2
Carbon fiber
The hood and decklid are now constructed from carbon fiber, which are lighter but also more likely to break apart in a crash. The hoods will have a Kevlar coating to prevent splintering. Also, the hood tether squares from the previous incarnation are no longer visible.
5
Roof
More roof structure has been added for increased driver safety, including the addition of a forward roof bar and center roof support bar for the roll cage. Larger roof flaps serve an important purpose — they are designed to decrease the likelihood of the car becoming airborne.
3
Tires
The Gen-6 carries less weight on the right side, which could change the way races are won. Tire manufacturer Goodyear is now able to build a tire that wears more consistently while maintaining grip, leading to fewer races determined by fuel mileage and more emphasis on tire strategy and driving ability.
4
Windshield
The driver's name will be displayed at top of windshield, with manufacturer logos on either side of the name. "We believe this will help build the identity of the driver with the race car and their relationship with the manufacturer," said NASCAR president Mike Helton.
7
Decal placement
Sponsor decals and car numbers have been removed from headlight and taillight areas of the car, and now appear on front and rear bumpers. Also, a single sponsor logo will be permitted on the roof of the cars.
1
Unique body designs
The new cars incorporate front grill designs and other details specific to Chevrolet (SS), Ford (Fusion), and Toyota (Camry). Other than the carbon fiber rear deck lid, all body panels are now produced by the manufacturer and individually stamped for verification.
6
Rear of car
Because of differences in the back end of cars, drivers will not be able to rely heavily on the bump-drafting strategy which has been common at Daytona in recent years. The rear deck fin on the left side of the back glass is now made of clear polycarbonate.
Through the years
NASCAR has seen plenty of design changes during each decade.
1950s
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
First impressions of Gen-6
"This car demands you to drive it. It wants you to be aggressive."
Martin Truex Jr.
"This sport is going to be revolutionized again with this car."
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
"The potential is there for it to create much better racing."
Brad KeselowskiMeasuring up
This year's cars are 150 pounds lighter than in 2012 (80 pounds lighter on the right side, 70 pounds lighter on the left), and more than two inches shorter.
| Specification | Gen-5 (2012) | Gen-6 (2013) |
|---|---|---|
| Total weight (pounds) | 3,450 | 3,300 |
| Right-side weight (pounds) | 1,700 | 1,620 |
| Left-side weight (pounds) | 1,750 | 1,680 |
| Length (inches) | 198.5 | 196.2 |
| Width (inches) | 74 | 77 |
Luke Knox/Globe staff