For a long time, NASCAR has tried to optimize a driver’s experience on short tracks. In recent news, the authorities have announced a short-track package that will focus on improving the car’s stability in polluted air. This is one more of the modifications to the NextGen car that has yet to be discovered for its abilities. While there’s a lot that NASCAR has changed this year, Dale Earnhardt Jr. made an important revelation in one of his recent interviews.
Earnhardt talked about the importance of race day and the following events. With NASCAR scheduling a testing session of the short-track package with a few chosen drivers, Jr. believes this might be the turning point.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the importance of the two days after the race at NHMS
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Earlier this season, NASCAR announced the introduction of an aerodynamic rules package that saw the cars have an increased lift. It also decreased the downforce in the cars in an attempt to increase the quality of racing on the tracks. The board’s latest decision is to unwind all the changes and bring in a package that will improve the downforce massively. Emphasizing the importance of the response drivers will have to this, Dale Earnhardt Jr. says,
“We’re going to New Hampshire this weekend to race, but that might not be the most important day of the week for New Hampshire, okay? Monday and Tuesday, a handful of drivers are staying back after the Cup Series race is over, and they’re going to test a new short-track package. “
NASCAR has chosen a few drivers in New Hampshire as Junior names to decide if the package will be of any help on short tracks.
“And so I even sent out a tweet. I think William Byron, Ryan Preece, Christopher Bell, and a couple of other guys are going to be testing this package. Together, it’s about six. And I said, hey, the future of short track racing in big league stock cars is on y’all’s shoulders.” informs the two-time Daytona 500 winner.
NASCAR has put a lot of faith in this revision and will be hoping that the reciprocation from the drivers will be positive.
“We’re screwed”: Dale Jr. on the consequences of the testing session
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The elephant in the room for short tracks is congestion. Generally, short tracks experience a heavy amount of traffic, resulting in problems for the drivers not leading the race. The dirty-air problem has been addressed by NASCAR this term. But with the increased downforce, the cars will have more stability in dirty air. However, for the one who leads the race in NHMS, there’ll be hindrance by the extra drag and, as a result, by a slower pace.
“Y’all don’t come out of here with an answer; we’re screwed, We are!” claims Jr.
Earnhardt is of the opinion that there’s a tougher business side to the issue as well. The solution isn’t just to find a viable concept, but to successfully implement it in the cars and in all of them on the grid. The two-time Xfinity winner believes the same as well.
Short tracks have been problematic for some teams this season.
Christopher Bell explains the proposed short track package that will be tested at New Hampshire.
It's a splitter that creates lift in clean air but provides downforce in traffic. pic.twitter.com/5USnJMfjB4
— Matt Weaver (@MattWeaverRA) July 8, 2023
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“So, no matter what they find, even if they what they believe to be the Holy Grail, the answer to short track racing with the Next-Gen car. Even, if they find it Mike, the arts and pieces that are made by the single suppliers will not be made and developed in enough bulk to be able to give to all the teams until next year.”
“Even if it’s the right sh**, they can’t bolt it on every car at Martinsville this year because they can’t make enough to provide for everybody in the series. And so, if they miss this and they don’t nail it and we go to next year with it and it doesn’t work, we’re back to square one.”
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Well, a reasonable argument indeed. The success of one instance does not certify its certainty to succeed ahead in more races either.
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