Eight cars of the new Nextel Cup design tested the draft at Talladega this fall. Credit: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images

Testing limited, but sky's the limit for COT pundits

When NASCAR decided to restrict the number of Nextel Cup tracks at which a team can test throughout the year to six, it was done so with the little guy in mind.

It was an attempt to even the playing surface and allow the smaller teams to collect as much data as the multi-car powers-that-be. In turn, that would make them more competitive on Sunday.

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But any good that has come about from that could soon be undermined by the Car of Tomorrow, scheduled for a spring 2007 debut at Bristol but not to be fully phased in until 2009.

That's two more years of exuberant spending on the current cars plus the COT line that will need to be in place for selected races.

"Where [larger teams] get the cars built and make them better, we'll just be building cars," Larry McClure, co-owner of the No. 4 Morgan-McClure Motorsports Chevrolet, said in October.

Garages will be busier than ever this offseason as teams prepare their COT for a Feb. 28 test date. Some teams still don't have a COT in their garage.

"It's expensive! It's not just the cars, it's also the R&D [research and development] and testing that goes into developing a new package," said Joe Garone, crew chief of the No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet.

The COT will first be phased in on the short tracks and road courses in 2007. The first COT will be used during the fifth week of the season. Superspeedway and intermediate cars will be needed before then. The COT is scheduled for 16 races next year and 26 in 2008.

"The problem is we can't stop working on our current car because 50 percent of the races basically are that to make the Chase [in 2007]," said Greg Zipadelli, crew chief for Tony Stewart.

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"We're building new current cars and Cars of Tomorrow. It's a waste of money."

The Car of Tomorrow was designed first with safety in mind. But while announcing plans for the project, NASCAR president Mike Helton at the time added, "the competition and cost improvements will prove vital as well."

Most owners don't buy that. More to the point, some owners won't be able to buy that.

"I haven't seen anything that we've changed lately that's saved us money," McClure said. "I just don't understand why [the COT is] here."

NASCAR expects the Car of Tomorrow to bring a competitive balance to the sport, and teams will save money in the long run because they will have one style of car for all types of tracks.

"The way we're getting beat is not by the designs of this car," McClure said. "We've been running five seasons without a [full-time] sponsorship. That's what makes it hard to compete with other people."

The owners of the multi-car teams also have their doubts. Richard Childress estimated he would need 21 COTs for 2007.

"It's going to be an expensive deal," Childress said. "But if it puts on a better show and it's safer, I think we all have to support it."

That's how Garone is approaching it in the Furniture Row shop, which currently doesn't have a COT.

"Sometimes you have to spend money to get into position to save money," Garone said. "The returns may not be overnight, but we have to have faith they will come.

"We need to remember the COT is largely here because of safety issues. A lot of work on NASCAR and the team's part has gone into the design of this car to help a driver survive the one hit that could hurt him."

Another area of chief concern within the garage is the amount of time it will take to prepare a COT, both in the shop and at the track. In time, Garone doesn't expect that to be much of an issue.

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"After the car is certified, the process should be about the same as it is now," he said.

NASCAR's intent to limit testing was to "encourage a more level field of competition and help teams be more cost efficient." Garone offers this compromise:

"Could we have the COT and open testing?" he wondered.

NASCAR has made its stance clear and no amount of grumbling is going to change it. The COT is here.

"I don't know how many are truly against the COT, but I feel in human nature we usually resist change until a level of comfort is obtained," Garone said.