Full Throttle

I’ve long be an advocate of the Nationwide Series breaking away from the “Cup Model,” i.e. a smaller wheelbase with slightly smaller engine but otherwise identical to it’s larger cousin the Cup car.

To be specific I believe in order to forge a new identity for the series they should go the Pony Car route. For a while I had visions of NASCAR officials reading Full Throttle and taking the hint.

Now, not so much.

Recently I’ve seen various quotes by NASCAR bureaucrats hinting at a versions of the CORN for the Nationwide Series. I say your freakin stupid, and here’s why.

Number one, whether they switch to a Pony Car of a different version of the CORN you’re talking big bucks for the teams to make the switch. So the money issue is a non-issue.

Number two and most important is the emphasis the manufacturers are placing on their Pony Car line-up of Camaros, Mustangs and Dodge Challengers.

The Mustang FR500S pictured above was introduced this week at the SEMA show in Las Vegas.

It’s not just any Mustang but a racing Mustang YOU can purchase directly from dealerships. (Shades of the mid-sixties and the Ford Thunderbolts!) For a cool $75 G’s you to can own a real race car.

And race it in the all-new Ford Racing Mustang Challenge for the Miller Cup - that’s “Miller,” as in Miller Motorsports Park (MMP) near Salt Lake City.

In a joint effort between MMP and Ford Racing the Miller Cup will be a one-make “spec” series utilizing the new Ford Mustang FR500S fitted with BFGoodrich g-Force R1 tires.

The 325-hp Ford Mustang FR500S joins the $129,900, 420-hp FR500C as raced in the Grand-Am KONI Challenge Series, and the $250,000, 525-hp FR500GT that has been homologated for use in the GT class of the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series starting in 2008.

And you can bet your last dollar that Dodge and Chevy will follow suit and homologate their Challenger and Camaro for the Rolex Series as well once they hit the marketplace.

If any of this flies over the heads of the NASCAR Suits, if they fail to see the importance Ford is placing on marketing, and racing the Mustang, they deserve what they will ultimately get.

Just another Cup-lite series with the Nationwide brand stuck on it.