2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlo Stock Car

The Chevrolet Monte Carlo is the most winning car name in NASCAR racing history. The heritage and pedigree in the sport is profound. The road going version has been a strong seller for the Chevrolet marque partly due to the victories experienced on the track.

The example shown is considered a historic racer which has been competing in SCCA V8 Stock Car competition. These ex-oval track racers are very popular due to their agility and high horsepower. There are four classes in the V8 Stock Car Series. The V8 GT1 cars are mostly former Trans-Am racers that commonly produce 600 horsepower or above. Wings can be found in the rear rather than the blade spoilers which are commonly on circle track cars. 14 inch racing slicks provide excellent traction while the big brakes helps keep the driver in control of the vehicle, especially since their top speed is in the neighborhood of 170 mph. Most common in this class are Camaros, Mustangs, and Corvettes.

The other three series are the V8 Late Model (V8LM), V8 Grand National (V8GN), and the V8 Stock Car classes. Though these vehicles are similar in appearance and have tube frame chassis and eight cylinder engines, they have many differences. The V8GN cars are often former NASCAR racers with metal bodies and horsepower in excess of 800. The V8SC are similar to these but have a lower weight than the V8GN but with composite bodies. Top speed is around 170 mph.

By Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2006