Xfinity Series to debut composite body at Richmond

NASCAR's Xfinity Series teams will have the option of running a flange-fit composite body at three races this season ahead of a full-time introduction by 2019.

Teams will be permitted to run the new body at Richmond, Dover, and Phoenix, and it is expected to be optional at all non-superspeedway events in 2018. The series will implement weight and aero changes between the two bodies to ensure parity.

Xfinity Series director Wayne Auton told NASCAR.com that the bolt-on composite panels will be much easier to remove than the current steel versions, which are welded directly to the chassis.

"Definitely the amount of labor it takes to re-tool a car (is a big benefit)," Auton said. "You could take the body off this car and still work on your race car where with a steel-body car, it's attached to the chassis. If you want to take the front end off and work in the engine compartment, you just unbolt it, take it off, work on your car and when you get ready to go to the race track, put the fender back on it, the hood on it, put the nose on it, load 'er up, go to the race track and have a great time.

"If you don't get into the frame and suspension [with damage], you could take the side off a car and put one back on it out in the parking lot. The labor is where the owners are going to save the money. The body parts are about the same as what a steel body costs but the [savings will be in] labor time, the turnaround time.

"The reason we decided to use it at three short tracks [is], let the teams get used to it. Let them learn what the process is of maybe changing a body; if I get in the wall how is the car going to hold up?

"We're just interested in getting driver feedback on how the car feels. We're interested in getting team feedback on what they think the adjustments need to be and then when we roll into Atlanta next year definitely we will have this body ready to go, the teams will be ready and prepared."

Most of the body panels will be supplied by Wisconsin-based Five Star RaceCar Bodies, although the hoods, upper nose and fenders will continued to be sourced from the OEMs. There are no current plans for the composite body to be used in the Cup series.