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NASCAR planning global expansion

By Charles Bradley Thursday, February 22nd 2007, 11:08 GMT

NASCAR is planning to use its Car of Tomorrow as a platform to create regional series around the world, this week's Autosport magazine exclusively reveals.

A hybrid version of the new car, which is set to make its race debut in America next month, is set to be developed with a spec V8 engine for use in other countries.

NASCAR vice-president of corporate communications Jim Hunter told Autosport: "We see an opportunity somewhere down the road to develop some sort of NASCAR series in various countries."

However, Hunter added that plans are still at very early stages, and he is unable to put a timescale on any project.

"We have discussed a hybrid car at NASCAR for a series somewhere in the future," he said. "At this point we don't even have one on paper."

The plans have advanced as the popularity of NASCAR has grown in foreign markets over recent years.

Hunter said: "We do know this: we have a whole lot more fans all around the world, including Europe, than we've ever had before."

NASCAR is currently expanding into Mexico and Canada, and Hunter made it clear that he didn't want people to think that Nextel Cup racing was going to cross the Atlantic any time soon.

"We're just looking at doing things with the NASCAR brand in other countries," he said. "I don't want to mislead fans into thinking that the Nextel Cup drivers are coming to England or wherever - it's too early to say."

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/56869