Wednesday, October 26, 2016

Driver Participation Guidelines for 2017


NASCAR Updates Driver Participation Guidelines for 2017
New Guidelines Further Elevate Next Generation of Stars; Strengthen Series Identity
 
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (October 26, 2016) – In an announcement that will put an even brighter spotlight on the next generation of stars and bolster the identity of all three of its national series, NASCAR announced on Wednesday driver participation guidelines for the 2017 season. The new guidelines limit the number of events a premier series driver can race in the NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.
 
Starting next season, premier series drivers with more than five years of full-time experience will be eligible to compete in a maximum of 10 races in the XFINITY Series and seven races in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.
 
Additionally, drivers with more than five years of full-time premier series experience will be ineligible to compete in the final eight races in each series, as well as the Dash 4 Cash races in the NASCAR XFINITY Series. The final eight races are comprised of the regular season finale and the entirety of the Chase in each series.
 
Drivers earning premier series points in 2017 also are not eligible to compete in the 2017 NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Championship Races at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
 
“The updated guidelines will elevate the stature of our future stars, while also providing them the opportunity to compete against the best in professional motorsports,” said Jim Cassidy, NASCAR senior vice president of racing operations. “These updated guidelines are the result of a collaborative effort involving the entire industry, and will ultimately better showcase the emerging stars of NASCAR.”
 
Drivers with more than five years of full-time experience in the premier series still can run for an XFINITY Series or Camping World Truck Series championship, provided they have declared for championship points in the respective series.
 
Wednesday’s announcement signals the next step in NASCAR’s driver participation guideline evolution. Prior to the 2016 season, NASCAR announced that members of the 2015 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup field would be ineligible to compete in the 2016 Championship Race in both the NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. In 2011, NASCAR implemented a rule requiring drivers to select one of the three national series in which to collect championship points.
 

Tuesday, June 28, 2016

NASCAR Updates Sprint Cup Series Race Eligibility

NASCAR Updates Sprint Cup Series Race Eligibility   
Chase Provisional Implemented for Open Teams

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (June 28, 2016) – NASCAR today announced updated procedures for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race eligibility and new provisional starting guidelines for races during the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

Starting with Saturday night’s Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway (7:45 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), current year owner points will replace practice speeds for determining race eligibility and starting position in the event adverse conditions prevent Coors Light Pole qualifying from taking place. Starting in 2017, for the second and third events of the season, practice speeds for Open teams will remain the criteria used to determine race eligibility.

NASCAR also announced that Open teams that earn a berth in the Chase will be awarded a provisional starting position for every Chase race, guaranteeing those teams an opportunity to compete for the championship in NASCAR’s playoffs.

“These changes provide a more even competition field for both Charter and Open teams, rewarding strong performances over the course of a season,” said Jim Cassidy, NASCAR senior vice president, racing operations. “Earning a berth in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup is extremely difficult and requires consistent elite performance. Those teams should be guaranteed an opportunity to race for the title, and this ensures that will be the case.”
The creation of provisional starting positions for Open teams that earn a berth in the Chase has been discussed extensively with industry stakeholders.

The adverse conditions qualifying procedures remain unchanged for the NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.   


Friday, June 10, 2016

New Rules Package Additions

New Rules Package Additions To Debut At Michigan/6/10/16
NASCAR will debut rules updates for this Sunday’s race at Michigan International Speedway and use them again in the July 9 contest at Kentucky Speedway. The rules package developments are part of an industry-wide collaboration to further enhance the racing.
Recently, welded truck trailing arms and new brake cooling rules were put into place. The following updates to the rules package will be added at Michigan and Kentucky to further reduce downforce and sideforce:
·         Reduce skew generated sideforce by setting rear toe to zero (same rule used in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race)
·         Aero package tweaks to reduce aero-generated downforce and sideforce
o    Spoiler shortened from 3.5 inches to 2.5 inches
o    Splitter reduced to 2 inches
o    Resize of deck fin to match spoiler
The current rules package has generated some of the closest racing in years through the first 14 races of 2016. Highlights include three races setting track records for green flag passes for the lead, as well as two races featuring the seventh-closest margin of victory in NSCS history (since the advent of electronic scoring in 1993).

Saturday, February 20, 2016

NASCAR specifies penalties for behavioral issues

NASCAR specifies penalties for behavioral issues

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- NASCAR has strengthened the way the sanctioning body deals with behavioral issues as it relates to member conduct, both on and off the race track, with updates to its current policy announced Friday.

"It's an effort by the sanctioning body to improve the level of transparency within the grounds of how competitors' actions are dealt with both on the track and off the track," Jim Cassidy, NASCAR senior vice president of racing operations, said. "An evolution of the rules … to become more transparent to all participants involved, all stakeholders involved."

Cassidy said it was not an attempt to change the way drivers race.

"NASCAR is an aggressive sport," he said. "We understand the drivers are going to be aggressive to race for position. That is not going to change. That's a very significant point, it's spelled out in the rule and we understand that. 



"But we also understand that there are points in time when the competitors cross the line and they should have a better understanding of what exactly may transpire if it's determined they crossed the line."

NASCAR's current deterrence system dealing with competition issues rank infractions, from lowest (warnings) to Level P6 (most severe). That won't be the case under Member Conduct Guidelines outlined in the  2016 NASCAR Rule Book for all three National Series (Sprint Cup, XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series).

But the range of potential penalties does increase, depending on the severity of the action.

A confrontation that does not include physical violence, such as a simple shove, shouting match or "venting," could result in a meeting with officials, a warning or possibly probation.

Disparaging the sport and/or NASCAR's leadership, verbal abuse of an official, media member, fans, etc., or intentionally damaging another vehicle under yellow or red flag conditions or on pit road with no one around could result in a fine ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 and/or probation.

Actions more egregious could result in the loss of 25-50 championship driver and team owner points, in addition to increased fines and/or race suspensions or termination.

Those include physical confrontations with NASCAR officials, media members or fans, member-to-member confrontations with physical violence, attempting to manipulate the outcome of the race or championship and intentionally wrecking another vehicle.

An action such as "premeditatedly removing another competitor from competition in a dangerous manner when not racing for position based on the available evidence and specific circumstances of the incident" could result in a loss of 150-200 driver and owner points and/or a two-race suspension, indefinite suspension or termination.

Cassidy said the changes were not the result of any one specific incident, but "I would say what we have learned after talking to everybody is that everybody wants to understand more clearly where possible what potential ramifications can be in different scenarios.



"So this is an effort to go down that road," he said.

Thursday, February 11, 2016

NASCAR FAST FACTS - 2016 Procedural Changes 2/2016

NASCAR FAST FACTS - 2016 Procedural Changes  2/2016


Maximum Field Sizes / Corresponding New Points Systems
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series – Maximum 40-car field (36 Charter team cars, 4 Open team cars), race winner awarded 40 points, 40th place awarded one point.
NASCAR XFINITY Series – Maximum 40-car field, race winner awarded 40 points, 40th place awarded one point.
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series – Maximum 32-truck field, race winner awarded 32 points, 32nd place awarded one point

New points systems apply to driver, owner, and manufacturer championships. Existing 2015 Bonus points remain in place for 2016. 

Qualifying – NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Daytona 500 Specific
-          Thirty-six Charter teams will be assigned a starting position
-          Four Open teams are eligible for starting positions
o    The highest finishing Open team in each Can-Am Duel race earns a starting position
o    The final two starting positions are awarded to Open teams based on Coors Light Pole Qualifying if not already a top finisher in a Duel race
-          Qualifying sets the front row for the Daytona 500 and the starting lineup for the Can-Am Duel fields, with the number of Charter team and Open team cars split evenly throughout both races
-          If qualifying is cancelled due to weather, the top two finishing Open teams from each Can-Am Duel race earn starting positions in the Daytona 500
-          If the second Can-Am Duel race is cancelled due to weather, the highest finishing Open team from the first race earns a starting position, with the other three Open teams determined by qualifying
-          If both Can-Am Duel races are cancelled due to weather, qualifying determines all four Open teams
-          If qualifying and both Can-Am Duel races are cancelled due to weather, the combined practice speeds are used to determine the four Open teams
-          If all on-track activity prior to the race is cancelled due to weather, 2015 Owner points will be used to determine the four Open teams

All Other Championship Race events

-          Thirty-six Charter teams will be assigned a starting position and four Open teams are eligible for starting positions.
-          Qualifying results will determine the Open team starting positions assuming the event is run as scheduled
-          If qualifying is cancelled due to weather, the combined practice speeds determine the four Open teams
-          If practice and qualifying are cancelled due to weather, Owner points determine the four Open teams (events 1-3 revert to 2015 Owner points)

NASCAR Overtime
For all three NASCAR national series, a race may be concluded with overtime, consisting of a new procedure for a green-white-checkered flag finish featuring an “overtime line.” The location of the overtime line will vary by track.

After taking the green on the overtime restart, if the leader then passes the overtime line on the first lap under green before a caution comes out (a “clean restart”), it will be considered a valid green-white-checkered attempt. However, if a caution comes out before the leader passes the overtime line on the first lap under green, it will not be considered a valid attempt, and a subsequent attempt will be made.  If necessary, multiple subsequent attempts will be made until a valid attempt occurs.

Once a valid attempt is achieved (clean restart), it will become the only attempt at a green-white-checkered finish.  If a caution comes out at any time during the valid green-white-checkered attempt, the field will be frozen and the checkered/yellow or checkered/red displayed to cars at the finish line.

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

NASCAR Implements Team Owner Charter Agreement

NASCAR Implements Team Owner Charter Agreement

for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series

New Collaborative Business Model for Owners and Tracks Now in Place for 2016

 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 9, 2016) – During a historic event held today in Charlotte, N.C., NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France joined with NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team owners to announce a landmark long-term agreement that provides teams with increased business certainty and the ability to work more closely with NASCAR to produce best-in-class racing.



In effect as the 2016 NASCAR season prepares to kick off this weekend, the new Charter system addresses three key areas – participation, governance and economics – to promote a more predictable, sustainable and valuable team business model. The agreement grants NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Charters to 36 teams, establishes a Team Owner Council that will have formal input into decisions, and provides Charter teams with new revenue opportunities including a greater interest in digital operations.



“Today represents a landmark change to the business model of team ownership in NASCAR,” France said. “The Charter agreements provide nine years of stability for NASCAR and the teams to focus on growth initiatives together with our track partners, auto manufacturers, drivers and sponsors. The Charters also are transferable, which will aid in the development of long-term enterprise value for Charter members.”



The system affords Charter teams that remain in good standing more predictable revenue over the nine years of the agreement. Along with improved financial certainty, the new framework is designed to increase the long-term market value of teams and provide the ability to plan farther ahead with existing, new and prospective partners.



Similar to the five-year sanctioning agreements that NASCAR begins with tracks in 2016, team owner Charter agreements allow for longer planning cycles around competition, innovation, digital marketing, governance and research and development.



“The new Charter program strengthens each of our businesses individually and the team model as a whole, which is good for NASCAR, our fans, drivers, sponsors and the thousands of people who we employ,” said Rob Kauffman, co-owner of Chip Ganassi Racing. “This will give us more stability and predictability, and it will allow us to take a more progressive, long-term approach to issues.



“NASCAR and the teams share a desire to preserve, promote and grow the sport and ultimately produce great racing for our fans and partners. These common goals served as the foundation for discussions and helped bring us to this unprecedented agreement. This is a great step forward for the entire sport made possible by Brian France setting a new course for the NASCAR industry and the owners coming together on shared issues. Everyone involved then compromised a bit to be able to come up with something that worked for all.”



Each Charter team owner has a guaranteed entry into the field of every NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points race. To maintain the historical openness of NASCAR racing, the balance of the field will be open for team owners who do not hold Charters. These Open team owners will compete for the remaining starting spots and positions in the race, as each event in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ starting lineup shifts in 2016 to a 40-car field.



“The new team owner agreements will offer a more appealing environment for both current and prospective team owners at the NASCAR premier series level,” France said. “I’ve always stressed that if we can do things to improve the business of our stakeholders, we will pursue it. I’m very proud of what we’ve accomplished today with this agreement.”



NASCAR Charter teams

(Listed by historical inception of race team entity, then numerical)

2015 Car #
2016 Car #
Organization
43
43
Richard Petty Motorsports
9
44
Richard Petty Motorsports
3
3
Richard Childress Racing
27
27
Richard Childress Racing
31
31
Richard Childress Racing
2
2
Team Penske
22
22
Team Penske
5
5
Hendrick Motorsports
24
24
Hendrick Motorsports
48
48
Hendrick Motorsports
88
88
Hendrick Motorsports
6
6
Roush Fenway Racing
16
16
Roush Fenway Racing
17
17
Roush Fenway Racing
1
1
Chip Ganassi Racing
42
42
Chip Ganassi Racing
11
11
Joe Gibbs Racing
18
18
Joe Gibbs Racing
20
20
Joe Gibbs Racing
15
TBD
Michael Waltrip Racing
55
TBD
Michael Waltrip Racing
4
4
Stewart-Haas Racing
10
10
Stewart-Haas Racing
14
14
Stewart-Haas Racing
78
78
Furniture Row Racing
35
34
Front Row Motorsports
38
38
Front Row Motorsports
47
47
JTG Daugherty Racing
7
7
Tommy Baldwin Racing
13
13
Germain Racing
32
32
Go Fas Racing
23
23
BK Racing
83
83
BK Racing
62
62
Premium Motorsports
33
95
Circle Sport Racing
51
15
HScott Motorsports



The 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season will kick off with the Sprint Unlimited on Saturday, Feb. 13 and the 58th running of the Daytona 500® on Sunday, Feb. 21 at Daytona International Speedway®. The Sprint Unlimited and the Great American Race® will be broadcast live on FOX, MRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, with additional coverage on NASCAR.com.


Sunday, February 7, 2016

NASCAR GENERATIONS OF CARS

NASCAR -HALL OF FAME  2/7/2016

Generation 1 1952 Hudson
Marshall Teague built and drove the 1952 No. 6 Hudson Hornet sponsored by Hudson Motor Company, the first manufacturer in NASCAR history to support a race team. Teague's 1951 victory at Daytona Beach drew the attention of Hudson Motor Company leading to a sponsorship and allowing Teague to sign a second driver to his team—2013 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee Herb Thomas. Teague went on to win at Daytona Beach in 1952, marking the first back-to-back win on the beach-road course. Teague and Thomas won 10 races throughout the season, and Thomas finished second in points to champion Tim Flock. The Hudson Hornet's "step-down" frame design gave the car a low center of gravity greatly increasing its handling capabilities. Its "Twin H Power" carburetion system used two carburetors to power its potent six-cylinder flathead engine. The Hudson Hornet brand dominated NASCAR racing in the early 1950s with various drivers capturing 80 wins from 1951 through early 1955 and winning three consecutive championships in 1951, 1952 and 1953. (Photo Courtesy of ISC Archives via Getty Images)


1957 Chevy
Buck Baker, a 2013 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, drove Chryslers to his first NASCAR championship in 1956 but switched to Chevrolets the following season in support of a new, high-performance model known as the "Black Widow." It was the first American manufactured car made with racing in mind. During the 1957 season, Baker made 40 starts and led all drivers in wins with 10 and poles with six. He went on to take the championship title becoming the first driver to win back-to-back NASCAR Grand National (now Sprint Cup Series) championships. Owners Fred and Dianne Bowden of Monrovia, Calif., first discovered the car at a show at Auto Club Speedway and they jokingly asked if it was for sale. Fred saw the car a few years later and asked again if it was for sale, which resulted in a deal that made him the proud owner of a piece of NASCAR history. (Photo Courtesy of ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images)


1961 Starliner
Glen Wood, a 2012 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, and Curtis Turner drove the 1961 No. 21 Ford Starliner, an entirely stock Ford that came straight from a local dealership. The stock car was modified for performance and safety with a stripped interior, a roll cage and a reworked engine within NASCAR guidelines. The sloped roofline designed by Ford helped with aerodynamics on the newly opened superspeedways of the era that demanded increased speeds. During the 1961 season, the Wood Brothers team entered the Ford Starliner in 15 races. This car was a front-row starter six times and scored four top-five finishes. This particular model racked up six wins among three drivers in 1961. (Photo Courtesy of Eddie Wood / Wood Brothers Racing)


1966 Galaxie
Fred Lorenzen drove the 1966 No. 26 Ford Galaxie for Junior Johnson at the Dixie 400 at Atlanta International Raceway (now Atlanta Motor Speedway) on Aug. 7, 1966. On the heels of Ford Motor Company boycotting NASCAR, Johnson built this specially designed Ford and signed Lorenzen as the driver in an attempt to lure Ford back into the sport. The car was painted yellow and had a dropped nose, chopped roof and raised rear quarter panels resembling a banana. Lorenzen qualified third and was leading midway through the race when a front hub broke sending the car into the wall and out of the race. When Lorenzen crashed, a journalist said, "It's pretty hard to drive a banana at 145 miles per hour." The nickname stuck, and the car has been known as the "Banana Car" or the "Yellow Banana" ever since. This Ford ranks as one of the most controversial stock cars in NASCAR history. Its radical body design was used in only one race, but it brought attention to the need for body templates, which have been used in the NASCAR inspection process ever since. (Photo Courtesy of Jimmy Huston)


Generation 2



1969 Torino
David Pearson, a 2011 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, drove the 1969 No. 17 Ford Torino Cobra Talladega to his third NASCAR championship. Named for the famed superspeedway that opened the same year, the Ford Torina Cobra Talladega was a more aerodynamic version of the Ford Torino Cobra. Its sloped nose, smooth rear deck, rolled rocker panels and specially mounted front bumper helped the car slice through the air. During the 1969 season, Pearson took 11 wins and 42 top-five finishes in 51 starts. Ford won a total of 26 races that season including 11 consecutive wins between June 26 and Aug. 17. That year was the beginning of an era known as the "Aerowars," when Ford Motor Company and Chrysler Corporation competed to design the most aerodynamic car for NASCAR competition. The Ford model competed on both long and short tracks while the Chrysler counterparts were designed for use on speedways one mile or longer. The competition between the manufacturers continued through the 1970 season, with Ford taking the championship in 1969 and Chrysler in 1970. (Photo Courtesy of ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images)


1973 Chevy
Bobby Allison, a 2011 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, drove the 1973 No. 12 Coca-Cola Chevrolet Chevelle marking his return to team ownership after driving with Junior Johnson’s team the previous season. Allison carried the coveted Coca-Cola sponsorship with him when he left Johnson's team. With his brother Eddie serving as crew chief, Allison drove the Chevrolet Chevelle to two wins with six poles and 15 top-five finishes in 27 starts during the 1973 season. Throughout his racing career, Allison was one of the most popular drivers on the circuit. And now, years after his retirement, he remains one of the most popular figures in the sport. Allison began his career on the short tracks of South Florida before moving to Alabama in the early 1960s. Allison, his brother Donnie and fellow Floridian Red Farmer made up what became known as "The Alabama Gang" as they traveled across the state picking up win after win. Allison ended his NASCAR premier series career in 1988 with the 1983 championship title and, according to NASCAR records, 84 victories. (Photo Courtesy of Dozier Mobley / Getty Images)


1976 Chevy
Cale Yarborough, a 2012 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, drove the 1976 No. 11 Holly Farms Chevrolet Laguna S-3 to his first of three consecutive NASCAR titles. The Chevrolet Laguna S-3 was a specialized variation of the Chevrolet Chevelle that featured a slanted grill section and louvered rear side windows designed specifically for NASCAR competition. Team owner Junior Johnson contributed greatly to his team's success with engine enhancements to the car. Johnson was always an innovator experimenting with new technologies, which gave his team an advantage when NASCAR mandated a reduced engine size in 1974. By 1976, Johnson had discovered numerous performance secrets, and for several seasons his team was winning a third of the races held. During the 1976 season, Yarborough won nine races. Between Sept. 12 and Oct. 3, the team pulled off the rare feat of four consecutive victories. It was the beginning of a decade of dominance in NASCAR by the Junior Johnson team. (Photo Courtesy of ISC Archives via Getty Images)


1977 Oldmobile
NASCAR teams adopted the 1977 Oldsmobile Cutlass in 1978, and used them for three seasons. Inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee Richard Petty won the first time he drove this 1977 Oldsmobile Cutlass. The race was the famous 1979 Daytona 500, known for "The Fight" on the last lap between the Allison brothers and Cale Yarborough. While they were brawling, Petty drove by the scene to win his sixth Daytona classic. The Petty organization had moved to General Motors equipment in mid-1978 after finding that their traditional Dodges were not very competitive. For 1979, General Motors teams usually used this style of Oldsmobile on the larger tracks and found the Chevrolet Monte Carlo was best for shorter tracks. Petty drove this car in seven races in 1979 and four races in 1980. As you approach the car you will see it has battle scars and has never been restored. It is unusual to find a car from this era in its original condition. (Photo Courtesy of ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images)


Generation 3

1986 Chevy

Darrell Waltrip, a 2012 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, drove the 1986 No. 11 Budweiser Chevrolet Monte Carlo Aerocoupe for team owner Junior Johnson. Fresh off winning the 1985 championship in a Monte Carlo, Waltrip was asked to drive the newly designed model called the Aerocoupe, which featured a large, extended rear window giving the car an aerodynamic advantage. Waltrip had three wins and finished second in points for the year. He continued to compete with this model until May 1989 when it was replaced by the Lumina. During his time behind the wheel of a Monte Carlo Aerocoupe, Waltrip won 12 races and got the biggest victory of his career, the 1989 Daytona 500. (Photo Courtesy of NHOF Collection, Gift of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company)


1990 Chevy
Dale Earnhardt, a 2010 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, drove the 1990 No. 3 Goodwrench Chevrolet Lumina to his fourth NASCAR championship. The body style of the Lumina was introduced in mid-1989 replacing the highly successful Monte Carlo. The Lumina featured a smaller frontal area than previous models, which helped it cut through the air and gave it a competitive edge. Luminas also had V8 engines and rear wheel drive while showroom versions had V6 engines and front wheel drive, marking the first time the race car was a complete technological departure from the street version. In 1990, roof strips were added to NASCAR race cars including the Lumina in an effort to keep them on the ground in the event of a spin. During the 1990 season, "The Intimidator" had nine wins and four poles. From 1981 to 1991, Earnhardt was the most successful driver with four championships and 46 wins. Throughout his NASCAR premier series career, he racked up seven championships tying with Richard Petty for the most championship titles. (Photo Courtesy of ISC Archives via Getty Images)


Generation 4

1994 Chevy

Gordon's breakout season was 1994, when he captured the first victory of his NASCAR premier series career in the No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet Lumina. At age 22, he was on track to become a NASCAR superstar. His first win was the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the longest on the NASCAR schedule. Gordon started the race from the pole position and led the first lap but then sat back like a wily veteran. He bided his time and kept the leaders in sight realizing the length of the race would take a toll on his equipment. With nine laps remaining, Gordon passed Ricky Rudd for the lead and held on for his first of 88 victories. His margin of victory was nearly four seconds over Rusty Wallace. In Victory Lane, Gordon celebrated with his crew, his team owner Rick Hendrick and his crew chief Ray Evernham. (Photo Courtesy of Dozier Mobley / Getty Images)


2000 Ford
Rusty Wallace, a 2013 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, drove the 2000 No. 2 Miller Lite Ford Taurus to his 50th career victory at the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway, the same track where he had his first career win in 1986. During the 2000 season with team owner Roger Penske, Wallace picked up four wins and led all drivers with nine poles. Wallace began his NASCAR premier series career in 1980 making a bold statement by finishing second for the season. Over the years, he became known as a master of the short tracks. During his NASCAR premier series career, Wallace racked up the 1989 championship title, 55 victories and finished in the top 10 in points for 17 of his 22 full seasons as a driver. He retired from driving in 2005 and became a respected broadcaster. (Photo Courtesy of Jamie Squire / Getty Images)


2001 Dodge
Bill Elliott drove the 2001 No. 9 Dodge Intrepid R/T, marking Chrysler Corporations return to NASCAR competition after nearly a quarter of a century. Dodge asked renowned crew chief Ray Evernham to help bring the brand back to the sport. Evernham signed 1988 NASCAR champion Bill Elliott, a NASCAR veteran and a master of the superspeedways, as the lead driver for the team. The Dodge Intrepid was extensively tested in the wind tunnel before hitting the racetrack to ensure the car was aerodynamically competitive. The car made its debut at the 2001 Daytona 500 and was immediately successful with Bill Elliott setting the pole speed at 183.565 mph and finishing in the top five. The first win in a points-paying race for the new team came at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November 2001. During the 2001 season, Elliott had one win, two poles, four top-five finishes and nine top-10 finishes. Since the beginning of his NASCAR premier series career in 1976, Elliott has captured 44 wins and 55 poles in his more than 700 starts. (Photo Courtesy of Jamie Squire / ALLSPORT via Getty Images)


2006 Chevy
Jimmie Johnson drove the 2006 No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the final race of the season on Nov. 19, 2006, capturing his first of six championship titles. During the 2006 season, Johnson picked up five wins and 24 top-10 finishes in his 36 starts. He came to the Ford 400 with a 63-point lead over Matt Kenseth. Johnson started the race in 15th and had a conservative run only leading for two laps of the race. He finished ninth and beat Kenseth for the championship title by 56 points. He was virtually unstoppable for the next four seasons racking up an amazing five consecutive championships. With the help of his crew chief Chad Knaus and team owner Rick Hendrick, Johnson found Victory Lane a total of 66 times from his first win in 2002 through 2013. On Nov. 17, 2013, Johnson won his sixth NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship within eight years, an unprecedented achievement in the history of NASCAR. (Photo Courtesy of ISC Archives via Getty Images)


Generation 5

2008 Chevy
Dale Earnhardt Jr. drove the 2008 No. 88 National Guard Chevrolet Impala SS during his first year with Hendrick Motorsports. He excited his fan base by winning the non-points Gatorade Duel, a Daytona 500 qualifying race and his first race with the team. He went on to win the Lifelock 400 at Michigan International Speedway later that year. The new Chevrolet Impala SS was known as a "COT," or Car of Tomorrow, because of its advanced safety features and stability. NASCAR Research and Development took the lead in designing the Chevrolet Impala SS. The car featured the universal chassis used by all teams but had a customized engine, nose and tail sections, and side windows. It also featured a large rear wing and a splitter mounted on the front for advanced handling and aero-adjustment options. Added safety features included a taller roof for easier entry and exit for the driver, energy-absorbing foam panels on the doors and a seat that was set several inches to the center of the car. (Photo Courtesy of Sam Greenwood / Getty Images)


2011 Chevy
Tony Stewart drove the 2011 No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet Impala to victory at Homestead-Miami Speedway for the final race of the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. He came to the Ford 400 locked in a tight point battle with Carl Edwards, who was ahead by three points. Edwards won the pole and Stewart started at a distant 15th. During the high-stakes race, Edwards came to the front several times, but Stewart took the lead at lap 123 and then for good on lap 232 of the 267-lap event. Stewart beat Edwards to the line by 1.3 seconds for his 44th career victory. In an unprecedented event, both Stewart and Edwards tied with 2,403 points for the season. The tie was broken based on the number of wins each driver acquired during the year. Tony Stewart was awarded his third NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship with five wins for 2011 while Edwards, with one win, came home second. (Photo Courtesy of Todd Warshaw / Getty Images for NASCAR)


Generation 6

2013 Toyota
Matt Kenseth drove the 2013 No. 20 Dollar General Toyota Camry during his first year with Joe Gibbs Racing. The inaugural year of the Gen-6 car was a successful year for Kenseth—he earned the most wins with seven, had 12 top-five finishes, 20 top-10 finishes and came in second in points. It was his best season since he won the Winston Cup (now NASCAR Sprint Cup Series) championship in 2003. The new Gen-6 car featured stock-appearing bodies in an effort to put the "stock" back in stock car. The body panels came from the manufacturer as they did in past generations. The hood and rear deck lid were made from carbon fiber for strength and a lighter weight. Extra bars were added to the interior of the car for safety—one bar runs from the floor to the top of the windshield and another runs along the top of the windshield giving extra support to the roll cage and the frame. (Photo Courtesy of Chris Graythen / Getty Images)