NASCAR Cup Series

NASCAR says drivers wanted change

Published Sep. 21, 2011 1:00 a.m. ET

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NASCAR officials on Wednesday announced a pair of rule changes for the Sprint Cup race next month at Talladega Superspeedway.

The size of the restrictor plates that teams will use to prepare and practice for the race will increase by 1/64 of an inch and is now going to be 57/64-inch diameter. This will provide the teams with an additional 7-10 horsepower. The restrictor plates harness air flow to the engine.

Additionally, the sanctioning body is making a change to the cooling system. The changes could alter the nature of the two-car drafts now common in restrictor-plate races.

With the new standards, cars could overheat more quickly in the two-car drafts Talladega saw in April. Now, drivers in a draft will either have to switch positions more often or the "push" car will have to sometimes move the car a bit more to the side when drafting to draw in more air.

“Changing the plates will be better," said David Reutimann's crew chief, Rodney Childers. "It should make it more racy, where you can pull out and pass. If they are wanting to make it where people can’t draft as long, it’s going to do that. Probably only a half of a lap or a lap is all you’re going to get out of it.”

The Talladega race is Oct. 23, the sixth of the 10 Chase for the Sprint Cup races.

“After the last few superspeedway races, we’ve heard many drivers express their desire to open up the size of the restrictor plate some, and we thought the time was right to do that,” said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president, competition. “We anticipate these revisions in the rules package for Talladega will help continue to provide competitive and exciting racing for the fans.”

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