The design features of the street model have been incorporated into the Cup model.

Ralph Gilles, president and CEO of SRT Brand and Motorsports said:

From the start, it’s been a collaborative effort with NASCAR.  NASCAR provided the manufacturers with basic specifications, but offered encouragement to venture beyond the look of the current race car.  Our design and engineering group, working with Penske Racing, seized the opportunity.  We had a fantastic benchmark – the Dodge Challenger – introduced in 2009.  This endeavor goes beyond the trend the Nationwide Series Challenger started with a Dodge Charger that amazingly embodies many of the design features of the street version into the race car.  We’re extremely proud that the Dodge Charger street car is the only rear-wheel-drive model in Sprint Cup competition that is available with a V-8 engine.

As part of the 2013 rules package governing Cup cars, NASCAR eased the rules on where  manufacturers were allowed to put glass and solid body parts. NASCAR also eased rules on the front and the rear of the cars, allowing manufactures to make the nose and rear of the car look more like the production model. The sides now allow character lines that come from the street models.

NASCAR President Mike Helton said:

We know NASCAR fans are passionate about cars. We’re excited about the results of the collective efforts of NASCAR, Dodge and the other manufacturers to create the 2013 Sprint Cup cars.  The 2013 Dodge Charger race car design is a great example of what we look forward to seeing on the race track next season.  We thank Dodge and all the manufacturers for their efforts, as we see the results here today with the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Dodge Charger.

The unveiling comes on the heels of an announcement by Penske Racing that the team — the only powerhouse team that fields Dodge chargers — would switch from Dodge to Ford in 2013. This leaves Robby Gordon Motorsports as the only team that currently fields Dodges.  Richard Petty Motorsports indicated that they were approached by Dodge to run the 2013 Charger.

Dodge is set to unveil its 2013 Dodge Charger for use in the Sprint Cup Series on March 11th. The problem is that with Penske’s decision, no big teams will field Dodges next season. Robby Gordon Motorsports is the only team that fields Dodges besides Penske.

Murstein said:

We received calls from several manufacturers today asking if they could meet with us. It seems that while sponsorship is down, car manufacturer support is strong. That is probably due to the fact that the car companies are all doing significantly better these days than a few years ago. Thus Petty has been approached by several manufacturers recently.

Back in 2001, Petty Enterprises fielded Dodges for John Andretti. They switched from Pontiacs when Dodge returned to Sprint Cup competition. The team fielded Dodges until the end of 2008, when the team merged with Gillett Evernham Motorsports and became RPM. Less than a year later, RPM merged with Yates Racing and began fielding Fords. Their contract with Ford is up at season’s end.

Murstein also dropped one more interesting tidbit:

What’s interesting is that  while there are the usual suspects there is one new manufacturer that is trying to break into the sport.

Honda has been rumored to be considering breaking into NASCAR, though there is nothing to indicate any truth to that rumor.

Gordon has built his team around the No. 7 for the last six seasons. Gordon said, “It’s all fun and games but I think she should be proud to have the No. 77.”

The No.77 could be one possibility because it is available and hasn’t been in use since the end of 2010, when Sam Hornish Jr drove for Penske Racing.

A member of the media joked with Gordon, asking if Gordon was offered a million dollars would he give Patrick the No. 7.  Gordon jokingly replied, “A million dollars? You promise? And they’ll put SPEED Energy on the side of their car? And Danica will wear a SPEED hat every week?”

This isn’t the first time a driver doubled up on a former number to a new one. Dale Earnhardt Jr, Patrick’s Nationwide Series team owner, went from the No. 8 to the No. 88 after he moved to Hendrick Motorsports in 2008 because Dale Earnhardt Inc and his stepmother Teresa Earnhardt would not part with the number.

Gordon is a respected veteran in the Sprint Cup Series and he is one of the few remaining owner-drivers in the series. I applaud him for not wanting to give up his number. He’s built his business around that number. Why should he give it up to a “Rookie?” Whether or not Patrick changes her number, people will still continue to buy her merchandise.

Following hearings for summary judgment, both sides settled.

No word on whether or not ExtenZe has settled its suit with Robby Gordon Motorsports.

Coinciding with the release of the movie, Dodge unveiled the  No.7 Fast Five Dodge Charger R/T, which will debut in this weekend’s Goody’s Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway. Robby Gordon will pilot the car this weekend, and throughout the month at Texas Motor Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway and Richmond International Raceway.

Team owner Robby Gordon said:

I’m excited to be associated with a manufacturer again. I like the things that Dodge has been doing to build brand awareness. They have an impressive factory and facility, and their product line is top notch. I’ve really enjoyed putting this deal together with [Dodge president and CEO] Ralph Gilles and [Dodge Motorsports manager] Bryan Viger; they are a fun, youthful, forward-thinking group. I’ve worked with Dodge in the past and have always had a great relationship with Dodge corporate.

 Gilles added:

We’re excited Robby will be joining the Dodge Motorsports program in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in 2011. We like the competitive flair and skill he brings to the track. Robby’s driving style mirrors the performance attitude of the rejuvenated Dodge brand, so he’s a welcome addition to our team. We believe you don’t need a certain number of cars to be successful in racing. The key is having the right combination of teams, drivers and technology. We already have a strong foundation with Penske Racing and the Dodge engineering team can easily support another Sprint Cup Series team. Our technical support will be a valuable asset for Robby Gordon Motorsports.

In his suit, Gordon says that Extenze Racing agreed to pay him if he put their logo on RGM’s Toyotas, which were going to be driven by their driver, Kevin Conway.

When Conway was in danger of falling out of the top 35, Gordon got behind the wheel after clearing the move with the ExtenZe Racing officials, he says. They agreed to the deal.

However, after the races were completed, ExtenZe refused to pay, citing breach of contract because he drove the car instead of Conway.

Gordon is seeking $690,000.

Gordon is no stranger to legal action. So far this season, he has taken legal action against BAM Racing, and he has been in a legal dispute over his newly created energy drink company, Speed Energy Drink.

ExtenZe, however, is also tied up in its own legal battle. Front Row Motorsports, the team that fielded cars for Conway and ExtenZe originally, is suing the team for non-payment for part of the deal that allowed Conway to drive FRM cars for the early part of last season.

Gordon also said that he will run the first five races of the Sprint Cup Series in 2011, and the “fun” races in the big markets. Currently, Gordon plans to run in the Indianapolis 500 and off-road events such as the Dakar Rally in addition to his Sprint Cup races.

The drink is bottled in Charlotte, and Gordon hopes that distribution will being soon.