NASCAR has adjusted its competitive
package for Sunday’s Daytona 500, allowing teams to adjust the pressurization
of their cooling systems from 25 psi to 28 psi.
Sprint Cup teams pressurize
the system to raise the boiling temperature of the coolant and prevent
overheating. NASCAR dropped the pressurization requirement earlier this year in
an attempt to break up the two-car, tandem drafts for Speedweeks 2012. Today’s
change was made after a number of teams complained of high engine temperatures
during Saturday night’s Budweiser Shootout at Daytona, despite comments from NASCAR
Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton’s characterization of those
issues as "moderate.”
Additional changes could still
be made following Thursday’s Gatorade Duel qualifying races, enlarging the
front grill openings to allow additional air into the radiator, or increasing
cooling system temperature once again.
"We said all along
there was potential to make adjustments,'' said Pemberton today, adding there
are no plans to regulate bump drafting in the corners in an attempt to avoid a
repeat of Thursday’s crash-filled race. "The drivers know they can't push
on the left rear,'' he said. "They have to get acclimated.”
KNEW it was coming. They NEED to make the spoiler a couple of inches larger. I can't remember Daytona being so left-corner bump sensitive. Even last year, you could hit the car in front of you so hard it woke up the groundhogs. Need to make a couple more adjustments. Make it safe, worry less about tandem drafting. The next guy who flips over may not walk away. Can't take that chance.
ReplyDeleteDoug from NJ