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Sprint Cup
CUP: Changes Loom After Budweiser Shootout
Speeds hit 206 mph, two-car drafts dominate at Daytona International Speedway...
The two-car drafts seen at Daytona and Talladega last year could become a thing of the past. (Photo: Getty Images)
NASCAR typically changes its restrictor-plate rules because speeds are too high, and in the Budweiser Shootout Kyle Busch and Michael Waltrip turned laps at 206 mph at Daytona International Speedway.
But NASCAR has more than just high speeds to worry about following the 75-lap exhibition race Saturday night. NASCAR officials must decide whether they like the phenomenon of the two-car draft – which produced those high speeds – versus the traditional pack of 20-plus cars.
Changes are likely by the time teams begin Daytona 500 practice Wednesday. They won’t be made prior to qualifying Sunday, NASCAR Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton said.
“I’m just going to take a while to digest it,” Pemberton said. “I’ve got a lot of things to think about and look at. I know one thing: I got a lot of texts and e-mails and all kinds of stuff telling a lot of us how great the race was and everything.
“It’s a little different. We’ve got some thoughts to put together and see where we stand. That’s pretty fast laps. We understand what they were. Obviously that’s the fastest we’ve seen in quite some time here.”
The drivers didn’t seem to mind the high speeds, with Dale Earnhardt Jr. saying it felt slow. But the style also contributed to three accidents as Carl Edwards, Regan Smith and Dale Earnhardt Jr. made contact, then Kyle Busch and Mark Martin and Tony Stewart and Michael Waltrip all wrecked.
“I don’t know that there’s a problem with the speed,” Busch said. “Maybe [there’s a problem] with what we’re doing with the speed we’re carrying, but it’s just a product of what we’ve got here.
“To me, there’s no relation in speed as to why we’re wrecking. It’s just the maneuvers and the byproduct of the game right now.”
Mark Martin, who typically feels uncomfortable at restrictor-plate tracks, said he didn’t want to see NASCAR slow the cars.
“For me, it was fun,” Martin said. “I didn’t feel uncomfortable doing what we were doing. … I was having a good time. I don’t want to slow them down. I hope we don’t slow them down.”
Among the options is changing the restrictor plates or the spoiler to impact horsepower, downforce and the air turbulence.
“You can do a lot of things,” Pemberton said. “You have to do what’s best for the large group, whatever that is. We’ve talked to some of the engineers and crew chiefs and solicited some different ideas and talked to them about the methodology of how they do things.
“We’ll have to take all that and put it together. We’ve got some time. That’s the good news, being Saturday. We’ve got some ideas. We just have to get together and talk about them.”
NASCAR made a change earlier in the day when it eliminated the use of extra air ducts to cool engine fluids. That had some impact, but the cool air temperatures allowed the teams to generate the high speeds.
But NASCAR has more than just high speeds to worry about following the 75-lap exhibition race Saturday night. NASCAR officials must decide whether they like the phenomenon of the two-car draft – which produced those high speeds – versus the traditional pack of 20-plus cars.
Changes are likely by the time teams begin Daytona 500 practice Wednesday. They won’t be made prior to qualifying Sunday, NASCAR Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton said.
“I’m just going to take a while to digest it,” Pemberton said. “I’ve got a lot of things to think about and look at. I know one thing: I got a lot of texts and e-mails and all kinds of stuff telling a lot of us how great the race was and everything.
“It’s a little different. We’ve got some thoughts to put together and see where we stand. That’s pretty fast laps. We understand what they were. Obviously that’s the fastest we’ve seen in quite some time here.”
The drivers didn’t seem to mind the high speeds, with Dale Earnhardt Jr. saying it felt slow. But the style also contributed to three accidents as Carl Edwards, Regan Smith and Dale Earnhardt Jr. made contact, then Kyle Busch and Mark Martin and Tony Stewart and Michael Waltrip all wrecked.
“I don’t know that there’s a problem with the speed,” Busch said. “Maybe [there’s a problem] with what we’re doing with the speed we’re carrying, but it’s just a product of what we’ve got here.
“To me, there’s no relation in speed as to why we’re wrecking. It’s just the maneuvers and the byproduct of the game right now.”
Mark Martin, who typically feels uncomfortable at restrictor-plate tracks, said he didn’t want to see NASCAR slow the cars.
“For me, it was fun,” Martin said. “I didn’t feel uncomfortable doing what we were doing. … I was having a good time. I don’t want to slow them down. I hope we don’t slow them down.”
Among the options is changing the restrictor plates or the spoiler to impact horsepower, downforce and the air turbulence.
“You can do a lot of things,” Pemberton said. “You have to do what’s best for the large group, whatever that is. We’ve talked to some of the engineers and crew chiefs and solicited some different ideas and talked to them about the methodology of how they do things.
“We’ll have to take all that and put it together. We’ve got some time. That’s the good news, being Saturday. We’ve got some ideas. We just have to get together and talk about them.”
NASCAR made a change earlier in the day when it eliminated the use of extra air ducts to cool engine fluids. That had some impact, but the cool air temperatures allowed the teams to generate the high speeds.
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