Ford Mustang, Dodge Challenger Headed to NASCAR in 2010
Forget the Fusion and Avenger, the 2010 Ford and Dodge NASCAR racers will be mean street machines and real pony cars. That’s right, the Mustang and Challenger.
Both cars are expected to be closer to stock than any car in recent history, but that’ s not saying much.
The move was made by the NASCAR governing body in an effort to help the series. In the past both GM and Ford warned that the current Cup cars would turn NASCAR into a spec-racing series with every car not only being similar but looking the same. This, they argued, would in turn lead to a lack of brand identification and, therefore, a loss of interest in the series.
It seems they were right.
NASCAR has suffered a significant drop in not only attendance figures and souvenir sales, but also in TV ratings – indicating that the problem is in fact a lack of interest and not a lack of funds.
The new cars actually won’t be all that different, but they will look different, something that NASCAR is most likely hoping will be of interest to manufacturers looking to capitalize on some marketing.
Despite the move by Ford and Doge, GM will continue to run the Impala SS rather than the 2010 Camaro. Also, Toyota is continuing on with its Camry, mostly because it doesn’t have anything else. The sole Japanese automaker in NASCAR recently dropped the two-door Solara from its lineup.
[Source: Fox Sports]
With AutoGuide from its launch, Colum previously acted as Editor-in-Chief of Modified Luxury & Exotics magazine where he became a certifiable car snob driving supercars like the Koenigsegg CCX and racing down the autobahn in anything over 500 hp. He has won numerous automotive journalism awards including the Best Video Journalism Award in 2014 and 2015 from the Automotive Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC). Colum founded Geared Content Studios, VerticalScope's in-house branded content division and works to find ways to integrate brands organically into content.
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The biggest thing I hate about NASCAR is the chase!!! 12 drivers in it and 31 just going around and not meaning anything!!! The chase is what is killing NASCAR!!!
Gentlemen and ladies of Nascar, Why did you keep the " Pony Wars " such a secret! I was greatly and happily surprised when I saw first the Mustang racing then the Challenger racing,both on the same track,last Saturday 3/5/2011 at Las Vegas.Boy, did that bring back good memories of the good old days of Trans Am Racing!!!!!!Whoever thought this one up should get a raise!!!If you wnat to bring me back as a fan,you have!Thank you.Be still my heart,could there be a possibility of Can Am Racing coming back!But wait did somebody never think that NASCAR would put a Mustang and a Challenger on one or more of their tracks,stranger things have happened!!!