Impala chosen for NASCAR Cup races, Monte Carlo snubbed
NASCAR may be saying goodbye to the Monte Carlo. Although it has been the most successful car in Nextel Cup racing history, GM has apparently gotten approval from NASCAR to replace it. According to a report in the Charlotte Observer, NASCAR has given General Motors permission to drop the Monte Carlo SS, and replace it with the Impala SS. This despite the fact that the Monte Carlo has the most Cup wins of any model in history with 400. Sources told the Observer a Hendrick Motorsports built Impala SS by will be unveiled at the official announcement Friday at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
The Impala actually won the Cup way back in 1960 and 1961, but the Monte Carlo took over the NASCAR duties for Chevy after its debut in 1969. The Monte didn't actually race until 1971, but it captured the pole for its first race at the 1971 World 600 at what is now Lowe's Motor Speedway. The new Impala SS will run in 16 Nextel Cup races next year, according to the Observer. It will be used as Chevrolet's version of NASCAR's "car of tomorrow." In races where they aren't using the "car of tomorrow," Chevy teams will still use the Monte Carlo.
[Source: ESPN via GM Inside News]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Howard Kerr 5:01PM (10/24/2006)
Big deal. The cars used in NASCAR-type races bear almost no resemblance to those found in dealer showrooms. And since pretty much all the other manufacturers are running "2 door" versions of their 4 door sedans...Chevy is just falling into line with everyone else.
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fizzandpop 5:06PM (10/24/2006)
So they're going to remove the stickers on the front of the car that look like the lights from a Monte Carlo and replace them with stickers that look like the lights from an Impala. C'mon, we all know that these aren't actually "stock cars". They should just drop the model names altogether.
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Fabulo 5:05PM (10/24/2006)
I'm confused.
So they are going to change the _name_ of the race car in Nascar to "Impala SS", right? The sticker will read something different.
Still the same tube built chassis, carburated v8 engine, 5 speed transmission, RWD, fiberglass shell thing?
Your post reads like there was an actual Chevy Monte Carlo racing and that car is being replaced by an actual Chevy Impala SS.
Nascar really blows.
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JCWhitless 5:16PM (10/24/2006)
I think they should go back to real 'stock car' racing. You know, swapping paint door to door, Camry vs Monte Carlo....all trying to get out of the way of the Charger
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champcarfan 5:34PM (10/24/2006)
Alright! New headlight stickers
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Greg 5:19PM (10/24/2006)
Everyone immediatly says the same thing... 'big deal, it's all fake anyway'.
And that is the truth!
NASCAR junkies, correct me if I am wrong.
What's 'stock' about any of the cars that are on the track today?
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dejal 5:44PM (10/24/2006)
"Still the same tube built chassis, carburated v8 engine, 5 speed transmission, RWD, fiberglass shell thing?"
4 speed, metal (except for bumper caps). Still don't look for real production cars.
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rrhyne56 5:53PM (10/24/2006)
I think its the height of hilarity that they are making any kind of a deal whatsoever out of the name in the first place. There is nothing to be said that has not been said already so I'll just leave it a a big hearty laugh at the whole farcical acronym "NASCAR" and wish for the olden days of racing in cars off the showroom floor down the beach at Daytona. That'll never happen, the die has been cast and the moola is a flowin'.
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Cody 6:56PM (10/24/2006)
And anyone could care less? I'm not even a nascar fan and I know they are not real production cars. just tube chassis with a template body.
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fizzandpop 5:54PM (10/24/2006)
Not that the BTCC and DTM are paragons of stock (apparently Audi's DTM engines are more complex and expensive to build than most F1 engines). But at least it's a race against the engineering skills of each manufacturer. NASCAR has gone way too far into the racing-as-entertainment side of things. The application of NASCAR race technology to road cars stopped some time in the early seventies. When a tire comes of an F1 it's immediately shipped back to the manufacturer under the tightest of security. When a tire comes off a NASCAR car, it's turned into a coffee table by a race fan. I know that domestic manufacturers so use domestic racing to improve the breed, but shouldn't the nations #1 form of motorsport be the country's #1 source of car development?
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Corey W. 5:54PM (10/24/2006)
I wish NASCAR would go back to real stock car racing...
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dodgeboy 6:14PM (10/24/2006)
how do you spell boredom CHEVY
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5 Watt 6:34PM (10/24/2006)
I don’t know why everyone things the headlight stickers are going to change. The Impala and MC have the same headlights. What will change are the taillight stickers and the rear window design. The real news here is that confirms form GM that the MC will end in 07.
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chewy 8:46PM (10/24/2006)
Doesn't matter, like other have said, just different decals.
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Big Jim 7:36PM (10/24/2006)
Now if you were saying the Lumina was coming back, that would be something to get excited about.
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Edsel 7:36PM (10/24/2006)
NASCAR racing is the "Big Top" event of a Barnum & Bailey style spectacle. Thrills and spills for the masses while the French family laugh all the way to the bank. That's entertainment.
"There's a silver lining in every crowd" - P.T. Barnum.
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ATL 7:37PM (10/24/2006)
Race cars that are actual production cars. The only car that is produced with V8 and RWD is Charger!!
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ViagraPilot 7:42PM (10/24/2006)
Go Viagra car! Man, them NASCAR racers face some stiff competition on da track.
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gary 9:00PM (10/24/2006)
at least back in 1960 that Impala was real car off a Chevrolet production line unlike the phony hand made cars today.
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jr_fan 10:20PM (10/24/2006)
ya they need 2 do actual cars. then it would cost so much and maybe friggin hendricks and rousch wouldnt have advantages even with 4 -5 car teams. lmao be funny if they decided to use the toyota prius instead of the camery so they can win on fuel milage lmao
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