Parks Pit Report: Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500

Since its inception, NASCAR’s “Gen-6” car has been a big work in progress.  It’s seen three different race packages to try and make the best racing product available for the fans to watch.  It’s seen tall spoilers with long splitters, shorter spoilers with reduced horsepower, and even a wicker to increase drag.

But it seemed like this car was lacking something.  Last year, the “high drag” package was run at both Indianapolis and Michigan, with reviews that avoided any questions about how the cars handled.

Translation:  it wasn’t working.

At the same time, this package was part of an agreement between teams and NASCAR itself to try out a new package to give the fans a better product, and at the same time put a bigger emphasis on driver input instead of just horsepower and aerodynamics.

At both Kentucky and Darlington, the package used had a shorter splitter edge, a smaller radiator pan, and the most noticeable being the extremely short rear spoiler.  This, along with a softer tire, meant the cars would be harder to handle.

What the fans got were cars sliding all around the track, but under control.  There was passing, strategy, and more of a mental aspect to the race because drivers had to truly drive their way to victory.  The fans enjoyed it, but the drivers themselves had even more fun being in the seats.  So, NASCAR took this information and decided to implement it into the 2016 rules package for all tracks, except for Daytona and Talladega.

The changes are rather simple.  First, the splitter on the front has only a 1/4-inch leading edge, compared to one inch last season.  Second, the radiator pan went from 38 inches down to only 33.  Finally, the rear spoiler was cut down from six inches down to only 3.5 inches, which is a half-inch taller than what was used in the two races a year ago.

Goodyear also formulated a tire that would wear out quicker, with softer rubber, so the drivers had to take care of how hard they pushed the car, because it could mean early wear.

Sunday’s race in Atlanta was the first official test of the new package, and overall, it worked.  Sure, there were only three cautions, with two of them sending the race into overtime and eventually finishing the race off, but the drivers and fans alike seemed to enjoy what they saw.  Drivers were sliding all over the track to try and maintain grip, especially with the worn surface that Atlanta has.

Tires wore out, some down to the cords and beyond, but that was exactly what it was made for.  Drivers had to use their head to keep from going too hard, too fast, since the drop-off from a fresh set of tires to ones that were worn down was dramatic.

It may be only one race, but this is the right direction for these cars.  Over the next month, the racing will see a flat track, a bigger speedway, and a short track.  This means the car will experience all the major types of tracks that the sport will see over the course of the season.

If Atlanta was any indication, this could make for some fun racing as the year progresses.

RESULTS:  1-Johnson  2-Earnhardt Jr.  3-Kyle Busch  4-Kurt Busch  5-Edwards  6-Harvick  7-Truex Jr.  8-Elliott  9-Keselowski  10-Stenhouse Jr.

NOTABLE FINISHES:  12-Logano  16-Hamlin  19-Kenseth  23-Kahne

CAUTIONS:  3 for 13 laps.  Lap 211-217 (Debris-Backstretch); 324-328 (#31 spin-Frontstretch); 330-330 (#43, 21, 23, 38 accident-Backstretch).

LEAD CHANGES:  28 among 8 drivers.  Kurt Busch 1-39; M. Kenseth 40; C. Edwards 41; C. Whitt 42; Kurt Busch 43-63; M. Kenseth 64-77; Kurt Busch 78-79; J. Johnson
80-83; M. Kenseth 84-115; K. Harvick 116-117; M. Truex Jr 118-134; K. Harvick 135-150; J. Johnson 151; K. Harvick 152-154; M. Truex Jr 155-164; K.
Harvick 165-183; J. Johnson 184-185; Kyle Busch 186; K. Harvick 187-211; M. Truex Jr 212; K. Harvick 213-251; M. Truex Jr 252; K. Harvick 253-255; M. Truex Jr 256-258; K. Harvick 259; M. Truex Jr 260-261; K. Harvick 262-284; Kyle Busch 285; J. Johnson 286-330.

TIME OF RACE:  3 Hrs, 15 Mins, 38 Secs.

AVERAGE SPEED:  155.863 MPH

MARGIN OF VICTORY:  Under Caution

POINT STANDINGS:  1. Kyle Busch, 78 points; 2. Truex Jr, -3; 3. Harvick, -4; 4. Edwards, -5; 5. Hamlin, -8*; 6. Johnson, -8*; 7. Kurt Busch, -9; 8. Logano, -14; 9. Dillon, -15; 10. Almirola, -23.

*Chase Eligible