John Fernandez Finally Speaks out on Charger VS. Intrepid Nose situation Part 2
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03-14-2006, 03:04 AM
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John Fernandez Finally Speaks out on Charger VS. Intrepid Nose situation Part 2
Handling concerns plague Charger
By Dustin Long
The Roanoke Times
LAS VEGAS -- Dodge plans to lobby NASCAR officials for help with its cars by the Texas race in April, said John Fernandez, director of Dodge Motorsports Operations.
The Dodge Charger has struggled since its 2005 debut. Teams and drivers complain that it doesn't handle well in traffic and prevents them from getting to the front. NASCAR rejected Dodge's request for a rule change last season to help the Charger.
Dodge won three races last year with only one victory at a track larger than a mile and that came on a fuel-mileage gamble. Unsatisfied with the new cars, Penske Racing South put Ryan Newman and Kurt Busch in 2004 Intrepids at California last month and Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Fernandez said Sunday morning before the race that Las Vegas was a critical test for his teams. He says that he and other Dodge officials are trying to figure which front end is better, the Charger or the Intrepid. The key area is between where the headlights would be.
"Inherently, the [Charger] is what we thought it was,' Fernandez said. "The question is we've got a little aerodynamic imbalance ... in traffic in the Cup conditions. We've come a long way. If we got a little bit of help from NASCAR, I think we'd get over the hump on that.'
Fernandez said that he could lobby NASCAR for a rule change to help the Dodge before the Texas race if officials know what they want to request.
Fernandez also said that Dodge is not planning to have a test with its teams. Dodge had a test scheduled a few weeks ago at Kentucky Speedway but that was canceled by snow. There was talk of a test after Las Vegas, but Fernandez said that race conditions offer the best test opportunity.
Time running out
Fernandez admits he's "nervous' about NASCAR's car of the future.
The car is scheduled to make its debut at Bristol in March 2007, but series officials have yet to tell teams and manufacturers the exact specifications of the car. Fernandez said that he thinks NASCAR is settling on a rear wing for that car.
"I'm a little bit nervous,' Fernandez said of NASCAR's delay. "I think that we've got a long way to go to perfect that car and make sure it's a good, safe product.
"We still have some development to do with the car, there's no doubt about that. We've had some teething problems with it, there's no doubt about that.'
One major question is how well the cars will drive in traffic. NASCAR has not had a test with several cars since last fall at Atlanta.
Another key issue is that Gary Nelson, who was heading NASCAR's development of the car, left to form his own company. He continues to work on the project, but former driver Brett Bodine, who has been NASCAR's test driver, has taken a more active role, as has Robin Pemberton, NASCAR's vice president of competition.
By Dustin Long
The Roanoke Times
LAS VEGAS -- Dodge plans to lobby NASCAR officials for help with its cars by the Texas race in April, said John Fernandez, director of Dodge Motorsports Operations.
The Dodge Charger has struggled since its 2005 debut. Teams and drivers complain that it doesn't handle well in traffic and prevents them from getting to the front. NASCAR rejected Dodge's request for a rule change last season to help the Charger.
Dodge won three races last year with only one victory at a track larger than a mile and that came on a fuel-mileage gamble. Unsatisfied with the new cars, Penske Racing South put Ryan Newman and Kurt Busch in 2004 Intrepids at California last month and Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Fernandez said Sunday morning before the race that Las Vegas was a critical test for his teams. He says that he and other Dodge officials are trying to figure which front end is better, the Charger or the Intrepid. The key area is between where the headlights would be.
"Inherently, the [Charger] is what we thought it was,' Fernandez said. "The question is we've got a little aerodynamic imbalance ... in traffic in the Cup conditions. We've come a long way. If we got a little bit of help from NASCAR, I think we'd get over the hump on that.'
Fernandez said that he could lobby NASCAR for a rule change to help the Dodge before the Texas race if officials know what they want to request.
Fernandez also said that Dodge is not planning to have a test with its teams. Dodge had a test scheduled a few weeks ago at Kentucky Speedway but that was canceled by snow. There was talk of a test after Las Vegas, but Fernandez said that race conditions offer the best test opportunity.
Time running out
Fernandez admits he's "nervous' about NASCAR's car of the future.
The car is scheduled to make its debut at Bristol in March 2007, but series officials have yet to tell teams and manufacturers the exact specifications of the car. Fernandez said that he thinks NASCAR is settling on a rear wing for that car.
"I'm a little bit nervous,' Fernandez said of NASCAR's delay. "I think that we've got a long way to go to perfect that car and make sure it's a good, safe product.
"We still have some development to do with the car, there's no doubt about that. We've had some teething problems with it, there's no doubt about that.'
One major question is how well the cars will drive in traffic. NASCAR has not had a test with several cars since last fall at Atlanta.
Another key issue is that Gary Nelson, who was heading NASCAR's development of the car, left to form his own company. He continues to work on the project, but former driver Brett Bodine, who has been NASCAR's test driver, has taken a more active role, as has Robin Pemberton, NASCAR's vice president of competition.