The NASCAR Cup Series has been in a perpetual state of change since March 25, 2007, when the Car of Tomorrow made its competition debut on the high banks of Bristol Motor Speedway.

Following the death of seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Dale Earnhardt in the 2001 Daytona 500, NASCAR fast-tracked the design, construction and implementation of the sanctioning body’s Gen 5 race car. Nicknamed the Car of Tomorrow, it showcased multiple safety upgrades and was used through the end of the 2012 season.