Guide Note: The following is a result of an e-mail exchange I had with the author. I disagree with him so I invited him to state his case for you. The author accepts all praise or blame at his e-mail address listed below.

RESTRICTORS are RUINING RACING

Before I get on my soapbox, this IS a personal opinion. You are not bound by any law stating you have to agree. With that disclaimer out of the way, let's get started.

In my Webster's Dictionary, copyrighted 1986, "race" is defined as "a contest of speed". So why would our executive friends at NASCAR want to use "restrictor" plates. With all the media attention and corporate bucks, I am starting to think the reason is to slow the cars down so everyone can see the sponsors on the cars. It just has to be that! Remember back in the good ole days when Bill Elliot broke the 200 mph lap? What a joyous day that was. Smiles every where! Not to long after that and very much respect to them, the older drivers were saying "we need to slow the cars down". Boy did they get their wish! With the invention of the restrictor plate which now has holes the size of four home grown pecans, not only did we slow the cars, but we've turned our favorite drivers into nothing more than robots. (Note the correlation given...restrictor plate = nuts!) We have changed the saying from "Go Fast, Turn Left" to "Go restricted, Stay Together". Yes, I will contend that the little plate has caused a more tighter crowd/audience pleasing sport venture, but where is the "race"? The biggest race on a restrictor plate outing now is who can get into, serviced and out of the pits the quickest. Our drivers do not get to "race" any longer with these restricting jewels. Their only job is to, and I quote from every driver, "keep the car out of trouble", a feat in itself! When was the last time you heard "I wanna race"? You won't because they can't. They are to restricted! The pit road commentators report the same story from every pit; gas, tires, draft and pit strategy. No racing to report. Now, we can look at this another way. Safety! Could the cars handle a 220 mph impact?

I doubt it. But, without the restrictor plate, a driver couldn't go flat footed all the way around the track either! The driver would have to lift going into the corner just like on short/shorter tracks. Hence, putting the driver back to his job...DRIVING! And it would also bring back the "race" aspect. OK, how about tires. Could the Goodyear Eagles handle the higher speeds? I have faith in our little rubber buddies that some where back in a deep dark closet is a tire ready to go. If they don't have one, I'm sure they have the smarts to make it! Ok, even I'll admit I enjoy some of the tightness in restrictor plates ballets, but how good is a group of cars when one starts spinning and it takes one forth to one third of the cars out of contention or at worst the "race"?

I love my NASCAR. I love a good "race". Let our boys do what we pay them to do, RACE! If we could let them "race" then I won't have to get a new restricted dictionary.

Joel Wyatt
jawyatt@usa.net

Read the Top Row Seat view of restrictor plates.