Ray Evernham has strong opinions about rules packages as NASCAR gets ready to introduce the 2016 parameters.
UPDATE: 2016 rules package announced | Fast facts about ’16 rules package
“These cars are too dependent on aerodynamics,” the former champion crew chief for Jeff Gordon‘s No. 24 ride said Tuesday on Sirius XM Radio with Dave Moody. “We have to find a way to make these cars less sensitive.”
Evernham referenced issues with side skirts that have cropped up the past few races. Martin Truex Jr.’s No. 78 team was penalized for a side skirt that was flared out too much at Dover, resulting in a P2 penalty and crew chief Cole Pearn being placed on probation. And NASCAR has asked a couple different teams to fix flared out wheel openings on pit road.
“You can make a car go a lot slower or a lot faster by kicking a dent in the quarter panel. To me, that’s crazy,” Evernham said.
Evernham advocates figuring out the most sensitive points on a car and minimizing the effects of changes to those points. His goal is to make aerodynamics less important and put the racing back in the hands of the drivers. Specifically, Evernham really likes the low downforce package that was used at Kentucky and again with some tweaks at Darlington.
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“I know NASCAR’s working on it, and I’m not being critical of them,” Evernham said. “But we were going in that direction last year and we need to do it more.
“If we can get off these little things that make so much difference … you can’t regulate it, you can’t keep track of it. We need to figure out what exactly affects the bodies, take those things away and make these things a lot less sensitive.”
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Evernham’s first move would be to eliminate the splitter.
“Then I’d keep cutting the spoiler until the drivers scream,” Evernham said. “Then I’d cut another inch.”
NASCAR met with representatives from Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota at New Hampshire and have encouraged dialogue with drivers and teams about rules this and other items this year via a drivers’ council. The result of those meetings — the 2016 rules package — was announced on Wednesday.