NASCAR promises safety changes

NASCAR says it had a productive test of its new car and promised drivers that solutions to some of their safety concerns should be implemented by next season. NASCAR’s top leadership held a 75-minute meeting ahead of Saturday’s practice at Charlotte Motor Speedway. It said it expects a new rear clip, rear bumper structure and center section on next year’s Next Gen car. Those parts are too stiff right now and drivers have complained all season they are feeling the force from routine crashes more than before. Alex Bowman and Kurt Busch, pictured, are both sidelined with concussions suffered in crashes, and Cody Shane Ware won’t race Sunday because he has a broken foot. It’s the first time in at least two decades that three full time Cup drivers will miss a race. NASCAR had a slide presentation prepared, but two different drivers likened the session to an episode of “Seinfeld.” Erik Jones described it as an “airing of grievances” while Brad Keselowski, driver and part-owner of RFK Racing, said “everybody had a little bit to say, this may be a little bit of a Festivus.”