Proving again that NASCAR is unlike any other sport, they have announced two rule changes for the upcoming Good Sam Club 500 Sprint Cup race at Talladega. The race occurs during what NASCAR considers their version of the playoffs, The Chase. A rule change, once the playoffs had already begun would be unheard of in another sport, however NASCAR is always looking to make the racing better.
The two changes they have announced will hopefully accomplish just that. First, the size of the restrictor plate will increase by 1/64 of an inch. The change should add approximately between 7-10 more horsepower to the cars. Nascar is hoping this change in conjunction with the second will aid drivers in their ability to pass.
The other change is being instituted in hopes of cutting down or even possibly eliminating the two car drafts we have seen recently at Talladega. NASCAR is reducing the pressure controlled by the pressure relief valve on the car's cooling system by 8 pounds per square inch. The goal of this rule change is to not allow a car to draft another for an extended period of time before beginning to overheat.
One has to applaud NASCAR's efforts toward making Talladega a better race, but at the same time perhaps question it's timing. While all the teams in The Chase have the same amount of time to prepare for the Talladega race, they don't all have the same resources at their disposal. Could a team like Stewart/Haas, who depends on Hendrick Motorsports for so much, not have a car with the same R&D as those driven by Dale Earnhardt Jr, Jeff Gordon, and Jimmie Johnson?
Most will agree a change had to be made to make the racing at Talladega better. What some might not agree on is the timing.
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