What a race that was! Daytona was filled with drama and thrills. Unexpectedly, Harrison Burton took the win, beating two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch in the final lap. Fans were entertained by the chaos the race had—cars flying, cars on fire, last-minute wrecks, and last-mile battles to the finish line. One can say that it was the whole package.! NASCAR for long has tried and tested to improve its Superspeedway package, where there has to be a balance between safety and thrill. Was the current package a success at Daytona? It partly was.

NASCAR is always tweaking its approach to keep the races exciting without sacrificing safety. Back in 2017, they tested a new idea—using Xfinity Series engines in Cup cars to create a better drafting effect and add more excitement without the chaos. They even adjusted the rear spoiler and added air ducts to mimic truck airflow, aiming to enhance the thrill factor.

Looking ahead, it’s likely NASCAR will continue to refine its superspeedway package, especially before races at Talladega and Atlanta, to strike the perfect balance between safety and edge-of-your-seat action.

Is NASCAR’s current Superspeedway package a success?

The superspeedway package for tracks like Daytona and Talladega, introduced to enhance safety by reducing car speeds, has led to tightly packed races. While this setup prioritizes safety, it can compromise the thrill of the race. However, the recent Daytona event still had its moments of excitement.

Since January 2022, the next-gen cars have used a 510-horsepower aero package with a 7-inch spoiler, keeping speeds below 200 mph. Though the 2024 package remains largely unchanged, the Coke Zero Sugar 400 had some thrilling moments, including airborne incidents involving Michael McDowell and Josh Berry. Despite the chaos, NASCAR’s safety measures ensured no injuries.

However, NASCAR analyst Eric Estepp had some suggestions. While discussing the recent Daytona race, he said, “Maybe NASCAR will finally decide to rip the underbody the underwing off these cars at least at Superspeedways maybe they’ll consider something before Atlanta and then Talladega in the fall I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

The Atlanta race is only two weeks away. The first race of the playoffs has to be the most entertaining. Estepp further in the video, talked about how NASCAR was quick to make a safety upgrade and is hopeful they will do the same with other upgrades. He added, “They made the decision to add the shark fin really quick so who knows maybe this (superspeedway package) is an area where they can work fast.” Who knows, we might get some increased horsepower. Meanwhile, what is this shark fin that NASCAR installed in cars?

NASCAR’s failed attempt to improve safety ahead of Daytona

Trending

Despite 2023 Disaster, Chase Elliott Risks Angering Rick Hendrick by Choosing Alex Bowman’s HMS Banned Tactic

Kurt Busch Finally Breaking Radio Silence After Criminal Charges Forced 3-Month-Long Hiatus Has NASCAR Fans Breathing Easy

“There’s Going to Be a New Player”- Kyle Petty Warns the Entire NASCAR Garage With Bold Prediction About Spire Motorsports Star

Bubba Wallace and Others Inadvertently Save Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin’s Fate in NASCAR

Joey Logano Leaks NASCAR’s Threat to Kick Teams Out of Daytona 500 After Chevy’s Defiance to $400,000 Fine

NASCAR introduced a new safety feature, a right-side shark fin, of all Cup cars to limit the possibility of blow-over crashes. This came after the Michigan race, where Corey LaJoie was airborne, sending a chill down the spine of anyone who watched his wreck. Ahead of this weekend’s race in Daytona, Chief Racing Development Officer John Probst explained what the fins do.

He said, “So, when we add say the roof flaps or the hood flaps, the shark fin on the left side, the roof rails, those are all added to make the velocity at which the car will lift off the ground higher, and when you look at how fast our cars go, they actually go faster than a 747 at takeoff.” It aims towards slowing the car down. However, it did not work.

While this feature helped Michael McDowell avoid a complete rollover in a crash, it was unable to prevent Josh Berry from flipping upside down and crashing into the wall during the final stages of the race. Estepp, in his analysis of race, also talked about how the fins need more work. He said, “Clearly whatever Aero changes they made for this race did not have the desired effect, so again, back to the drawing board, that’s all I can really say I’m no I’m no genius here I did talk to someone this weekend who is an aerodynamic engine and to be fair they did tell me that the shark fin probably wasn’t going to work.”

Overall, in the superspeedway package, the safety of drivers is good, but the car does not enable them to push enough. What changes to the package would you like to see? Let us know in the comments below.