CASCAR: Hint of things to come?

Thanks to Bruce M. for forwarding this story, from today's Winston-Salem Journal.
Writer Mike Mulhern's discussion of the Car of the Future contains a comment about NASCAR's future in Canada. Interesting.

NASCAR's proposed "car of the future" remains controversial, and in its current design, even with a rear wing, is still basically undriveable, particularly in traffic, according to some drivers. And it's unclear when testing of the intermediate track version of the new car may resume. NASCAR says it plans to debut the car of tomorrow next year at Bristol, a track where aerodynamics is less significant than at most stock car tracks. And NASCAR is delaying introduction of the model at the tour's many mid-size tracks, like Las Vegas, Kansas and Texas, until 2009.

How all that may impact NASCAR's proposed new Grand National regional touring series is unclear.
Part of NASCAR's original game plan for its car of the future was to turn current Nextel Cup cars into Busch cars and, in turn, to turn current Busch cars, modified, into new Grand National touring cars.

That Grand National prototype was debuted in Orlando in December at the Performance Racing Industry trade show. Currently it is expected to run Corvette aluminum block engines, which will not be allowed to generate more than 608 horsepower, and which would cost about $15,000. And it would have a molded fiberglass body.

Engine builders would have to be licensed by NASCAR.

The new Grand National series would consist of five regional touring series: on the old Winston West tour tracks; on Canadian CASCAR tracks; in the Northeast; the Southeast; and the Midwest. At the end of the season NASCAR would hold a playoff to determine the national champion.

The next test for the car of the future is set for later this month, at Bristol, the day after that tour stop.