If you love restrictor plate racing then this weekend's barnburner at Talladega
was probably your favorite race of the year.
This weekend witnessed one of the more exciting restrictor plate races
of the last few years. NASCAR made some rule changes to give back
some horsepower while taking away some of the aerodynamic advantages.
This rule change was intended to allow cars more horsepower and more
passing during the race while still keeping the speed of the cars down.
The Good
Certainly NASCAR accomplished it's goal of making the race more
entertaining for the fans while still keeping the speeds down. The lead
changed hands frequently and three-wide racing was the rule instead of
the exception.
Twenty-one drivers exchanged the lead forty-nine times over the race's scheduled
distance of 188 laps, and those are only the lead changes at the start/finish line.
There were many laps where the lead changed hands two or three times in a single
lap.
For most of the race there was less than four seconds between the leader and
the 35th place car and teams routinely moved up and back ten or twelve positions
in just one or two laps.
The Bad
However, for the people who dislike restrictor plate racing this weekend's race was
just more of the same.
Passing was impossible without a partner (two is even better) because the aerodynamic
factors still outweigh the horsepower available. This means that we still saw big packs
of cars running nose-to-tail for the entire race, the difference this weekend was that due
to the increased stability of the high-drag aerodynamic package the drivers were more
comfortable running three and four wide.
This leads to a high-stress day for the drivers as one wrong move by any of the drivers
could easily lead to a multi-car pileup. Nobody had the horsepower to pass, let alone
pull-away from the pack so tight groups of cars were the order of the day.
The Verdict
It's simple, this weekend's show was everything that we've come to know about restrictor
plate racing... magnified. If you loved plate racing in the past then you were likely thrilled
by the three-wide, edge-of-your-seat racing and close quarters drafting. However, if you
are against the idea of plate racing then this weekend's show was just another prime
example of why it should be banned.
Remembered
On a sad note, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Tony Roper passed away on Saturday morning
as a result of injuries sustained during Friday nights race at Texas Motor Speedway.
I would like to join the entire racing community in offering my condolences.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the Roper family.
