NASCAR in the Next Decade: The Storylines that will Shape the Future
… begin with a few predictions before we take our first green flag of 2010.
The Car of Tomorrow (COT)
By any account other than driver safety, the COT has been a miserable failure, and many point to the introduction of the COT as a defining moment in the accelerated decrease in fan interest. Since making its debut, the COT has been one of the most controversial rule changes to be introduced in NASCAR. There is no question that NASCAR will eventually make changes to their ill advised COT …
Tags: Brian France COT NASCAR Sprint Cup
Danica Patrick to NASCAR…Hendrick Motorsports?
… NASCAR needs to focus on fixing the business model challenges for teams and improving the COT – so the on-track racing can return to what fans deserve and expect.
Treating NASCAR like an amusement park and adding a new “attraction” may seem like a good idea – but in the end, it will only disguise the fundamental challenges that may devastate the sport that many still love. And Danica, well, she may be just another bump in the road for NASCAR – and at the end of the day, …
Chrysler Bankruptcy: The Future of NASCAR Teams Hang in the Balance
… not come as a surprise that the new management from Fiat realizes the current iteration of the COT and the marketing platform offered by NASCAR is too expensive and doesn’t align with their new focus. Fiat/Chrysler’s new focus is on small fuel efficient cars and not on outdated large cars that inspired the NASCAR “Car of Tomorrow”.
Many sources strongly believed that Chrysler (Dodge) may pull its NASCAR funding in 2010. As many know, Dodge already slashed its motorsports budget …
Tags: Chrysler COT Dodge NASCAR
NASCAR – Is it Still Stock Car Racing?
… applicable in NASCAR – and is contributing to the eroding sales of the Big 3. Furthermore, the COT is alienating carmakers by further dividing marketing objectives of the carmakers and the value proposition of NASCAR.
The future of carmakers exists in plug-in hybrids – the combination of battery power and biofuels. According to Wired; it all starts in 2010. General Motors (GM) promises to have the Chevrolet Volt rolling into showrooms by then. Toyota says it will roll out a small fleet …
Tags: Alternative Energy Racing COT Dodge Fisker Automotive Ford General Motors GM J.D. Power & Associates Mike Omotoso NASCAR Plug-In Hybrids Prius The Car of Tomorrow Toyota Volkswagen
Update: GM Cutting Back on NASCAR Spending
… not renew contracts at two tracks — New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Bristol Motor Speedway.
Scott Cooper, vice president of communications for SMI, said nobody is panicking.
We’ve seen bad times with the economy before, and we’ll likely see them again, Cooper said Wednesday. At the end of the day, we’ve still got a sport that pairs up well with the American car manufacturers. We believe the sport will continue to have tight relations with those manufacturers.
Read the …
Tags: AP Bristol Motor Speedway General Motors GM Mark Kent NASCAR New Hampshire Motor Speedway Scott Cooper SMI Speedway Motorsports Troy Clarke
Cost-Cutting at GM Racing – NASCAR a Branding Problem?
… energy branding or a “green” platform – the recent implementation Car of Tomorrow (COT) – is nothing more than an antiquated “led sled” and continues a branding platform that labels the U.S. carmakers as gas guzzlers.
Some may ask, but isn’t racing and “green” technology or fuel efficiency an immediate dichotomy? The simple answer is NO – at least it doesn’t need to be.
I am the last person to believe that Ethanol fuel is the answer to our energy crisis or …
Tags: Car of Tomorrow Chrysler COT Ethanol Ford General Motors GM Honda Indy Racing League IndyCar IRL Mark Kent NASCAR Toyota Troy Clarke
The Nationwide Series Will Live Another Day – COT on Hold
… team owners in the Nationwide Series that they will delay the introduction of the Car of Tomorrow (COT) in the Nationwide Series by at least one year. According to Ramsey Poston, Managing Director of Communications at NASCAR, the reason for the change is because “testing and development” is still needed before the car is approved for competition.
While that does sound very nice and tidy, the real reason is far more ominous – and the decision was based upon the economic impact on the …
Tags: COT Dale Earnhardt Jr. economy NASCAR Nationwide Series
NASCAR All-Star Boredom
What is the COT? The Format? The Track? It doesn’t really matter because at the end of the day, the 2008 NASCAR All-Star Race was utterly boring. Honestly, I was shocked, because the All-Star race is normally one of the highlights to the long NASCAR racing season. The format traditionally included variables and rules promoting side-by-side “Saturday Night” style short track racing, but on a one and …
Car of Tomorrow (COT) – Friend or Foe for the Nationwide Series?
… Jr. provided a candid team owner’s perspective of the forthcoming change to the Car of Tomorrow (COT) in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. When asked about his future Sprint Cup plans with JR Motorsports, he said:
“I used to say no way, no way. But it’s almost as expensive to run in the Nationwide Series. And they’re going to bring a COT in and we won’t be able to race in the Nationwide Series with the COT probably. That’ll just be too expensive to switch all that over.” …
Tags: COT Jr. Motorsports NASCAR Nationwide Series
Toyota and Chevy Truck teams announced for 2004
… said McReynolds.
Toyota engines competed in the IRL series for the first time in 2003, and Scott Dixon won the series championship in a Toyota-powered car.
In another truck announcement Friday, General Motors will add to its role in the Craftsman series with sponsorship of three teams.
A Chevrolet Silverado driven by Dennis Setzer for Morgan-Dollar Motorsports will carry the Silverado sponsorship, while Jack Sprague will drive a vehicle sponsored by Chevy Trucks for Xpress …
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