coming to NASCAR,” said Wolfe. “It’s the most successful product nameplate in racing history, and it seems only right that it should be coming to the most popular form of racing in North America..jpg)
“We had been talking with NASCAR for some time about Mustang as part of its vision for a ‘muscle car’ rollout for the Nationwide Series. We both saw it as a way of differentiating the series from Sprint Cup,” said Wolfe. “We loved the idea, so we jumped on the chance to extend Mustang's racing legacy to a new series reaching a huge and loyal audience. Mustang has dominated other forms of racing, including NHRA drag racing, Grand-Am Cup road racing, and Formula D drifting, and now it’s coming to NASCAR Nationwide.
I think race fans – and Mustang loyalists - will be very pleased when we publicly roll out the first car later this fall.”
Wolfe said they have gone through the NASCAR submission process for the new car and once templates are finalized, manufacture of Mustang parts will start so teams can build the first cars for testing later this fall.
“We’re excited about the new car in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, and particularly the new body styles such as the Ford Mustang,” said NASCAR President Mike Helton. “It’s going to be one good-looking race car.”
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Comments
NASCAR implied GM would remain with the Impala SS and Toyota with the Camry for NNS. Dodge is expected to use the Challenger body shell.
The Challenger was on track testing last Sept. at Richmond.
From what I've seen & heard, Chevy will use the new Camaro.
Of course Toyota didn't make a "pony car" ~40 years ago, but I've heard that maybe a new 2-door street car will be introduced that fits in the same basic category. Modified version of a Camry most likely, but no details.
Would Honda want to use a 2-door Accord or Acura? Could be interesting, but IMO, going to cars based on Mustang, Camaro, Challenger styles is an excellent idea & I'd rather watch those than the "COT".
Art - "From what I've seen & heard, Chevy will use the new Camaro."
Last I heard Chevy begged out of using it.
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