Tomorrow finally has arrived on the Nextel Cup racing series. On Sunday, the Car of Tomorrow will make its debut, at Bristol Motor Speedway, after seven years of development. What is it supposed to mean for NASCAR nation? For drivers, improved safety and better handling and stability. For team owners, lower costs in the long run. And for fans, exciting racing from cars designed for passing.

As director of NASCAR research and development seven years ago, Joe Garone was in on the beginning stages of the Car of Tomorrow.

Now, as general manager of Denver-based Furniture Row Racing, Garone will get a firsthand look this weekend when the COT makes its long-awaited debut at Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee.

Driver safety, cost control and better racing were the main objectives behind the project to design and develop the aerodynamically balanced car.

"They tried to build those factors into the car," Garone said. "A lot of testing went into this car."

The look of the car is definitely different: It's bigger and boxier and has a front splitter and a rear wing. Some like it; some don't.

"It makes me feel like we have a showroom car and put a spoiler on the back of it like we did when we were kids," Garone said. "It looks more like a regular street car."

"It looks prehistoric," said Tony Stewart, a critic of the COT. "There's nothing about it that's futuristic, by any means."

On the track, no one really will know how the COT will perform under race conditions until the green flag drops at Bristol. NASCAR is hoping the new aerodynamics open the door for more passing and better racing.

"We don't know yet what's going to happen when you're next to somebody," driver Jeff Burton said. "We don't know what's going to happen when you get into certain situations. We honestly don't know. But I don't see some mad demon coming out and biting."

One thing's for sure: Everyone will be talking about the COT this weekend at Bristol, the first of 16 races this season in which the new car will be used.

"It will definitely create a big buzz the next few weeks," driver Kurt Busch said. "I think you need to give it a fair shake before you evaluate it."

That's what NASCAR plans to do as it monitors the race on the .533-mile short track at Bristol on Sunday (11:30 a.m., Fox 31).

"The first few races we'll spend troubleshooting, just to make sure that everything's working right," Nextel Cup Series director John Darby said.

2007 Car of Tomorrow races

• The Car of Tomorrow will be used in 16 races this season, including five of the 10 Chase events. It will be used on all the short tracks, both road courses and in the fall restrictor-plate race at Talladega, Ala.

Sunday: Bristol

April 1: Martinsville

April 21: Phoenix

May 5: Richmond

May 12: Darlington

June 3: Dover

June 24: Sonoma

July 1: New Hampshire

Aug. 12: Watkins Glen

Aug. 25: Bristol

Sept. 8: Richmond

Sept. 16: New Hampshire*

Sept. 23: Dover*

Oct. 7: Talladega*

Oct. 21: Martinsville*

Nov. 11: Phoenix*

*Chase race

COST-SAVING MEASURES

• Innovation: With an adjustable rear wing and front splitter, along with a more defined body- and chassis-inspection process, teams won't need to build different cars for different tracks. NASCAR has developed chassis certification that inspects more than 220 measuring points.

• Benefit: Teams will need fewer cars in their inventory, and cars will be quicker, easier and cheaper to build.

What the drivers say

• "It creates an environment where an underfunded team can come in and compete, and I believe compete successfully. That's what we want, more independent owners and new drivers coming in and having a shot at victory." - Kurt Busch

MANUFACTURER IDENTITY

• NASCAR said the universal design won't come at the expense of brand identity. "As a manufacturer, Chevrolet was able to define many of the details that separate the Impala SS from our competitors' cars," said Kevin Bayless of General Motors Corp.

The same, but different

The Impala SS replaces the Monte Carlo as Chevrolet's standard-bearer in COT races. The COT design is universal, but each manufacturer has incorporated brand styling in the headlights, grille and portions of the hood and tail.

NEW SAFETY FEATURES

Roll cage

• Innovation: Energy-absorbing materials installed between the roll-cage door bars and door panels. Roll cage has been moved back 3 inches.

• Benefit: Lessens energy on impact.

Cockpit

• Innovation: It's 2 inches taller and 4 inches wider, and the driver sits closer to the center of the car - 3 inches back, 4 inches to the right.

• Benefit: Bigger crumple zone. Driver is moved farther from two injury points - driver's-side impact and head-on crash.

Fuel cell

• Innovation: It's smaller (18 gallons, compared with 22 gallons on current cars) and surrounded by energy-absorbing honeycomb material. Stronger bladder, thicker container and safer check valve.

• Benefit: Reduces risk of fire.

Frame

• Innovation: Double-frame rail on the driver's side, with steel plating covering the door bars. Steel floorboard.

• Benefit: Protects driver by preventing intrusion during impact.

What the drivers say

"The car is safer. Whatever it is after that is a bonus. The drivers have a lot more room inside.There's a lot of things built into the car to absorb energy when they hit the wall." - Kevin Harvick

NEW COMPETITION FEATURES

Rear wing

• Innovation: Sticks up 6 inches off the deck lid and is adjustable from 0 to 16 degrees. Allows teams to tune down force to individual tracks. Replaces rear spoiler.

• Benefit: Safety, better balance and control in traffic. Reduces turbulence behind the car. Designed to promote more passing.

What the drivers say

• "These cars are bigger and boxier and made to create a bigger hole in the air to allow side-by-side racing or nose-to-tail racing, similar to what we see in the Truck series, except it's 43 cars. So the car all around has a positive influence on our sport." - Kurt Busch

Front splitter

• Innovation: Located under the nose of the car, it can be adjusted 4 to 6 inches to change the front down force. Positions air below the front bumper.

• Benefit: Another tool to help teams adjust to track conditions and achieve aerodynamic balance.

What the drivers say

• "The car is an inch wider, it has a little more grip. I am pleasantly surprised, really. It has exceeded my expectations at this point on how the car is driving." - Dale Earnhardt Jr.

bentonj@RockyMountainNews.com

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