NASCAR has approved the Five Star Bodies Direct Connection-licensed NextGen Dodge Charger nose for Late Model Stock Car competition.
The approval, announced in a Five Star Bodies press release on Thursday, comes after the approval by the ABC committee in December.
Both the ABC Committee and NASCAR approved the nose after going through an evaluation process. NASCAR conducted wind tunnell testing and aerodynamic validation, per Five Star, before approval.
“Any time a new body configuration moves through multiple levels of approval, it’s critical that the data supports fairness and parity,” Five Star Bodies Co-CEO Corey Schultz said in a press release. “This NASCAR approval confirms the work our engineering team put into the Dodge Charger nose and gives teams confidence that they’re getting a legal, competitive process.”
Five Star Bodies already has the new nose and graphic identification kits in stock and available for purchase. The Dodge Charger nose is part of the Direct Connection performance parts portfolio.
“With ABC Approval already in place, this was the final step,” Five Star Bodies sales representative Chris Wiess said. “NASCAR’s approval opens the door for teams to bring NextGen Dodge Charger styling to Late Model Stock Car racing while preserving the competitive balance the class is built on.”
Dodge’s return to stock car racing, predominantly in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, has been intertwined with Late Model Stock Car racing already. Late Model Stock Car driver Mini Tyrrell was the winner of the RAM Race for the Seat program put on by Dodge, Kaulig Racing, and FOX Sports, and late models were a part of the program.
Marquis comes from St. Charles, Maryland and has a widespread background in journalism, having covered politics in Washington and Maryland as well as nearly every form of auto racing, including NASCAR, IndyCar, AMA Motocross and IHRA Drag Racing. Now living near Emerald Isle, North Carolina, Marquis covers Late Model Stock Cars and Super Late Models in the Carolinas and Virginia.
