Restrictor plate size will be key at Talladega as Sprint Cup teams test NASCAR’s new spoiler

By Bob Pockrass

Monday, March 15, 2010

NASCAR's test Tuesday will determine the restrictor-plate size at Talladega.

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NASCAR will use restrictor plates with larger holes than they have used in the past at Talladega Superspeedway Tuesday as its Sprint Cup teams test the new spoiler that is expected to replace the rear win in a few weeks.

The test will not only help teams figure out setups for the new spoiler but help NASCAR evaluate which restrictor plate to use with the new configuration.

The test Tuesday is the first open test for Sprint Cup teams with the spoiler, and they likely will start with a restrictor plate with holes of 1-1/32 inches (66/64ths) – 7/64ths of an inch more than the plates used last October and 3/64ths larger than the plate used for this year’s Daytona 500.

The spoiler is expected to replace the wing starting with the March 28 race at Martinsville Speedway, although NASCAR has not announced a firm start date yet. The spoiler will definitely be in use, however, for the April 25 race at Talladega.

The test Tuesday will run from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. EDT with single-car runs from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. and drafting from 2 p.m.-6 p.m.

“When you do all the math from the spoiler to the gear to the speed, you can compute what [restrictor plate] you think you should have, but we feel like it would be nice to have a confirmation of that so maybe if we have to adjust during the race weekend, it’s only once,” NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Director John Darby said.

“We’ll ask them to use all the same size and if it looks good, we’ll press on, and if we have to adjust up or down, we will.”

Most teams are expected to attend the test. But not all teams are going as Richard Petty Motorsports is only sending Paul Menard and Roush Fenway Racing is only sending Matt Kenseth and David Ragan.

“It will be much like the Nationwide [new] car was at Talladega with the spoiler on the car,” said Richard Childress Racing’s Kevin Harvick. “The air will be a little bit sharper turbulence than what we saw with the wing.

“Just knowing exactly what we need for plates and things like that is important as well. It’s more of an information-gathering session. The cars will drive great. It will be more important for the engine shop and the engineers than it will for me.”

Teams will fabricate their own spoilers for the test, but NASCAR will end up issuing teams the spoilers for the races. Richardson Racing Products will be making the spoilers and they should be ready for the March 23-24 test at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Darby said.

“I don’t think the test at Talladega is going to tell us a whole lot,” Hendrick Motorsports’ Jeff Gordon said. “It is really the test in Charlotte that we are all very interested in.

“The fans seem to want [the spoiler] as well as it looks good on paper. Right now it looks like a win-win until we get out there and see what it does on the track.”

In addition to replacing the wing with the spoiler, the rear quarter panel of the cars will be extended by four inches from the front edge, leaving only seven inches instead of 11 between the ground and the front edge of the rear quarter panel.

“We have some things we’re going to try down there body-wise,” said Stewart-Haas Racing director of competition Bobby Hutchens. “We’ll see how that all falls out [at Talladega].

“The [Charlotte test] is the real important test to see if what we’re learning in the wind tunnel is correct.”