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Research dossier · General Reference

Generation 3 (NASCAR)

NASCAR cars used 1981 to 1992

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General referenceInterpretive dossier study · Crown Archives visual atlas
Record originEnglish Wikipedia
Text licenseCC BY-SA 4.0
Source revisionSep 4, 2026
Entity authorityQ107994815 ↗
Source-derived summary

The Generation 3 refers to the generation of stock cars used in NASCAR from 1981 to 1991, and it was used in the Busch Series at its modern beginning in 1982. In this generation, NASCAR downsized the cars to better resemble cars on the showroom floor (with wheelbase at 110 inches), and body panels were still purchased through the manufacturers.

History

Cup Series

The Generation 3 era began in 1981 and, as a consequence of the second aero war between General Motors and Ford that also extended to their production models, featured bigger spoilers, and streamlined designs that barely resembled their showroom counterparts. The wheelbase was reduced to 110 inches in response to the demand of the production car market at the time, making the cars smaller than the previous two generations.

These were the cars that necessitated restrictor plates at Daytona and Talladega. In 1987 at Talladega, Bill Elliott set what remains the NASCAR qualifying record of 212.809 mph (342.483 km/h) at Talladega, circling the track in 44.998 seconds. But soon into the race, Bobby Allison's car went airborne and nearly went into the main grandstands, and that was the last unrestricted race on either of the two giant tracks. He also set the qualifying lap of 210.364 mph (338.548 km/h) at Daytona in 1987, circling the oval in 42.783 seconds, which still stands today. NASCAR mandated smaller carburetors for the rest of that season, and in 1988 required the restrictor plates.

The Generation 3 cars were used until 1991.

Editorial summary

This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Generation 3 (NASCAR)” as nASCAR cars used 1981 to 1992. Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.

Editorial reviewA concise reference frame for defining the subject, testing terminology and identifying the institution closest to the evidence. The current lead gives the account dated anchors—1981, 1991, 1982, 1987—that can be checked directly. The selected authority fields contribute no independent date. The account is most persuasive where Generation, NASCAR and cars can be independently traced.
Editorial analysis

Why this record matters

The subject matters to the general reference register because the source frames it as nASCAR cars used 1981 to 1992. Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.

Evidence profile

Vocabulary and entity names are the principal evidence signals here, because they determine the precision of every later search. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 4, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q107994815. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1981, 1991, 1982 and 1987.

Critical limits

Overview language is designed for orientation and should not be treated as a substitute for the evidence cited beneath it. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.

How to read it

Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.

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  2. Expand the search: follow Generation 3 (NASCAR) primary sources, Generation 3 (NASCAR) archive and Generation research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
  3. Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.

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Source & attribution

This entry incorporates text from “Generation 3 (NASCAR)” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.