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Looking ahead

bob margolis

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With race attendance and television viewership at all-time highs, and close races and strong car counts being staples of each event, the Busch Series is enjoying good times

A successful venture into Mexico City, where two road course races in as many years have attracted nearly 100,000 fans each, has also established NASCAR as an international racing series.

What's next?

Several ideas have been discussed for the future of the series, including:

  • Using smaller cars based on the Car of Tomorrow platform

  • Moving to composite bodies made from materials other than metal

  • Holding more standalone events

  • Negotiating a separate television package

  • Introducing hybrid fuels, including an ethanol mixed fuel

  • Adding more international events

  • Implementing a Busch Series Chase

All of these ideas either have been seriously discussed or already are well into their planning stages for introduction into the series within the next few years.

New cars

When the Busch Series first became a national series in the 1980s, the cars used were smaller models – known then as compact or mid-size cars. Within the past several months, NASCAR officials have had serious discussions with their manufacturer partners – Chevrolet, Ford, Dodge and Toyota – about re-introducing smaller cars to the series.

Manufacturers like the idea of having a completely separate platform from Nextel Cup to showcase sportier car models like the 2009 Chevrolet Camaro, the current retro-looking Ford Mustang, the 2008 Dodge Charger and the Toyota Solara.

These cars also could feature composite bodies made of materials like carbon fiber, which currently is used extensively to build other kinds of race cars.

The discussions are ongoing and are, for the most part, equally driven by NASCAR and the auto manufacturers.

Any new Busch Series car would be built using most, if not all, of the features existing in the Car of Tomorrow platform, which is being introduced in Nextel Cup starting next season, with full integration by 2009. Until then, the Busch Series will continue to run the current style of car, which essentially mirrors its Cup counterparts.

"We want to make sure that we are a unique series," said Busch Series director Joe Balash. "It helps the fan to understand that on Saturday, they'll see their favorite driver in this vehicle and then on Sunday you'll see him in a different vehicle."

Television package

A key element of the new NASCAR television package that debuts next year is that the Busch Series will have its own deal. All Busch Series races beginning in 2007 will be broadcast on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2, with no less than four events on ABC – those coming at the end of the season.

This will give the series an opportunity to forge its own identity with fans, and ABC/ESPN network executives have pledged their support in helping the series reach a wider audience than it already attracts. Included in that effort is the hiring of recently retired driver Rusty Wallace, who will provide color commentary for race broadcasts.

Standalone events/international expansion

The separate television package also opens the door for more standalone events – races that don't accompany a Cup race on the same weekend – which currently number eight. These events bring NASCAR racing to venues not served by Nextel Cup – ovals like Nashville, Kentucky and Gateway in St. Louis.

Also included in those events is the Mexico City road course race at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.

"The Busch Series allows [NASCAR] to do some things and try some things like Mexico that … expand the breadth of where the series races and it doesn't affect the Nextel Cup Series," Balash said.

The success of the two Mexican events has laid the groundwork for a possible additional international event: likely another road course race, this time in Montreal at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. It is expected that a race date as soon as July 2007 will be announced within the next several months.

With the exception of a possible Canadian race, no other changes or additions are expected for the 2007 Busch Series schedule.

Hybrid fuels

In response to the growing energy crisis in the United States, NASCAR officials have begun to seriously discuss the possible future use of alternative or hybrid fuels in their race cars. Any introduction of new fuels to NASCAR most likely would first be done in the Busch Series and then transferred to Nextel Cup.

"We know that it would require a major change in the engines currently being used," a NASCAR official said. "But there are plans already for an engine of the future and there's no reason not to think that it could be built to run on a different type of fuel than is currently being used in the series."

These plans are still in the discussion stages, but NASCAR officials acknowledge the role their organization can play in regard to the increasing emphasis on energy independence in America.

Limits on Buschwhackers

A hot topic in NASCAR today, Busch Series officials welcome the increased participation by Cup teams and drivers, viewing it as a part of the natural growth of the series. The fact that all 11 races so far this season have been won by Nextel Cup drivers, and that Cup regular Kevin Harvick has a commanding lead in the points, doesn't alter their perception.

But with the introduction of the Car of Tomorrow to the Cup Series next season, the primary usefulness of Buschwhacking – accumulating data – will be diminished as the information from the older-style cars still run in the Busch Series becomes of less value. That alone could lead to smaller numbers of Cup drivers racing in Busch.

There still will be the lure of financial gain for Cup drivers competing in Busch events, as well as the opportunity for young drivers to gain additional seat time. But those reasons have always been there; the COT will provide a clear distinction between those Cup drivers who need to race in the Busch Series and those who want to.

As of now, there are no serious proposals for limiting the participation of Nextel Cup drivers in the Busch Series in 2007.

Busch Chase

The Nextel Cup champion is determined by a 10-race Chase. The idea of a Chase for the Busch Series also has been discussed, but plans for it have been temporarily shelved.

Although NASCAR wants the Busch Series to have its own unique identity, there is no desire to have another racing series, especially one of its own, detract attention from the Chase for the Nextel Cup. That could be a scenario if the Busch Series had its own season-ending Chase.