The NASCAR Car of Tomorrow had company Thursday at Daytona International Speedway as NASCAR Research and Development officials put their prototype through its paces for a second consecutive week. This time, Petty Enterprises Kyle Petty (#45 Wells Fargo Dodge) joined NASCAR Director of Cost Research Brett Bodine on the track, guiding his gray prototype alongside the black, white and yellow NASCAR prototype. Thursdays test followed the second NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series session of NASCAR Jackson Hewitt Preseason Thunder at Daytona, the annual preseason tests at Daytona, and Pettys fresh experiences in his current car lent valuable perspective to the Car of Tomorrow test. Its different the way it sucks up in the draft, Petty said. Its different the way it feels around other cars. The nuance of the car is just a lot different.
Last week, Bodine and the NASCAR Research and Development team led by NASCAR Vice President of Research and Development Gary Nelson conducted the first Car of Tomorrow test at Daytona, spending time on solo runs, and gathering baseline information for the second test. Were just here to do multi-car runs, try to evaluate its effect on the second car, Bodine said. All the aero configurations that we worked on last week, were letting Kyle do all the analysis. He was just here (Wednesday) with his current car, so hes got a good feel for the differences between the two. Both Daytona tests were open to any teams that wished to test their prototypes. Bodine said the fact that only Petty Enterprises brought its prototype wasnt a hindrance to either tests success. Petty is one of several drivers who tested his teams prototype last October at Talladega Superspeedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway.
We can learn a good bit with two cars, said Bodine, a former NASCAR NEXTEL Cup competitor. Kyles been working with us since the beginning with this project. Hes been to Atlanta and Talladega, and now here at Daytona with us. Weve had a really good working relationship, and just the fact that theres only two cars, we can still learn a good bit about them. We already have.
In the final stages of a five-year project, the Car of Tomorrow represents NASCARs next major step in safety and performance innovations, and cost reduction. The redesigned chassis is boxier, with an open front bumper that catches air and creates drag one of numerous features aimed at minimizing aerodynamic dependence. Current tests are targeting on-track handling and balance, testing the effects of both a redesigned spoiler, and a wing similar to what is employed in the sports car series. Both are bolt-on pieces that could help teams tune cars more efficiently at more tracks, thus reducing fleet costs.
Many Thursday morning runs saw Petty following Bodine in a drafting mode, with the NASCAR prototype utilizing the spoiler, then the wing for comparison. During the afternoon, Bodine planned to follow Petty in the draft, with the wing and spoiler bolted on the Petty Enterprises prototype, to gather data and observations on the trailing car. Were trying the wing, were trying the spoilers, Petty said. Youre trying a lot of different stuff and I think youre still in that stage of development. I think thats a big thing. I think everybody jumps to conclusions oh my god, the Car of Tomorrow, its going to change racing, its going to do this. How do you know until you come up with the end product? And we dont have the end product. I think every time you take it to a race track, you get closer and closer.(NASCAR PR)(1-20-2006)
