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Old 18 Mar 2022, 04:27 (Ref:4103034)   #9
skycafe
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Originally Posted by broadrun96 View Post
I do wonder if they will use the spec hybrid or go all out with a future Corvette hybrid system and smaller/lighter V8 in the car. That would be interesting but would it really be a Cup car then?
There was talk of Nascar going hybrid (I don't follow it anymore, but headlines will be on some broad motorsport news webpages. Also, Nascar is losing fan base (probably still?), partly because they shifted from tracks with personality and variety and went to a bunch of cookie cutter/boring tracks. That is I think they have expanded their road course venues, to try to lure back or grab attention of potential new fans (also, they don't have driver personalities like Petty, Yarborough, Allison, Pearson anymore. Those guys wouldn't fit the current corporate hack drivers they have now. But, anyway).

Nascar is marketing, their IMSA arm is too. GM is marketing, but also having to go innovative to continue on a world stage and home market. ACO is marketing too, and their race needs to be 'tech' to remain relavent on the guy on the street. Hendrick is marketing, his dealer network moves a lot of GM product. His mega successful racing side is a powerhouse in Nascar, and don't forget he was chosen for the Corvette GTP IMSA program, which was GM. It was not overly successful, but I don't think that was on the Hendrick side, more the GM parts bin being used to go against the likes of Porsche and the 962.

These Cup cars are unibody based, or a bespoke tube chassis-I know they are using a survival cell driver's compartment, like DTM, but DTM cars also are a monocoqe type carbon chassis (or my memory, knowledge, whatever is up a horse's a**).

Given the players, they would not have made the announcement if they had not modeled 'something' that will fit-in and not face plant. They can't afford the effect that failure would have marketing wise. Having to push hard in tech development enhances their IP and includes staff. This is going to be ala space program advancing to a moon landing, and will be approached that way.

Given the people, companies and the vehicle, it is going to pull a lot of attention of Nascar fans to that big race in France. Nascar (Bill France) did that in 1976 by pushing for a few 'Cup' cars to be allowed to race in Daytona 24 and at LeMans that year. He was looking to garner Nascar interest in Europe. He reciprocated by allowing the ACO GTP class to have an adventure at Daytona, that would later morph into IMSA GTP, and in Europe Group C.

That 1976 foray to LeMans can be looked at as a Garage 56 in ways. Marketing wise, certainly not tech wise.
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