Like Neil Sedaka’s golden oldie NASCAR officials have found that breaking up the two-car tandem draft has been hard to do.
Traditionalists look forward to the heart-stopping multi-car freight trains of 20 or more Sprint Cup cars on NASCAR’s biggest tracks like Daytona International Speedway and Talladega.
The problem is that drivers have discovered it’s faster around the restrictor plate track to stick lick glue in two-car tandems than huge groups.
NASCAR had to make a rule change during SpeedWeeks last year and has made further technical rules changes for this year’s races. They will be tested for the first time this weekend.
"This is an opportunity we are providing to the competitors to implement and test the new Daytona rules package for 2012," said Robin Pemberton, vice president of competition. "It's a chance for them to get comfortable with the cooling package, the smaller spoiler and to practice drafting for next month's Daytona 500."
The new rules package is a result of information gathered during recent tests at Talladega last October and at Daytona last November.
"While we have had other tests with these set-ups, this is the first opportunity for the entire field to test together and get more comfortable with this package as it relates to their cars," Pemberton said.
The new rules package includes:
Smaller radiators (Maximum of 2 gallon capacity)
Smaller overflow tank (Maximum capacity of a half-gallon)
Radiator inlet is moved up closer into the front center bumper area
Rate reduction in the springs -- softer springs
Smaller rear spoiler
Base line restrictor plate of 29/32 inch (1/64 inch larger than plate size for the 2011 Daytona 500)
"This three-day test will allow the engine tuners for these teams to be able to work with their engine packages and see how they relate and react to the new cooling regulations," Pemberton said.
Steve Letarte, Dale Earnhardt. Jr.s’ crew chief said, on PRN, “I don’t think that NASCAR wants to eliminate two-car drafting, but I think they would like to limit it.”
Daytona officials point out that next month's Daytona 500 will be only the third Sprint Cup Series points event run on the repaved Daytona surface. This year's Preseason Thunder will continue to be an opportunity for teams and drivers to test their skills on a relatively fresh surface in addition to the new rules.
And don’t forget this will eventually be the first race for electronic fuel injection in NASCAR.
Traditionalists look forward to the heart-stopping multi-car freight trains of 20 or more Sprint Cup cars on NASCAR’s biggest tracks like Daytona International Speedway and Talladega.
The problem is that drivers have discovered it’s faster around the restrictor plate track to stick lick glue in two-car tandems than huge groups.
NASCAR had to make a rule change during SpeedWeeks last year and has made further technical rules changes for this year’s races. They will be tested for the first time this weekend.
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| Photo: NASCAR |
"This is an opportunity we are providing to the competitors to implement and test the new Daytona rules package for 2012," said Robin Pemberton, vice president of competition. "It's a chance for them to get comfortable with the cooling package, the smaller spoiler and to practice drafting for next month's Daytona 500."
The new rules package is a result of information gathered during recent tests at Talladega last October and at Daytona last November.
"While we have had other tests with these set-ups, this is the first opportunity for the entire field to test together and get more comfortable with this package as it relates to their cars," Pemberton said.
The new rules package includes:
Smaller radiators (Maximum of 2 gallon capacity)
Smaller overflow tank (Maximum capacity of a half-gallon)
Radiator inlet is moved up closer into the front center bumper area
Rate reduction in the springs -- softer springs
Smaller rear spoiler
Base line restrictor plate of 29/32 inch (1/64 inch larger than plate size for the 2011 Daytona 500)
"This three-day test will allow the engine tuners for these teams to be able to work with their engine packages and see how they relate and react to the new cooling regulations," Pemberton said.
Steve Letarte, Dale Earnhardt. Jr.s’ crew chief said, on PRN, “I don’t think that NASCAR wants to eliminate two-car drafting, but I think they would like to limit it.”
Daytona officials point out that next month's Daytona 500 will be only the third Sprint Cup Series points event run on the repaved Daytona surface. This year's Preseason Thunder will continue to be an opportunity for teams and drivers to test their skills on a relatively fresh surface in addition to the new rules.
And don’t forget this will eventually be the first race for electronic fuel injection in NASCAR.