New rules to slow speeds coming to Sprint Cup
NASCAR is introducing new rules to reduce downforce and sideforce on Sprint Cup cars with the goal of slowing speeds and, in theory, enhancing competition.
Beginning with Saturday’s Sprint All- Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, teams can no longer use brake-cooling fans. The fans put air on brake systems for cooling purposes, but they also generate additional downforce. The change goes into effect for the All- Star Race but also will be used for the rest of the Sprint Cup schedule.
Sideforce also will be reduced — but for the All-Star weekend only — by eliminating adjustments to the cars’ rear toe. Teams have been allowed to start races with the rear toe set 0.3 degrees to the right, but that measurement now will be set at zero.
The reductions in downforce and sideforce are intended to slow corner speeds and put more control of the cars in the drivers’ hands, officials say.
The All-Star Race has seen a raft of changes over the years, and this season’s version lines up perfectly with that concept.
Beyond the changes revealed Monday, the race format is new. After two 50-lap segments, nine, 10 or 11 of the field’s 20 drivers will be required to pit for a fourtire change. The number will be picked in a random draw.
At the beginning of the closing 13-lap segment, the drivers with new tires will be positioned behind those with old tires. The anticipation is that the excitement level will pop as the drivers with new tires try to advance through the field with $1 million awaiting the winner.
Although the race awards no points, it’s sometimes a highlight of the Sprint Cup schedule. Recent seasons, though, have seen mostly placid racing and little drama at the finish.
All things considered, the quality of the racing, especially during the spotlighted closing segment, might depend on how the Goodyear tires react to the track surface.
“I think the nature of the race really depends on tire falloff,” Jimmie Johnson said. “And for the teams that are required to pit based on where they finish, hopefully there’s a ton of tire falloff and you can make up those positions lost in a very short final segment.
“I’d say that the conversation right now among the drivers is there’s a race for ninth, 10th, 11th, whatever that transfer spot is and wherever that ends up being, that everybody is joking that’s the spot to be right now. But hopefully we get to the track and we see that the tire wear is far different and people don’t have to play that game.”
Martin Truex Jr. said the changes made predicting the nature of the race difficult.
“There are so many questions,” he said. “What’s the tire going to be like? Is there going to be a lot of falloff or a little falloff ? ... It’s all going to really depend on what the tires do.
“But that’s going to get exciting at the end with guys running for their lives on old tires and guys trying to get to the front on new tires. So that’ll be fun if the tires are right.”
The race field will have 20 drivers. Fifteen are eligible based on past performances. The winners of each of three Sprint Showdown segments will advance, and the final two spots will be filled via fan voting.