NASCAR reconsidering safety rules

Elwood · October 23, 2001

Nice words, but will they really do anything? Let's hope so.

From Yahoo Sports:

NASCAR reconsidering safety rules at Talladega and Daytona

By MIKE HARRIS

AP Motorsports Writer

October 22, 2001

TALLADEGA, Ala. (AP) -- NASCAR will take a closer look at rules designed to make racing safer at Talladega and Daytona after angry drivers complained conditions at those tracks are actually more dangerous.

Drivers and crew chiefs stormed the NASCAR hauler Sunday following the EA Sports 500, which was marred by a wild 16-car wreck on the last lap in which Bobby Labonte's car ended up on its roof.

NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter said Monday the sanctioning body will use ``all the resources we can muster'' to address the drivers' concerns. That will include using its new research and development center in Conover, N.C.

``We're just as anxious as they are,'' Hunter said.

He added, however, that NASCAR has been trying to solve the problem of keeping speeds down without hurting competition at Talladega and Daytona since the tracks opened in 1969 and 1959, respectively.

``We have to find a solution at both tracks, but we'll look at Daytona first because we race there first,'' he said.

The 2002 season will open in February with the Daytona 500, a race in which Dale Earnhardt was killed last February in a final-lap crash.

Earlier in that race, a multicar wreck also raised questions about the aerodynamic rules at the two longest and fastest tracks, which reduce speeds but also keep cars closer together.

None of the drivers was injured in Sunday's wreck, but many of those involved -- and some who weren't -- complained bitterly to NASCAR about the rules.

``It ain't the drivers, it's NASCAR,'' Sterling Marlin said. ``You run it all day, you're going to wreck. Every driver has been telling them in the NASCAR trailer that it's going to happen.''

The rules at Talladega and Daytona require the use of carburetor restrictor plates that limit horsepower to keep cars under 200 mph, presumably creating safer racing. But the power-sapping plates also cause cars to bunch up, which can lead to more crashes.

In recent years, most of the events at the big tracks have featured exciting racing in which many of the 43 starters remain tightly packed throughout, often running three- and four-wide.

Ward Burton, who narrowly avoided Sunday's crash, said there's not much a driver can do except hope for the best.

``With what was going on in front of me, I knew it was going to happen,'' he said of the wreck. ``What do I do? I can't back off. I just sit there and see if I get through it or not.''

Drivers were especially upset because the aerodynamic rules at Talladega remain virtually unchanged from the April race there, despite an August test in which 19 teams took part in an effort to make changes.

``We learned a lot but we couldn't reach a consensus,'' Hunter explained.

The next race at Talladega is in April. The Winston Cup cars race twice at Talladega and Daytona every year.

The next step, Hunter said, is to sit down with drivers and crew chiefs and all of NASCAR's technical experts.

``We're going to have some discussions and get all their input,'' Hunter said. ``Then we're going to whittle it down to three or four things that make sense across the board and schedule some tests and try those things.''

``We understand the frustrations of the drivers and teams. We're very sensitive to it. There's a balance out there somewhere and we're determined to find it.''

Kansas Kid · October 23, 2001

If they do change the rules around before Daytona, I would expect a long follow the leader type race. I'm not sure what all they can do to get the cars seperated, yet still keep some form of competition. All in all, its probably a no win situation....

Elwood · October 23, 2001

In my opinion the old way of running is fine. Before they made the cars run so equal a team really had to work to have a good car at these tracks. Now they're just rying to keep from crashing. Making to where a car can pull away will make teams have to work harder to produce a good car for these tracks if they want to win a championship. Maybe I'm wrong, but it makes sense to me.

Kansas Kid · October 23, 2001

How far back are you talking about with this old way of running? If its anytime within the last 10 years, all they did was try to avoid wrecks. Even if you get these guys running single file, if somebody wrecks it always takes out 10+ cars. Only difference then is that the race wasn't worth watching, because there would be about 2 on the track passes for the lead.

btw, go ask any of the RAD teams how much work goes into a restrictor plate car. You think those guys haven't worked dang hard to win the last 5 restrictor plate races? You don't do that just by luck, even if all the cars are that close together and seem to run fairly equal.

Elwood · October 23, 2001

I'm talking about farther back than that. I know there has to be a way to do it. they just don't want to make to where one or two cars can pull away and leave everybody else. They don't seem to mind at other tracks.

And I'm not saying they don't work hard now, but it would be more critical to get the right set up in another format. And it would payoff even more if you nailed the right setup, it would be a pretty good reward for the team.

Maybe it wouldn't be as "exciting" to see 43 cars in one pack at the end, but it would be better than wacthing them get killed because one person gets loose.

October 23, 2001

Make them run old 1960 Plymouths, fords, Mercs, Checys, Pontiacs, etc.

The aerodynamics will slow them down!

Kansas Kid · October 23, 2001

There is always a way to do something, but this one is not going to be easy. If it was they would have taken care of it years ago.

If it was up to me, I'd do what DE and Sterling have suggested. Take the restrictor plates off, and let em run. If some of the drivers are afraid to run that fast, they can sit out. Let the real racers run. But you would have to modify the tracks to allow this, because the cars would be likey to go into the stands. Thats why we have the plates in the first place.

Others have said to reduce the horsepower. Well sure that works to get the speed down, but it gives us what we have right now. Huge packs of cars that nobody can break away from.

The key is more then likely the aerodynamics like Friz mentioned, but what exactly do they need to do? Its not going to be quick and easy to dirty the aero on these cars up enough that it can be done overnight. Probably not even by Daytona next year....