Plates to get test with 'car of tomorrow'
By Bob Pockrass
Friday, October 06, 2006
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NASCAR plans to bring eight sets of restrictor plates, and some could have holes as big as 1-inch in diameter (the current holes are 57/64-inch in diameter), when teams test the "car of tomorrow" Monday at Talladega Superspeedway.
By instituting a gear rule for restrictor-plate engines (there is no current gear rule) and utilizing the car of tomorrow's increased drag, NASCAR could allow more air to flow through the engines. The first restrictor-plate car of tomorrow race is scheduled for October 2007 at Talladega.
"Because it is different than our downforce tests which we've done, we're going to go [and ask teams] to put this plate on with this gear," NASCAR Director of Cost Research Brett Bodine said. "We're going to be able to zero in pretty quick on the package."
Ten teams plan on attending the test at Talladega: Richard Childress Racing (Clint Bowyer), Roush Racing (Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle, Jamie McMurray), Hendrick Motorsports (Jimmie Johnson), Evernham Motorsports (Scott Riggs), MB2 Motorsports (Joe Nemechek), Haas CNC Racing (Jeff Green), Dale Earnhardt Inc. (Kerry Earnhardt), Team Red Bull (Mike Skinner), Wyler Racing (Ricky Rudd) and Chip Ganassi Racing (Juan Pablo Montoya).
"I don't know what all we're going to learn there," Johnson said. "It's good to have the car of tomorrow on the superspeedway. Our engineers, NASCAR and everybody will learn a lot in general about the car.
"But until we get 20 or 30 cars in the draft, it's real hard for me to notice something, feel a big difference. I'll imagine it won't be enough in the draft to show any trends, but I think we'll all be a lot smarter leaving there about our superspeedway programs."
Joe Gibbs Racing, Penske Racing South, Robert Yates Racing and Petty Enterprises are among the teams planning on skipping the test.
- Mentioned Drivers:
- Carl Edwards
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