[SteveR]

RICHMOND, Va. -- Monday and Tuesday a significant step in the development of the "Car of Tomorrow" for the Nationwide Series happens at Richmond International Raceway when six prototypes of the vehicle that eventually will replace the current car are tested.

Each of the four manufacturers currently competing in the series were invited to bring up to two cars, with drivers of their choice, to the first "official" test for the car that appears to be slated to be put into use at the start of the 2010 season.

Roush Fenway Racing plans to have two Fords at the test, with drivers Carl Edwards, David Ragan, Erik Darnell and Colin Braun slated to get seat time. Chip Ganassi Racing has prepared a Dodge chassis that will be wheeled by Ganassi development driver Bryan Clauson and former CGR driver David Stremme.

Chevrolet will be represented by Richard Childress Racing, using Scott Wimmer as its test driver; and Johnny Davis Motorsports, with Morgan Shepherd and Danny Efland sharing the seat. Toyota plans to have a single Camry, constructed by Michael Waltrip Racing, at the test with David Reutimann driving it Monday and development driver Josh Wise on Tuesday.

Of the four manufacturers currently racing in the series, only Toyota has announced its model for the Nationwide new car, the Camry that currently races in both the Sprint Cup and Nationwide series. The new car type would include Chevrolet's new Camaro, Ford's Mustang and Dodge's new Challenger.

"NASCAR was looking for a pony car, or a car that's different than what we have on the Cup Series," said Laerte Zatta, Toyota program manager for the Craftsman Truck and Nationwide series. "But we don't have a model that is very different. The Camry, Corolla and Avalon are very similar in design, so we decided to just go with the Camry.

"We were very open with NASCAR, because the other manufacturers were considering different models, but we don't have much option."

When the so-called "new car" began its development, team owner Jack Roush ultimately lamented his organization's delay in "getting up to speed" with the car's development.

But in the case of the Nationwide version of the car, which will use the same 110-inch wheelbase chassis that has been raced in the Cup Series since early in the 2007 season on short tracks and road courses and on every track this season, Roush Fenway jumped into it from the beginning and according to several garage sources has already "successfully" tested its car at Iowa Speedway.

On the other hand, at least two teams with big presences in the Nationwide Series, current owner point leader Joe Gibbs Racing and Rusty Wallace Racing, have not even begun versions of the car.

Steve Desouza, JGR vice president for the Nationwide Series, said his organization was concerned about detracting from its championship effort, but that it could have a car ready for the second planned test of the car in about a month following the Cup and Nationwide weekend at Charlotte on Oct. 10-11.

Davis, who has fielded at least two cars for virtually every Nationwide race this season despite a constant sponsorship scramble, said his prototype was assembled after investing "about 490 hours and a lot of money."

"This is where this series is going, and we're in this for the long haul," Davis said. "So once we were convinced that this was what was going to happen, we decided to do it and get in on the beginning of this car's development."


Can it be true?! Will we see the Mustang, Challenger, and 2010 Camaro in NASCAR?!