Jimmie Johnson details what outlines could be made to plate racing
Jimmie Johnson revealed Friday what drivers would like to see change at restrictor plate races.
The style of racing that happens at Daytona and Talladega was a dominant topic following the Talladega race in May when three cars got airborne. Many ideas (including here) were bandied about as possible ways to tweak or outright change the style of plate racing currently in place.
The season’s second race at Daytona is next weekend and Johnson, a member of the Driver’s Council, was asked about what drivers would like to see change.
“I know following Talladega there were a lot of suggestions made,” Johnson said. “I certainly had some opinions of why passing was as difficult as it was and the energy that it created in the pack and the need to kind of bump-draft and slam-draft and then crash, like that whole process that took place. I know that they don’t want to over-react and we’re going to a different track in Daytona that works a little bit differently than Talladega does.
“So, I feel comfortable with it. I think, ideally, we would love to have the side draft be less impactful. We’d love to have a push from another car be more beneficial. And with the gear and horsepower reduction, I think that took away some of that offensive opportunity that existed. But, we’ll see how Daytona races and take it from there. I know that there’s another Driver Council meeting down in Daytona. It will probably be top of mind for everybody then.”
With restrictor plates choking horsepower and acceleration from cars, the draft is of massive importance at Daytona and Talladega. And when thinking of the drafting effect, many people think of the slingshot maneuvers that drivers have pulled at the two tracks over the years.
The side draft has increased in influence with the downforce level of the cars and as the front-to-back draft (for lack of a better term) has decreased in importance.
But Johnson’s correct; while there’s no harm in talking about future changes, even radical ones with reasonable intentions, overreaction isn’t always the best gameplan. Though Daytona has shown it has a significant risk of cars getting airborne as well. It’s impossible to forget Austin Dillon’s car flipping over traffic and into the catchfence at the end of the July race last season.
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Nick Bromberg is the editor of From The Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter!
