Each time NASCAR heads out to Daytona or Talladega, it supplies a novel racing expertise. Excessive speeds, huge packs, and massive crashes are anticipated. This type of racing has been round for many years, serving to make superspeedways one of many greatest attracts on the schedule.
Nevertheless, one thing has modified over the previous seven years. Superspeedway races have all of a sudden became full wreckfests. Massive crashes have at all times been a risk, however by no means have they been as widespread as they’re at this time.
The Daytona 500, NASCAR’s greatest race, has fallen sufferer to this. Since 2017, almost 80 % of vehicles that entered the five hundred have been concerned in some kind of crash. The numbers are astonishing.
2017: 33/40
2018: 29/40
2019: 36/40
2020: 33/40
2021: 30/40
2022: 27/40
2023: 30/40
2024: 28/40
Just one different Daytona 500 previous to 2017 has featured as many crashed vehicles as those on this record, that being 2011 with 29.
So what modified?
The obvious distinction between pre and submit 2017 seasons is the presence of phases. NASCAR launched stage racing in 2017, dividing the race into three sections. This brought on a handful of incidents, as drivers made extra aggressive strikes to maximise factors on the stage finish.
Nevertheless, this influence was marginal within the grand scheme of issues. One of many key variations lies within the superspeedway package deal.
In 2019, NASCAR launched radical modifications to horsepower and downforce on the automobile throughout all tracks. Superspeedway vehicles dropped to 550 horsepower. The rear spoiler was set to eight inches, a top so tall that the highest half of the spoiler was made clear to forestall it from blocking the view out the mirrors.
Instantly, there was a visible influence on the racing. Trailing vehicles may get runs so massive, the automobile forward was virtually helpless. Blocking these runs was extremely harmful, and resulted in quite a few incidents.
Evaluating the Packages
In 2014, Dale Earnhardt Jr was main the Daytona 500 with two laps to go. Behind him, Brad Keselowski bought a push from behind and had a run on Earnhardt popping out of the second flip. Earnhardt swiftly pulled up in entrance of Keselowski, stalling the run. This stall was a product of, “a bubble of air,” which got here between the rear of the lead automobile and the entrance of the trailing automobile.
To beat this, it will take an ideal storm of getting sufficient assist from behind on the proper time to make the move.
With the brand new package deal, the best way the air traveled over the rear spoiler modified. Abruptly, that bubble of air mitigated. Runs grew to become so massive, and easy blocks like those Earnhardt threw in 2014 would not stall the run.
The 2020 Daytona 500 demonstrated this. On the final lap, Ryan Blaney pushed Ryan Newman previous a helpless Denny Hamlin for the lead. Hamlin settled again in line, now opting to push Blaney to get previous Newman popping out of the ultimate nook.
The run was huge. Blaney regarded low. Newman blocked. Blaney didn’t carry. Newman bought hooked.
It was a violent, horrifying wreck that resulted in Newman hitting the wall, flipping over, and getting t-boned on the driving force’s facet by a automobile at full pace.
Newman survived, however it was a reminder of the hazard this new superspeedway package deal had created.
Little has modified because the introduction of the Subsequent-Gen automobile. Horsepower at superspeedways dropped to 510. The rear spoiler is an inch smaller. However a lot continues to be the identical.
Runs are nonetheless big. Blocking continues to be a loss of life entice. When these superspeedway races come right down to the ultimate laps, managing danger fades.
Drivers will push the automobile in entrance of them as laborious as they’ll. They’ll go for dangerous overtakes. And if there is no such thing as a different alternative, they’ll block.
So the wrecks hold taking place.
Gone Too Far?
The chaos has gotten to the purpose the place the worth of profitable the Daytona 500 has come into query. A lot of profitable the race comes right down to luck.
Who can survive the carnage? Who could be in the suitable place on the proper time?
This has at all times been part of profitable the Daytona 500, however it’s by no means been as prevalent as it’s now. It’s unlikely to vary both.
It doesn’t matter what the long run holds for the Daytona 500 and superspeedway racing usually, it’s clear that its present state is rising worrisome throughout NASCAR. Groups lose a whole bunch of hundreds of {dollars} with every wrecked race automobile. Drivers take vicious hits in an already inflexible automobile. The game’s most vital races flip right into a crapshoot.
Time will inform simply how for much longer NASCAR can maintain this.
Picture courtesy of NASCAR.com
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