CoT to run full-time in 2008

In January 2006, NASCAR announced a three-year roll-out schedule that would conclude with the new car running in every race by 2009, starting with sixteen events in 2007 and increasing to twenty-six in 2008.

However, the need for teams to run two parallel programs this year, one with the current car and one for the Car of Tomorrow, led to an initial raise in running costs during this season, besides other operational complications.

With the initial roll-out schedule, this situation would remain a negative aspect for the teams in 2008, but today's announcement means that they can now emphasize more on the development of the new car.

"We are proud of how the new car has performed at multiple tracks," said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR's Vice President of Competition.

"NASCAR, with the support of team owners, agreed that the new car is ready to compete at all NASCAR Nextel Cup Series events in 2008. Beginning next year the Car of Tomorrow is officially "the car", a Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford and Toyota."

Despite some criticism about the racing not being as exciting with the new car and the frustration of some drivers due to its handling characteristics, NASCAR states that the Car of Tomorrow has already showed its benefits on the track.

The average margin of victory through the first five CoT races this year has been 0.505 seconds, NASCAR statistics say, compared to 1.286 seconds at these same races a year ago.

Also, 13 teams have raced the same car in three of the five CoT races this year, while Kevin Harvick has driven the same in all five, proving that long-term the new car can prove more cost-effective.

It remains to be seen whether there will be further changes to the roll-out schedule of the new car, as the original plan does not include races at any 1.5-mile ovals, which are expected to place the toughest demands on the new car.