The Toyota Camry will make its “Car of Tomorrow” testing debut Monday at Michigan International Speedway as NASCAR takes another step in the development of the car, which will be used at road courses and short tracks during the 2007 Nextel Cup season.

Bill Elliott will test a Toyota for Team Red Bull and Michael Waltrip and Dave Blaney will test a Camry for Michael Waltrip Racing.

Other drivers expected to attend the test sessions are Jeff Gordon, David Stremme, J.J. Yeley, Joe Nemechek, Jeff Green, Kurt Busch, Matt Kenseteh, Carl Edwards, Jamie McMurray and Scott Riggs. For several drivers, Monday’s test will mark their first appearance in the car.

“Carl did all of the other tests, so I haven’t even had a chance to do it. Now that the rules, as far as I know, are pretty well firmed up, and we know where we’re going to have to run them next year, I think it’s worth doing a test,” Kenseth said.

Richard Childress Racing, which up to now has participated in all COT tests, pulled out as two of its three teams are battling for spots in the Chase for the Nextel Cup.

“It’s a tough time of the year to do it because everyone is getting ready for the Chase. We think we’ll have about 12 cars, we think it’s a good group,” said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR’s vice president for competition.

Pemberton said the design work on the COT is complete for all practical purposes.

“The issues we are working on now are such things like the process of what it will take to inspect these cars on and off the race track and the certification of places where chassis are built,” Pemberton said.

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