The will they / won’t they saga surrounding the Late Model industry approving the Gen-6 body style took another turn this week.
Basically, the Cup Series bodies will not come to Late Model competition until the ABC Committee decides that the time is right from a financial and competition standpoint. The current model is based off a 15-year-old Generation 3 NASCAR Cup Series design.
Five Star Bodies would be the sole supplier of such a mold as AR Bodies has not yet agreed to produce one. The shape and design of the car will be new, but the materials and construction are largely fluid, with Five Star executives insisting that the price would be equal to the current model.
The bodies were first expected to roll out ahead of the 2017 season, but the ABC Committee ultimately opted to stay the course until the entire industry decided the time was right.
Currently, the ABC Committee is comprised of Carl Schultz and Jim Katzenberg from Five Star, Jerry Criswell of AR Bodies, RJ Scott and Glenn Luckett of the CRA Super Series, veteran driver/crew chief Freddie Query, Southern Super Series promoter Tim Bryant and veteran technical inspector Ricky Brooks.
Here is a statement from the ABC Committee concerning the Gen-6 bodies:
An Open Letter from the ABC Body Committee:
November 17, 2017
Since 2002, the ABC (Approved Body Configuration) Program has been in place to govern and simplify the body rules nationwide for the local racers and major touring series.
With the development of a common template body, provided by two separate manufacturers, the ABC Program has succeeded in its objectives over the past 15 years, and the sport has thrived because of it.
The ABC Committee, which oversees the ABC Program, is now faced with the approval process of a new Five Star Body that will be introduced to the market. The ABC Committee must consider many factors within the approval process for the new body to be legal in ABC governed events, including, but not limited to:
- Will this new body have a positive impact on the racers, fans and our sport as a whole?
- Does the new body have equitable aero performance with the current ABC approved bodies?
- Pricing for the new body is of the utmost importance. The committee is working with Five Star to secure the pricing for the new body.
The ABC Committee members have the common goal of making the best decisions possible for the betterment of our sport now, and into the foreseeable future.
We are working to send selected committee members to witness wind tunnel testing in person to see the aero comparison of the new and current body.
As a committee, we are working hard to make the best decision possible for the race teams, the race tracks and the series that are part of the ABC Program.
As we make progress, we will keep you aware of our findings, and the direction we are moving.
Best Regards,
ABC Committee
