Nationwide Series new car program steaming ahead (cont'd)

Doug Hervey, manager of Ford Racing Technology's North American operations, said the manufacturer was "95 percent certain" of what its model would be, but was not ready to announce it.

"We're leaning toward one over the other," Hervey said. "We've tested scale models of the car and will continue to do that, and we're totally on-track with our submission plans."

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Shane Martin, GM Racing program manager for the Nationwide Series, said that Chevrolet's program is akin to Ford's.

"Yes, GM Racing and Chevrolet have determined what model we will field, but are not ready to reveal that at this time," Martin said. "Each of the manufacturers had to make changes to their particular model per NASCAR's direction.

"All OEM [Original Equipment Manufacturers] are going through the process of making these changes as directed and will have [a] final NASCAR wind tunnel test with all four manufacturers currently scheduled for late May or early June.

"If all goes well, we will be on schedule for July 1 submission."

"NASCAR hasn't announced the final rules package yet, so it would be premature for Dodge to comment on what our plans are," said Mike Delahanty, senior manger of motorsports programs for Dodge. "We are on track to meet the deadlines required by NASCAR. Other than that, it's too early for us to reveal our plans."

Balash said that while the basic 110-inch wheelbase new car chassis that has been used, first for 16 races in 2007 and currently in all Sprint Cup events, will also be used in the Nationwide Series; the manufacturers' representatives said the fact that nothing is yet approved for the 2009 Nationwide new car has precluded any teams from starting to build one.

"The final body style approval does preclude any chassis construction by the teams," Martin said.

"Because of that reason, we haven't built any on-track models," Hervey said. "And we haven't supported any of our teams doing that either. But as soon as our submission is approved, we'll be able to go full speed ahead on that."

NASCAR has scheduled the first on-track test of the new Nationwide chassis following the Sept. 5-6 race weekend at Richmond International Raceway; and the three reps who were polled said they anticipated no trouble meeting that date.

Balash said the second 2008 test would be at a 1.5-mile facility.

A couple of team owners on Sunday at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez said their biggest concern was how the current schedule demands they have a great number of cars ready for different events, such as the current stretch that includes the intermediate track at Texas, the short track at Phoenix and the Mexico City road course followed by the superspeedway at Talladega on successive weekends.

Balash said the owners' concerns were being addressed.

"The teams have talked to us about the potential of having to go back and forth between one car and another," Balash said. "What we've looked at is a deployment schedule that keeps us on the mile-and-a-half tracks [because by that time] they've already used their speedway cars and their road-course cars of the current configuration, so that makes it a cleaner transition."