| In racing, the standards of tomorrow are
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| | the series grow."
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| created by the testing of today. No part
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| | While the engine was the main attraction,
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| gets into a manufacturer's catalog or
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| | the body was facing its own test.
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| onto a retailer's shelf without going
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| | Previously, these cars had steel bodies
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| through some type of testing.
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| | and body replacement was a time consuming
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| When a change comes about in the sport,
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| | and costly step for the teams. It was a
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| the process that brings on the change
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| | necessary evil because many have sponsors
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| involves testing. At the PRI show in
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| | who want their products to stand out, and
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| Orlando in December 2005, there was
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| | it won't happen on a battered body.
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| plenty of interest in an engine sitting
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| | "We'll be getting these bodies from one
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| on a stand in the NASCAR booth. The
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| | manufacturer, who will have a distributor
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| engine was a piece that could be destined
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| | network. We know the teams were spending
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| for use in the Grand National West and
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| | $10,000-$15,000 to hang a new body. The
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| Busch East series if all goes well. At
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| | lesser teams were forced to buy bodies
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| the point of the display, initial testing
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| | that had been cut off other cars. The
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| had been done, but there was more to
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| | composite bodies are much more cost
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| come.
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| | effective. They are pretty flexible and
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| The next phase of testing happened at USA
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| | much easier to repair," said Roy.
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| International Speedway in Lakeland,
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| | Roy said the Richard Petty Driving
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| Florida, in mid-January. It was the same
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| | Experience had switched to the composite
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| location as the previous tests. There may
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| | body and found substantial time and labor
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| have been some changes from the display
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| | savings. The bodies will be used for the
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| engine to the track, but those changes
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| | Busch East and the Busch West series, but
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| were not obvious. Some parts may have
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| | there's a small concern. The rules are
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| been swapped to see if a certain
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| | not exactly the same, as one series uses
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| manufacturer should be preferred over
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| | cars with a 105-inch wheelbase and the
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| another. After all, one goal of the test
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| | other requires a 110-inch wheelbase. To
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| is to determine the menu of best parts
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| | accommodate this, the manufacturer will
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| for the competitor.
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| | sell the bodies without the wheelwells
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| Wegner Automotive Research has played a
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| | cut out, leaving it to the teams. Fitment
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| key role in the development of the engine
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| | is not expected to be an issue. The
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| and was on hand at the test to make
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| | 105-inch car that was tested looked fine.
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| adjustments and try new components as
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| | Chevrolet Monte Carlo Race Car front
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| needed.
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| | drivers side view side half
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| For the test mule, NASCAR reached out to
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| | The car on pit road. This gives you a
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| Grizco Racing, the North Carolina-based
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| | good look at the composite body, another
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| team that finished First and Second in
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| | innovation in the works for Grand
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| NASCAR Busch North Series point standings
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| | National competitors in 2006. The body
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| last year. (Note: The Busch East Series
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| | could save the teams time and money
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| is the new name of the Busch North
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| | during the course of a season.
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| Series.) On the first day, veteran Brad
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| | While the body was facing its own
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| Leighton took the wheel for the laps
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| | perusal, the engine was getting plenty of
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| around the 3/4-mile speedway. On day two,
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| | fine-tuning. Squirters in the carburetor
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| the chore fell to series Rookie of the
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| | were changed after a few laps during the
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| Year Sean Caisse. Defending series
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| | morning session. Near the end of the
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| champion Andy Santerre, who will focus on
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| | morning run, a new intake manifold was
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| a management role with the team in 2006,
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| | brought in for a trial by fire.
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| supervised the testing.
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| | At the end of the testing, the car was
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| The engine had been developed by renowned
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| | transported back to North Carolina. The
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| engine builder Carl Wegner of Wegner
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| | engine was removed and the time-consuming
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| Automotive Research, and Wegner's team
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| | process of parts analysis was set to
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| was present to handle all adjustments.
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| | begin.
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| After having 17 percent humidity for the
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| | Roy remarked that there was a growing
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| first day, the reality of Florida kicked
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| | interest in the Busch East Series, and
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| in as the humidity was 80 percent on day
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| | the development of the engine and body
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| two. Air temperature lingered in the
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| | could really spur the continued growth.
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| mid-60s with the track temperature
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| | "From what we've seen, this engine holds
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| starting off at a cool 59 degrees.
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| | up well," said Santerre. "It runs very
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| Weather readings were regularly taken
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| | competitive lap times. For anybody new
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| throughout the day.
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| | coming into the Grand National division,
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| After a period of adjustments, including
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| | they should be able to put this type of
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| spring changes and the early discovery
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| | engine in their car and know they're
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| and replacement of a faulty brake rotor,
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| | going to be competitive at the racetrack.
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| the laps started to mount. The goal on
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| | If this motor doesn't show any signs of
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| this day was to run about 400 laps, which
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| | fatigue after this test session, I think
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| would be close to 300 miles. That is well
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| | that's a great sign for the future of the
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| in excess of the ordeal these cars
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| | spec engine."
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| typically endure on a given weekend.
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| | The last day of testing included several
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| On hand to watch the test was NASCAR
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| | long-distance runs, and the car showed no
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| Busch East Director Lee Roy, who
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| | obvious signs of reduced performance. The
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| explained the idea behind the new engine.
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| | true test comes when the parts are
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| "Our objective is to develop an engine
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| | removed and inspected. NASCAR officials
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| that will keep a similar horsepower
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| | will make a determination on specific
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| figure, lessen the rpm, and cost less
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| | parts to be required in the engines,
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| than half of what the competitors are
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| | which will allow the engines to be built
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| paying now for a built engine. Carl
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| | by anyone. A complete parts list was
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| [Wegner] came up with a good package that
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| | expected to be available a few weeks
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| hits the goal on the cost. With effort to
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| | after the latest testing, with the
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| get a spec engine and the composite body,
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| | possibility of more testing down the
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| we are taking two of the areas of largest
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| | road. There is no set timetable since
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| cost and cutting them by half or more. We
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| | NASCAR wants to be certain of its engine
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| think that will help us keep the
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| | before offering it to competitors.
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| competitive nature of the series and help
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|
