by Lou Vailant

Created on: July 12, 2008   Last Updated: November 24, 2008

The Car of Tomorrow was seven years in the making and was started after the unfortunate string of deaths of many NASCAR greats. In 2000, NASCAR fans witnessed the deaths of Kenny Irwin Jr. and the grandson of NASCAR legend Richard Petty, Adam Petty, at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. In 2001, Dale Earnhardt perished on the final lap of the season's first race, the Daytona 500. The three reasons for the COT's research and development were: driver safety, improving competition, and cost management.

The premier reason for the development of the Car of Tomorrow was driver safety. A few target areas of the COT were taken into consideration: the driver's side door and roof section, fuel cell, and cockpit. The driver's side door area is guarded by a steel plate covering the roll cage, making a solid wall adding additional safety and support for energy absorbing materials. This steel "wall" prevents the possibility of debris piercing the side of the car and proceeding through the roll cage at the driver. The impact absorbing foam is installed between this roll cage plating and the side of the car. The fuel cell is an 18 gallon tank (up from 17 with the old model) with a stronger bladder, thicker housing and safer check valve. Impact absorbing material also surrounds the fuel cell. The cockpit has been widened another 4" and the roof raised 2.5". This, in addition to moving the driver closer to the center of the car, has been done to provide more room between the driver and any injuring components in the case of an accident.

When designing the Car of Tomorrow, one of the major concerns other than safety, was that of parity. Two new features of the new car are the adjustable rear wing and front splitter. The wing replaced the spoiler used on the old car from about 1974-2007. It allows for better balance and control in traffic than the spoiler and also resists causing "dirty" or turbulent air which had limited passing possibilities. It can adjust anywhere between 0-16 degrees in order to provide the maximum downforce performance possible for each driver and track combination. Even the side plates of the wing, which boast further force generation, allow for adjustability. The front splitter is adjustable from 4-6" up and down which changes downforce and aerodynamic capabilities. Both are identical in their purpose and possibilities, but by combining the two a team can create a more fine-tuned setup.

In a struggling economy everyone feels the pain, especially these race teams.

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