The Smallest Superspeedway
Dateline: 09/11/2000Just when race fans thought that NASCAR getting ready to rid the sport of restrictor plate for Talladega and Daytona there is a new restrictor plate track. This weekend the NASCAR Winston Cup and Busch North cars will be racing with the plates at New Hampshire International Speedway.
Last weekend in Richmond NASCAR officials announced some rule changes that will be effective for this weekend's event in Loudon, NH.
The first and most striking announcement is that the teams will be forced to race the flat one mile speedway with a one-inch restrictor plate installed. NASCAR believes that this change will reduce the top speeds by approximately 10 miles per hour.
The second rule change is that all cars will be forced to run "pre-practice" laps behind the pace car to help bring the brakes up to their effective temperature prior to any full-speed practice laps being run. This should help the effectiveness of the brakes in an emergency situation.
These rule changes are in response to the tragic deaths of Adam Petty and Kenny Irwin earlier this season at the facility. Earlier this year NASCAR mandated throttle-stops to limit the travel of the throttle past vertical and kill switches that must be mounted on the steering wheel. However, during practice at Darlington, Bobby Labonte had his throttle stick during practice and wrecked hard into the third turn wall. After the incident Bobby said that he did not have time to think of and then use the kill switch. This sent NASCAR back to the drawing board in search of a better solution.
Safety in auto racing is an ongoing battle. As speeds increase and the races become more competitive the drivers are forced to push the limits of the cars and themselves in search of any advantage. This means that safety advances that worked last year may well be outdated and ineffective this season.
Mystery Racing
So what kind of effect will the plates have on stop-and-go racing like we see at NHIS? Plate racing on the high banks of Daytona and Talladega is characterized by big packs of cars that can't pass without a drafting partner. Will the plates at NHIS have as dramatic of an effect?
Fear not. The draft is not nearly as critical at the slower speeds that they run in Loudon.
In fact, look for passing to be a little easier with an outbraking maneuver at the end of the straights. Drivers will be able to use the draft to get a run on the car in front of them and then dive under them into the turn and complete the pass. Plate racing may actually improve the quality of the racing!
How will it all turn out? Stop back here next week for the full analysis.
