NASCAR Chevy Racing News
General Motors NASCAR News
June 13, 2007
General Motorsports statement regarding Earnhardt/Hendrick announcement: "Dale Earnhardt, Jr. has been synonymous with the modern era of Chevy Motorsports with his 17 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series victories and two NASCAR Busch Series championships, all powered by the legendary small-block Chevy V8. Dale, Jr. has a choice in his future direction. We are proud he chose to stay with Team Chevy - the winningest name in motorsports with 609 wins and 30 championships - to pursue his championship bid. On behalf of General Motors and Chevrolet, congratulations to Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Hendrick Motorsports on the announcement of their partnership. They epitomize the Chevy spirit of competition. We wish them success as they embark on their new relationship." Brent Dewar, General Motors North America Vice President of Vehicle Sales, Service and Parts (General Motors PR)
June 3, 2006:
Gilmore says GM needs to centralize engine program: Richie Gilmore, the general manager at Dale Earnhardt Inc., said that General Motors' racing executives may have to change the way they do business in order to compete against Toyota next season on the Nextel Cup tour. Toyota, a newcomer to the Nextel Cup, will be centralizing many of its key operations. Gilmore said that Chevrolet may have to do likewise, or at least make some major changes in the way that it approaches the sport. Gilmore said that Chevrolet's four independent engine-building operations may have to unify. "I really think that's something GM will have to do," Gilmore said. "We (Chevy teams) all work closely on engines, but it needs to go up another step (in centralization). We each spend a lot of money on engines, dynos and people. We have 78 people (building engines), and Hendrick has 120. (Salem-Journal)
May 30, 2006:
New GM engine? With the goal of having a new engine approved by NASCAR for next season, four Chevrolet teams are working in conjunction with GM engineers to develop the best power plant possible. (SceneDaily)
April 13, 2006:
General Motors committed to NASCAR, dispute layoffs: The news that General Motors plans to trim 30,000 workers and close nine plants left some people in NASCAR unsettled. They wondered if GM's business problems would affect the company's commitment to NASCAR. "I get asked that quite often," Mark Kent, GM's director of racing, said Wednesday from his Detroit office. "What I tell everybody is, although racing is a sport, companies engage in motor sports for business reasons. At GM, all our racing programs give us tremendous marketing value. It's a very cost-effective way to put our products and brands in front of automotive enthusiasts." To clear up any doubt, Kent said, "We're committed to racing." Chevy almost has to be in NASCAR. If GM withdrew its Chevy brand, its absence would give Ford and Dodge a huge marketing advantage. According to Kent, more than 40 percent of NASCAR fans own GM products. "Of NASCAR's 75 million fans, 13 million attend races," he said. "At many of these races, we are able to display our whole lineup of Chevrolet products. NASCAR fans buy new cars at a higher rate than the national average." (Mercury News)
Feb. 17, 2006:
Chevy to unveil new Chevy Racing ads: Chevy Racing celebrates its successes on the track with the launch of a new comprehensive advertising campaign by Deutsch Los Angeles. Touting an impressive win record of "25 of the last 33 Manufacturers' Cup Championships" and more than any other manufacturer, the television work includes a tongue-in-cheek look at Chevy's dominance in one of the country's most popular and dynamic sports. The campaign establishes "Team Chevy" - an exclusive club uniting some of NASCAR's most notable drivers and their supremacy driving Chevy's Monte Carlo SS race car. Chevy retains its tagline "An American Revolution," yet takes its advertising to a new level, adding a bit of humor with the executions. The first spot, "Toast," centers on racing superstars Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart, celebrating a handful of recent Team Chevy victories. As they recap their wins, they end with a twist on the classic NASCAR victory celebration of spraying champagne into the crowd - they casually pour their champagne over their heads. Team Chevy's long-standing domination of racing provides the irony for the second TV spot in the campaign. Entitled "Office," it shows Chevy's Racing Director, Terry, desperately searching for a place to display the latest spoils from NASCAR Champion Tony Stewart. Searching high and low in display cases, hallways, cubicles, offices and even drawers, he finds that every last square inch of the office is covered in trophies. Well, almost... "Chevy Racing is all about a passion for racing and winning and that excitement extends to our vehicle lineup, which is now America's No. 1-selling automotive brand," said Ed Peper, Chevrolet General Manager. "Deutsch found a simple, clear way to deliver that message with a couple of great humorous twists." The campaign breaks on February 19 during the Daytona 500 on NBC, and television spots will air nationally on NBC and Fox. Print executions will appear in USA Today and in racing program guides. Outdoor elements will be seen at Daytona 500 and web elements will appear on sites including "Yahoo! Fantasy Racing." (GM Racing Communications)
Jan. 6, 2006:
Leno to pace the Daytona 500 with Corvette Z06: A specially outfitted 2006 Corvette Z06 will serve as the official pace car of the 48th running of the Daytona 500, on Feb. 19. "Tonight Show" host and auto enthusiast Jay Leno will drive the pace car. Selection of the Z06 model marks the second consecutive year that a Corvette has been selected as the Daytona 500 pace car. The Corvette Z06 that will serve as the Daytona 500 pace car is mechanically identical to those available at Chevrolet dealerships. It is the fastest vehicle ever offered by Chevrolet and General Motors. With 505 horsepower (377 kw) and 470 lb.-ft. of torque (637 Nm) from its 7.0L all-aluminum, racing-inspired engine, the Corvette Z06 leaps from 0-60 mph in 3.7 seconds and has a top speed of 198 mph. It also differs from other production Corvette models with extensive use of lightweight materials, including carbon-fiber front fenders and a chassis comprised of aluminum and magnesium. A racing-ready suspension and large, 18-inch front wheels and 19-inch rear wheels help keep it glued to the tarmac, so it requires no drivetrain modifications to satisfy its role in front of the racing pack. In its official capacity, however, the pace car is outfitted with a variety of safety equipment and highly visible strobe lights. The Corvette Z06's 505-horsepower (377 kw) output is actually more than the power produced by the race cars that will compete in the Daytona 500 - a first for a pace car. This is because of the unique "restrictor plate" rule established for the Daytona and Talladega. racetracks. On these 2.5-mile-long super speedways, the restrictor plate reduces airflow into the engine to limit horsepower and keep race car speeds below 200 mph. With a restrictor plate, racing engine power is reduced from about 750 horsepower to about 450 horsepower. Race cars can still average more than 190 mph on Daytona's long straights. The Corvette Z06 Daytona 500 wears a unique paint scheme, inspired by the hot-to-cool color transition of a space capsule entering Earth's atmosphere at a high rate of speed. The paint scheme is carried out with an elaborate, interlocking scallops design - a twist on hot rod-style flames - that blends "hot" Lemon Drop yellow at the nose of the Corvette with Lemon Glow, Amber Ecstasy, Blazing Copper and Hot Poppy. The colors culminate with a cool Sapphire Trance blue color at the rear of the vehicle. DuPont, the sponsor of Jeff Gordon's #24 Monte Carlo, supplied the colors, which are from the company's "Hot Hues" line of automotive paint. (GM Racing PR)
Oct. 26, 2005:
Chevy Clinches Manufacturers Championship: As a result of Jeff Gordon's win at Martinsville this past weekend, Chevrolet collected its 29th manufacturers crown and the 25th of NASCAR's Modern Era, which began in 1972. Since that year, GM Racing has earned 27 of the 34 manufacturers titles, with Chevrolet collecting 25 of those for an impressive 0.79 winning percentage (Buick has won the title twice). To date, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 572 race wins, 448 occurring in the Modern Era. "To clinch the 2005 NASCAR Nextel Cup Manufacturers Championship with four races remaining in the season is an impressive accomplishment," said Mark Kent, director of GM Racing. "It has truly been a group effort with six different drivers, along with their respective teams and our team at GM Racing, contributing to this win for Chevrolet." (GM Racing PR)
Oct. 13, 2005:
Gordon to test new Corvette: Four-time NASCAR Cup champion Jeff Gordon gets behind the wheel of the new Chevrolet Corvette Z06 at Road Atlanta with SPEED Channel’s popular Test Drive program and host Tommy Kendall on Oct. 22 at 6 p.m. ET. “I had never been to Road Atlanta and I got the opportunity to drive one of the best Corvettes they’ve ever brought out,” Gordon said on SPEED’s NASCAR This Morning. “(The Z06) has a lot of power, handles fantastic and looks great – I had a blast.” Footage was also shot at the famed Le Mans road course in France with Corvette factory driver Johnny O’Connell. “This program brings together two great Chevrolet champions – Jeff Gordon and Corvette,” said Ed Peper, Chevrolet general manager. “There is no better example of the interaction between racing and production than the advanced technology that is shared by the championship-winning Corvette C6.R race car and the award-winning Corvette Z06, a 505-horsepower supercar that you can drive every day.” In addition to the new Corvette, SPEED Channel’s Test Drive program also has looked at the Pontiac GTO, Mitsubishi Eclipse, Ranger Rover Sport, and Jeep’s Grand Cherokee and Commander. Still on tap for SPEED this season are Test Drives with the Mercedes AMG cars and the Chrysler SRT line. (SPEED TV)
Aug 26, 2005
Former GM Racing operation manager, Fishel talks about the state of NASCAR: Fishel says his feeling is that NASCAR is stuck "on a plateau. "What NASCAR puts on the track each weekend has virtually nothing to do with what Detroit puts in dealership showrooms. What is hot is Toyota, and Toyota appears to be shying away from moving up to the Nextel Cup series. And if Toyota doesn't come, then Honda might not, either. And those are advertising dollars NASCAR would like to get. "Ask yourself - does Toyota need NASCAR to be successful? Does Honda?" Fishel said. So Fishel says there are big issues at stake here, big concepts to ponder, as NASCAR heads toward 2006. Fishel says he is worried about the increasing technological gap between what Detroit actually sells and what NASCAR actually races. Fishel also says he is worried about the costs of NASCAR racing. One move Fishel thinks that NASCAR executives need to make is basic, and possibly shocking. He says that the France family, which essentially owns the sport, should go outside the family and into the corporate world to hire a Fortune 500 CEO to run it. Fishel says it's time to start looking at the sport with "a clean sheet of paper. "Quite simply, let's face it, there is a better way of doing business," Fishel said. "This sport has grown exponentially the last 10 years, and a lot of people have been thrown into the business simply because there were opportunities, not that they were the most qualified. "And for a lot of these teams, the shortage of intellectual capital has caught up with them. There aren't that many great leaders. "Plus, you've got this conflict of teams with 20 or 30 engineers, at big salaries, and yet a product that is not compatible with their knowledge base. They need to be applying their skills to an appropriate product." (In part from Salem-Journal)
Aug 8, 2005
GM no happy with JGR to retest Thurs.: GM Racing needs to get its house in order. NASCAR didn't appreciate Joe Gibbs Racing bringing a 2006 Monte Carlo to Atlanta last week that was unprepared to get through the on-track portion of NASCAR's approval process. The car didn't make a target speed. How bad was the car? The team had to borrow springs from rival Ford, which had the Wood Brothers auditioning the new Fusion. "We dropped the ball," JGR team manager Jimmy Makar said. "There's really no excuse." NASCAR agreed to allow JGR and Bobby Labonte to return to Atlanta on Tuesday in an attempt to get the Monte Carlo up to speed. (Sporting News's Lee Spencer)
Aug 7, 2005
The New Monte Carlo fails to make minimum speed: Chevrolet’s first test of its new 2006 Monte Carlo proved to be something of a performance and public relations fiasco. The new Monte Carlo test car was built by Joe Gibbs Racing with input from GM Racing and taken to Atlanta Motor Speedway for its first on-track test Tuesday, two days before it was introduced to the media at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. According to GM Racing NASCAR Program Manager Pat Suhy, the new car lapped the 1.54-AMS tri-oval in “the 31.90-second range,” which failed to meet NASCAR’s minimum-speed targets. How slow was the new Chevrolet? Well, Ryan Newman’s pole-winning lap at Atlanta in March was 28.476 seconds and the slowest of the 49 cars that turned qualifying laps then was Morgan Shepherd’s Dodge, which lapped AMS in 30.222 seconds. (SPEED)
Aug 6, 2005
GM unveils the Monte Carlo SS: Chevrolet will debut an all-new Monte Carlo SS race car for NASCAR NEXTEL Cup and Busch Series competition in 2006. The new car will carry the legendary name and heritage of the "SS" line, relating to a powerful, new V-8-powered production Monte Carlo SS that is making its debut on the 50th Anniversary of the introduction of the Chevrolet Small Block V-8 engine. "We've won races in Monte Carlos for years, and it's exciting that we'll have a brand new one to race next year," said Jeff Gordon, four-time NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Champion and driver of the #24 DuPont Chevrolet Monte Carlo. "The new car looks to be even faster than the one we have this year and I can't wait to get a chance to race it. These cars are so fun and fast to race, and it's great that fans will now be able to come even closer to that experience with the new small block V-8 in the Monte Carlo SS."
The new race car was developed over a 14-month period using the full complement of engineering and design tools available to the people at GM Racing and Chevrolet. The company's engineers worked in concert with their key partners on pit lane, the real "customers" for the new Monte Carlo SS race car.
"We worked with all our Chevy teams to get their input on how to make a better race car, and I believe that shows in our new Monte Carlo SS," said Pat Suhy, GM Racing group manager for NASCAR racing. "We spent a lot of hours in our wind tunnel, coast-down test facility and on race tracks to make the Monte Carlo even better. Having the SS name on our new race car is important as it directly relates to the high-performance SS that the thousands of Chevy race fans can buy for the street."
The new race car retains the overall dimensions of the 2005 model, based on the sport's requirements. NASCAR continues to emphasize retaining stock dimensions, which means a good body design is essential for success in stock car racing. Unlike other manufacturers who race family sedans, Chevrolet remains the only marque in NASCAR racing that sells to fans the same two-door sports coupe that it races.
"I believe that in key areas we're able to work with our production counterparts to ensure that the race car is as good as it can be within the boundaries defined by NASCAR," said Suhy. "This shows in the front end design which retains some key characteristics that made Monte Carlo a winner and allows us to improve the race version even further. This should allow our teams to enjoy continued success across at tracks where we've historically been successful."
Following NASCAR approval, teams will begin building development cars in preparation for testing that leads up to its debut at Speedweeks. The car will make its competition debut at Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway in February, 2006.
The Monte Carlo was introduced in September 1969 as a 1970 model in the form of a firebreathing, 454 cu. in., 360-hp SS and made its NASCAR debut the same year. It has reigned as the winningest model since that time, with only a brief absence from 1988-1994. The Monte Carlo returned in 1995 and continued to take checkered flags around the country. In total, from 1971 to the present, Monte Carlo has scored 380 NASCAR Cup wins and led Chevrolet to 20 Manufacturers' Cup Championships (of 24) - more than any other nameplate. Every single victory came under the power of GM's legendary Small Block V-8 engine, which celebrates its 50th Anniversary in 2005.
On the street, buyers of the new Monte Carlo SS will notice the similarities to the car that is the choice of NASCAR stars. The exterior features large headlamps that have a premium, jeweled appearance with three independent lighting units. These details complement other high-quality attributes to provide an overall feeling of solidity. All models receive a sporty rear spoiler.
The muscular Monte Carlo SS has a new 5.3L small block V-8 developing 303 horsepower (226 kw) and 323 lb.-ft. (438 Nm) of torque, propelling it from 0-60 mph in 5.7 seconds. The 5.3L V-8 uses Displacement on Demand technology to regulate between eight-cylinder and four-cylinder operation, providing up to 8 percent improved fuel economy in certain driving conditions.
The Monte Carlo SS has a distinct front-end appearance, with a dual-split grille that has a black-diamond crosshatch pattern. The rear spoiler is unique, too, suggesting the purposefulness of NASCAR spoilers. Corvette-inspired bright exhaust outlets also are standard on the Monte Carlo SS.
Like a tuned NASCAR racer, the Monte Carlo SS comes with a unique suspension as well. The FE4 suspension, which is tuned to provide a sporty ride that complements the 5.3L small-block V-8's performance. It offers increased stiffness and ride control, with reduced body lean and greater high-speed stability. The 34-mm hollow front stabilizer bar and 18-mm solid rear stabilizer bar are larger in diameter than the bars of the two FE2 suspension settings, providing increased roll control. Eighteen-inch alloy wheels with W-rated P235/50R18 AL3 Goodyear Eagle RS-A performance tires are included with the FE4 suspension.
Monte Carlo shows several significant changes that continue to build upon the car's sporty heritage. With an unmatched lineage that reaches back more than three decades, the new Monte Carlo SS race car promises that "The Revolution Races On." (GM Racing PR)
June 27, 2005
Chevy and Ford submit prototypes: Ford and Chevrolet have submitted prototypes to NASCAR for the 2006 season. Ford's car is expected to be named the Fusion, and Chevrolet will retain the Monte Carlo brand. The big question surrounds Toyota. The NASCAR rulebook says "any new car model to be considered for approval for competition in the 2006 season must be submitted by the manufacturers to NASCAR for initial consideration not later than July 1." NASCAR officials will not confirm Toyota's intention to offer a stock car. There has been talk that Toyota will pull out of the Indy Racing League at the end of this season, which frightens the big three American automakers currently competing in NASCAR because of the generous budgets the Japanese company devotes to racing. An announcement regarding Toyota's intention could come as early as this weekend at Daytona--perfect timing for the July 1 deadline. (The Sporting News's Lee Spencer)
June 15, 2005
GM Puts their Future Young Guns to Test: So here he is on a warm afternoon in late May, at General Motors' Area 51 - Caraway Speedway, way back down in the woods from Shepherd's Mountain. He's talking softly with fellow racer Ross Thompson, just in from Phoenix, about the unexpected turn of events that brought them and 10 others to Caraway for GM's first computer-data driver auditions. With the stakes as high as they are, these guys should be nervous. After all, their careers are on the line in this three-day series of tests of 13 candidates by GM racing engineers. (More at Salem-Journal)
April 26, 2005
GM to keep Racing: Despite General Motors' quarterly loss of $1.1 billion, the largest deficit since the first quarter of 1992, the newly appointed director of GM racing, Mark Kent, will defend the racing program to stockholders and is optimistic that Chevrolet will be able to compete with Toyota when Toyota enters Cup, which is expected in 2007. Insiders expect Toyota's technology to make it a strong contender immediately(Sporting News)
March 21, 2005
GM and Ferrari? General Motors, or one of its NASCAR teams, may be working to create an engineering link with a high-performance engine-development company in Modena, Italy, that is run by Piero Ferrari, son of the legendary Enzo Ferrari of Formula One fame. That's the word from a Formula One website, which points to Chevrolet as the most likely connection because of GM's long relationship with Fiat, the parent company of Ferrari.\ The entire GM-Fiat-Ferrari relationship is undergoing changes, with GM paying Fiat $2 billion to get out of a contract that could have forced GM to buy Fiat. Fiat underwrites Ferrari's Formula One operations, but Fiat is the weakest of the world's big car makers, having lost $12 billion over the past five years. It's Formula One budget is $500 million a year. (Winston-Salem)
March 5, 2005
GM Heads Not Happy With Boris: Boris Said is in hot water with General Motors. After finally getting a Chevy deal to run the Cup tour this season, Said, a star road racer, has angered GM execs by jumping in James Finch's Dodge this week. "I got in a lot of trouble," Said said. "Jay Frye, my team manager, was mad. I really tried to get a Chevrolet ride, called and called and called. But they didn't help me. For some reason they've never really wanted to help me. "I was trying to be politically correct. But I didn't have a ride. But this is a good car and a good team, and I've known Marc Reno (the crew chief)." (Winston Journal)
Feb. 24, 2005
Chevy SSR Pacing the Field: A Chevrolet SSR will perform pace duties for the Auto Club 500 at California Speedway on Sunday, Feb. 27, and continue those duties for a total of 20 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races this season. This weekend will be the first time the Chevy SSR, a unique blend of an open-air roadster with pick-up truck functionality, will pace the field during the 2005 race season. "The Chevrolet SSR pace vehicle makes a bold statement on the track-just like our Chevy NASCAR drivers," said Brent Dewar, Chevrolet general manager. "Pacing the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup series provides a good opportunity to showcase the unique style and performance of the SSR, which now offers 390 horsepower." The 2005 Chevy SSR pace vehicle has a four-color paint scheme with a "Sling Shot Yellow" nose blending into hot orange and "Torch Red" racing flames throughout the body and ultimately transitioning to a "Kinetic Blue" truck bed. The event logo for each race will be featured on both door panels with a red Chevy bowtie displayed on the hood. (Chevy PR)
Feb. 17, 2005
GM Names New Racing Head: General Motors has named Mark Kent its new director of racing. Kent will oversee engineering and marketing activities for all of GM's motorsports programs, including NASCAR, NHRA, SCCA, Grand American, American Le Mans and IRL. Kent, 44, replaces Doug Duchardt, who held the position for the last two years. Kent has experience in powertrain development both for production and race vehicles. From 1987 to 1992, he held motorsports engine engineering and program manager positions for winning IMSA GTU and SCCA Trans Am programs. Most recently, he was the GM Powertrain design systems engineer for the Northstar V-8 line-up of engines. "Our racing efforts will benefit from Mark's motorsports engineering and program management experience and his competitive nature," said Steve Shannon, executive director of GM Marketing Services. "He has a strong track record of leading and supporting successful racing programs for the company." Kent takes the reins to GM's extensive motorsports program on March 1, 2005. (Chevy PR)
Feb. 11, 2005
Monte Carlo Redesigned for 2006: General Motors officials confirmed Friday they plan to submit a new 2006 version of the Chevrolet Monte Carlo for NASCAR Nextel Cup competition by the July 1 deadline. The production model of the car was unveiled in January at the 2005 Detroit Auto Show and again at the LA Auto Show, this time with four-time Cup champion Jeff Gordon on hand for the announcement. Dodge enters this season with a new model, the Charger, and Ford made small changes to its Ford Taurus entry. The new production model of the Monte Carlo features a more contemporary appearance, with new lamps and tightened skin shortening overall length by 1.2 inches and is expected to look more like its NASCAR competition version.According to the 2005 rule book, GM must cooperate with NASCAR to enable NASCAR to complete all necessary track tests, aerodynamic tests and other competitive analysis by Sept. 1. (ThatsRacin)
Feb. 10, 2005
NASCAR Chevy Safety Ad Campaign Kicks Off: A coalition of government, business, advocacy and sport today announced new television spots promoting the use of safety belts and the proper use of child safety seats. The Chevrolet Division of General Motors is working with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the National SAFE KIDS Campaign to air advertisements and public service announcements featuring NASCAR drivers Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Jeff Burton. "The first message from Dale Earnhardt, Jr. is to get people to buckle up, every time, on every trip," said Chevrolet General Marketing Manager Brent Dewar. "The second, from Jeff Burton, is for parents, caregivers and grandparents to make sure child safety seats are secured properly." (Yahoo!)
