If there’s one thing NASCAR’s never been afraid of, it’s experimenting. Remember how Smokey Yunick used shotgun shells in the frame tube, which could be lodged out to reduce weight? We agree it was a safety violation, but that’s innovation. Over the decades, we’ve seen everything from restrictor plates to roof flaps to those infamous giant spoilers on the Car of Tomorrow. Some ideas stuck. Others… well, let’s just say they’re gathering dust in a Charlotte warehouse somewhere. Now and then, a photo or video surfaces online that makes fans do a double-take.
This week, one of those head-scratchers made the rounds again. It is a late ’90s Terry Labonte test car with what looks like a full-blown wing strapped to the back. And naturally, NASCAR Twitter and Reddit wasted zero time jumping in. Theories flew, jokes landed, and deep-dive trivia made its way out of the woodwork. Because nothing gets this fanbase talking like a little garage-era mystery. But, where did this old racing relic come from?
A forgotten NASCAR oddity resurfaces
The internet has a way of digging up old memories. This week, a strange photo of a late ’90s Terry Labonte test car made its way to the public domain. But, you know what caught everyone’s eye? A giant, squared-off wing grafted to the rear deck. The car looked as if it came out of Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift rather than Talladega Nights! If you ordered a Car of Tomorrow fever dream, it has been served on your plate!
For the uninformed, the Car of Tomorrow (or CoT) was NASCAR’s answer to safety and competition concerns in the mid-2000s. Debuting in 2007, it featured a reinforced chassis, a taller greenhouse, and that now-infamous rear wing. While it improved driver safety, fans hated the look. The CoT’s odd proportions and video game-style aero package made it one of NASCAR’s most polarizing designs ever. But how did something two decades old stay out of fans’ eyes?
Well, the image originally surfaced on Imgur back in 2017. At the time, no one could quite figure out what it was. Fans speculated it might’ve been an early aero test for the CoT, or maybe just a random shop experiment. It was one of those “blink and you’ll miss it” footnotes from NASCAR’s ever-curious past. What made things better this time was someone tagging Ray Evernham on Twitter.
After all, if anyone would know, it’s Ray. He was Jeff Gordon’s crew chief through the ’90s and a technical consultant for years after. His answer? He didn’t have a clue either. That non-answer only adds fuel to the speculations. If Evernham, a guy who practically lived at the track during that era, didn’t know, then what was this thing? Theories spread fast. Some guessed a test mule for aerodynamic down force. Others suggested a rejected iROC car mod. No one could confirm it.
As word spread, NASCAR fans did what they do best: they reacted. Message boards, Reddit threads, and Twitter timelines filled up with takes, trivia, and jokes. It was a perfect storm of nostalgia and curiosity. Because if there’s one thing that unites fans, it’s a good old-fashioned garage mystery.
Fans have a field day with the ‘Mystery Machine’
As soon as the photo made its rounds, the internet did what it does best – roast it. One fan joked, “Looks like something you’d find in a Need for Speed game when customizing your car.” And honestly? They’re not wrong. That boxy wing has serious early-2000s video game energy. Take a look for yourself!
Another fan chimed in, “Hard to tell if it’s a top-secret prototype from the ’90s or some jack— in a shop turning a test car into a track attack car.” That’s part of the charm. NASCAR’s garage days, especially in the 90s and 2010s, were filled with wild experiments, half-baked ideas, and occasional after-hours tinkering when no one was looking. These include everything from asymmetrical bodies designed to turn better on ovals, to bizarre aero add-ons like roof flaps, wicker bills, and even side skirts made from repurposed sheet metal.
Then came the jokes. “It looks like some s— you make up in a weird dream,” one post read. And it does. In a sport where we’ve seen everything from giant roof rails to tire test mules, this thing still manages to look extra bizarre, even by late-’90s standards.
Not everyone bought into the CoT theory, though. “Doubt it’s got anything to do with the CoT or any real purpose,” another fan commented. That seems likely, since even Ray Evernham, who tagged about it on Twitter, shrugged it off. “No idea what that is.” If he’s clueless, it’s probably just an odd one-off.
And, in true internet fashion, someone nailed the vibe perfectly with: “Car of Tomorrow Yesterday.” Because sometimes, the best part of old racing photos isn’t solving the mystery. It’s watching fans come together, joke about it, and remind each other why they love this quirky sport.
The post NASCAR Fans React as Terry Labonte’s Baffling Late ’90s Experiment Comes to Light appeared first on EssentiallySports.