The Good the Bad and the Ugly
Restrictor plate racing brings out the best in every team. The best engines, with the slickest most aerodynamic bodies, the closest and nearly the fastest speeds on the circuit. But Restrictor Plates bring a nemesis, The tight racing we all love to watch, the racing that brings us to the edges of our seats comes with a price. The big wrecks we saw today, are they a product of driver error, Racetrack design, or an Aeropackage that encourages big pack racing, and cars that punch big holes in the air?
Personally its a combination of all three, considering the rate of large wrecks that have come about the past few years, I'm reminded that NASCAR has opened up Restrictor Plates, and brought about mandated rear Shock and Spring combinations, which while lowering speeds and increasing rear downforce, have brought about a negative sideeffect. The hole these cars punch in the air has become larger and larger, meaning that it has become easier and easier to move your way through the field and pass cars. One would assume that this is a good thing, right? wrong buddy, this has brought about a flurry of large accidents and even in the era of HANS devices and SAFER Barriers, isn't acceptable.
So how do we bring about a change? Lets start by doing something that nobody wants, lets decrease the size of the plate, make the cars take a wider stance, but let the teams have the ability to take the rear of the cars out of the air again. It may not be the most popular change, but it will allow the cars to spread out, and keep the bigger wrecks from happening. It also places an emphasis on teamwork and smart passing, because with less chances to pass, you need to pick spots better, to allow yourself the best chance to come up front.
Yes we would all like to see the familiar slingshot passes of the 70's and 80's because thats the Daytona and Talladega we came to love, but sadly those days are gone, and bringing them back will never happen due to the immense competition in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series today.
Personally its a combination of all three, considering the rate of large wrecks that have come about the past few years, I'm reminded that NASCAR has opened up Restrictor Plates, and brought about mandated rear Shock and Spring combinations, which while lowering speeds and increasing rear downforce, have brought about a negative sideeffect. The hole these cars punch in the air has become larger and larger, meaning that it has become easier and easier to move your way through the field and pass cars. One would assume that this is a good thing, right? wrong buddy, this has brought about a flurry of large accidents and even in the era of HANS devices and SAFER Barriers, isn't acceptable.
So how do we bring about a change? Lets start by doing something that nobody wants, lets decrease the size of the plate, make the cars take a wider stance, but let the teams have the ability to take the rear of the cars out of the air again. It may not be the most popular change, but it will allow the cars to spread out, and keep the bigger wrecks from happening. It also places an emphasis on teamwork and smart passing, because with less chances to pass, you need to pick spots better, to allow yourself the best chance to come up front.
Yes we would all like to see the familiar slingshot passes of the 70's and 80's because thats the Daytona and Talladega we came to love, but sadly those days are gone, and bringing them back will never happen due to the immense competition in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series today.
posted by Destructo Bill at
6:43 PM
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