To go with their all-new bodywork for 2013, NASCAR Sprint Cup cars will have new signage/graphic layouts as well. Here’s a rundown on the changes for next season.
As we all know, race cars aren’t just race cars anymore. They’re also rolling billboards. To further those ends, NASCAR has implemented some changes in the permitted signage and graphics schemes for next year. Here are the major points, with the illustrations above and below for reference.
+ The driver’s last name will now be presented, IROC-style, in the visor band across the top of the windshield, along with the current location above the doors.
+ Since the 2013 cars are a bit smaller in surface area, door and roof numbers are downsized 10 percent to match.
+ A single sponsor logo will now be permitted across the roof.
+ To preserve the headlamps and taillamps as the manufacturers’ key identifiers, no other decals or lettering are allowed in these areas. .
+ Small car numbers will now be permitted on the front and rear bumpers, and a small team logo will be permitted on the front bumper.
+ A step-and-repeat pattern of the sponsor’s logo (tiling) will be permitted on the flanks of the car.
+ Product contingency decals, previously restricted to the front fender, may now extend beyond the centerline of the windshield post.
They’re hardly earth-shattering, but these changes will produce a rather different look than we’re used to when the cars head out to practice for the 2013 Daytona 500 next February. Check out the renderings below.
The illustration is attractive and presents a look similar to the less cluttered Winston Cup era. There’s no chance that the cars will be as “clean” as that picture.
They neglect to mention the sponsor logo splashed across the hood and taillight panel. They say a sponsor logo “may now be permitted” at the trailing edge of the roof, but no doubt there will also be at least one in front of the roof cam and more dotted across the front and rear for the benefit of the bumper cams.
All spot on. The interesting thing for me is how NASCAR continues to tighten its grip on every possible aspect of the cars and competition.
Also, the driver name on the windshield banner reminds me of all those driver invitational identical spec car series.
They need to require a faux license plate on the front and back of the car too!
My thinking is that each team should be required to run one race a year using a car with ghost graphics (light see through almost clear graphics) other than the top number in order to show the car as close to stock as possible. The body color should be a stock issue manufacturer color for that model year on the ghost graphic car also.