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Friday, February 8, 2002

NASCAR tries to find right mix

By GODWIN KELLY | News-Journal Motorsports Editor

DAYTONA BEACH — The behind-the-scenes political struggle being waged these days at Daytona International Speedway would make a Washington insider flinch.

The battle ground is the Winston Cup rule book under the subheading of restrictor plate guidelines.

Ford competitors left Daytona's January test sessions begging NASCAR for a rules concession, and got a break on the rear spoiler, while Chevrolet teams pointed fingers saying Ford outright sandbagged.

Ford tested with a six-and-half-inch tall blade and return today with a six-and-a-quarter-inch rear spoiler. Ford claims it isn't enough. Ford's competition say it was too much.

Chevrolets will be outfitted with spoilers at six-and-a-quarter-inches high while Dodge and Pontiac entries will carry spoilers measured at six-and-a-half-inches. All the rear blades must be 57-inches long.

Gone are last year's roof deflectors and wicker bills designed to punch a hole in the air and keep even the slowest entry in tow at 185 mph.

NASCAR scrambled to revamp the rules after a 16-car accident on the last lap of Talladega Superspeedway's October race. The current rules are similar to the 2000 season which spawned single-file, hard-to-pass racing at NASCAR's two largest oval courses.

NASCAR is trying to find the right mix of close racing and safe conditions as manufacturers lobby for rules friendly to their make of car.

"There might be crashes and I hope not," said Rusty Wallace, who drives the No. 2 Penske Racing Ford. "But I know the cars won't draft as tight and should be able to maneuver good.

"I think where you fell behind and ran up on somebody's rear bumper, those days are gone. None of the drivers really liked it. With the current rule, people will enjoy the drafting. I think the cars are still going to run close. Nobody will be able to run away."

Hut Stricklin, who drives a Bill Davis Racing Dodge, said these rules might help spread the 43-car field but cause drivers to take a more dangerous approach to the race.

"It's a situation right now where you'll see guys stay right on your bumper so they don't get left behind," Stricklin said. "With last year's rules, you didn't have to be so aggressive.

"With this rules package, I think you'll see more guys being a little more aggressive and that could cause a wreck. It's a bad situation that NASCAR is in and I don't have the answer."

Chevy teams are concerned, and for good reason, that the rules are too similar to 2000 when Ford swept the top-five positions in the Daytona 500. Chevy teams won every race with the deflector-wicker bill rules.

NASCAR officials caught in the crossfire will find out more information today when Winston Cup drivers take to the track at 11 a.m. for their first round of Speed Weeks practice.

Winston Cup director John Darby said the rules are a work in progress and could change from now until the Daytona 500.

"After qualifying and Shootout, they're going to take a look at everything, and if the Fords look like they're behind, NASCAR is going to give us some help," Wallace said. "We'll see how they run. I know we've done everything we can to get everything out of them. It's going to be interesting."

NASCAR will take a close look at Saturday's qualifying speeds and how the cars behave in Sunday's Shootout, which features a record field of 22 cars.

Darby can expect a steady stream of visitors voicing their concerns at his mobile office in the NASCAR trailer inside the Winston Cup garage.

"The manufacturers have become the lobbyists," said Mike Wallace, who wheels the No. 33 Chevy. "I can guarantee you if I was in a Ford this year I would be politicking. But I'm driving a Chevy, so I'm saying, 'These rules are fine. Leave them alone.' "

HICI Special Report — Speedway Safety: NASCAR Addresses Speedway Safety

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