Changes may yield more drama
AVONDALE, Ariz. — NASCAR’s semifinal race in Phoenix last fall was a bit of a snooze. The racing wasn’t very compelling because it was so hard to pass, and it was a big reason the sport decided to shake up its rules package for short tracks in an effort to get a little more excitement.
Phoenix Raceway will be the testing ground for those changes today. Veteran driver Clint Bowyer said it was hard to tell much difference during early runs in the desert, though he wouldn’t be surprised if things change in a big way when the race begins.
“Who knows?” Bowyer said. “Maybe there will be some more chaos.”
A little more drama would be a welcome development at the mile Phoenix Raceway that also will host the championship-deciding race in November.
The rules package introduced last season was altered during the off-season when NASCAR made changes to the specifications for short tracks, including a significantly smaller rear spoiler for the cars. NASCAR said the changes mirror similar rules that were used during the 2017 and 2018 seasons. Phoenix is the first stop on the schedule affected by the changes and drivers are interested to see the changes that result.
Chase Elliott and his No. 9 Chevrolet have the pole position. He’ll start alongside Kevin Harvick’s Ford. Harvick has nine wins in Phoenix.
Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin — who qualified third in a Toyota — said drivers who tried the smaller spoiler in simulators said it’s a big adjustment.
“I think the guys that run good or win this weekend are either going to have a setup that they hit on that is really good or they acclimated quicker to this package back to where we were,” Hamlin said.
Hamlin is trying to win his second consecutive race in Phoenix. His win last year race vaulted him into the championship round in Homestead, though the title was won by Kyle Busch.
Hamlin is one of the best current drivers to not win a Cup series championship even though he was close in 2010, 2014 and last season. He’s off to a good start once again after his Daytona win and a sixth-place finish last week in Fontana.
But the 39-year-old said he’s more worried about consistency than championships. Last week, Hamlin compared a good NASCAR season to a college basketball program that consistently makes Final Four.
“I think that the championship is an easy goal that anyone just throws out — win a championship — but that comes down to one race,” Hamlin said. “If you can win a significant amount of races, it shows a bigger picture of your full year.”
Part of earning consistent success this year will be mastering today’s new rules package, which affects nine of the schedule’s 24 tracks. Bowyer said the changes will be hard to simulate until everyone’s on the track fighting for the same position.
“When we line them up and fan out on restarts, you’re going to see a different thing,” Bowyer said. “You’re not just going to be able to drive that thing in there three-or four-wide comfortably like we could with all that downforce.”