This year’s Daytona 500 was contested using the 2018 rules package. Behind the scenes NASCAR has been tweaking the 2019 package to be ready to go for Talladega Superspeedway in a few weeks.
After a recent test of the 2019 package, NASCAR wasn’t pleased with the speeds at which the cars were approaching and have stepped in to slow things down for the upcoming non-restrictor plate debut for the superspeedways.
NASCAR will increase the size of the rear spoiler to 9 inches and add a 1-inch bolt to the track bar mount for a height of 12 inches for races at Daytona and Talladega. This is to slow the cars down after speeds too high during Daytona test in February. #NASCAR @NASCARONFOX
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) March 27, 2019
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We don’t have an official word on how fast the cars were turning laps in the test, but Kyle Larson talked about near 200-mph laps in the three car session a few days after the test.
Kyle Larson, who did the Goodyear tire year with Bowman and Hemric, indicated they were approaching speeds of 200mph in the test. NASCAR tried various ways to slow down the cars. pic.twitter.com/M3E3UiwPoe
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) February 22, 2019
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A nine-inch spoiler should do the job to slow the cars back down to a speed that the sanctioning body is comfortable with, and the changes to the bolt on the track bar mount will dramatically help as well according to Kevin Harvick’s crew chief Rodney Childers.
Add a 1” thick bolt on plate to the bottom of the right side track bar mount, which makes it 12” long from the rear clip. This makes it where we can’t travel the back of the car as far and adds drag. https://t.co/Qo6hzMjGHc
— Rodney Childers (@RodneyChilders4) March 27, 2019
