I’ve been inundated with email from readers wondering what my take is on the DeltaWing IndyCar concept http://deltawingracing.com/ ever since it made its debut at the Chicago Auto Show last week. I must admit my initial reaction was negative. Though I applauded the thinking behind it, I felt that it was too cartoonish-looking to bring the sport forward. Needless to say, my first impression didn’t last. But before I give my final assessment, some background is called for here.

Peter M. De Lorenzo is a national columnist who founded Autoextremist.com, a highly-regarded website devoted to news, commentary and analysis of the auto industry. He is considered to be one of the most influential voices commenting on the business today.Three years ago I attempted to push the sport forward with my Hydrogen Electric Racing Federation concept at an invitation-only meeting in Detroit. I presented my proposal to a group of industry representatives from GM, Ford, Chrysler, Honda, Nissan, Toyota, Firestone and motorsport leaders - including Tony George and Scott Atherton - in a speech entitled “The Future of Racing,” and though interest in the concept was initially high and it was deemed visionary, the realities of the automobile business at that moment in time prevented the interested manufacturers from going forward.

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Photo by Rick DoleEditor’s Note: In Part Three of an exclusive three-part series (please see Sources at the bottom of this article of follow Business as Usual No Longer Applies and Charting A New Course.), Peter outlines the most substantive and wide-ranging package of changes coming to NASCAR in years. Due to the news breaking nature of this column we’d like to give you a reminder that the entire contents of this website are ©2010 Autoextremist.com, Inc. We are more than happy to give permission to other media outlets for quotes and use of this content as long as proper attribution is given.

Peter M. De Lorenzo is a national columnist who founded Autoextremist.com, a highly-regarded website devoted to news, commentary and analysis of the auto industry. He is considered to be one of the most influential voices commenting on the business today.After a highly-confidential meeting that took place over the weekend before the Daytona 24 Hour race - and in subsequent meetings that will be played out in the early spring - it’s clear that we are on the precipice of a dramatically different direction for NASCAR, one that not only marks a new era of NASCAR involvement and cooperation with the manufacturers, but a new willingness on NASCAR’s part to move the needle in a positive direction, embrace change, and make genuine, substantive progress when it comes to creating more relevance between what the car companies are selling, and what NASCAR is racing.

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