NASCAR executive indicates Kentucky may not be only track to use it
RELATED: NASCAR reveals new rules package for Kentucky
Last week NASCAR announced that a new aerodynamic package will be used for the Sprint Cup Series weekend at Kentucky Speedway in July, but that may not be the only time we see the new rules package on track in 2015.
NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O’Donnell hinted around at the possibility of another run with that package in a Monday morning interview on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio’s “The Morning Drive.”
“I think it’s still a little early but it is certainly being discussed with the race teams and the drivers and something you could hear about fairly soon,” O’Donnell said when asked about the chance that the new rules package could be used at another track this season.
The new package will create less downforce on today’s cars and could help produce more side-by-side competition. The spoiler height will be reduced from 6 inches to 3.5 inches and the splitter extension panel (radiator pan) decreased from 38 inches to 25 inches. Additionally, the splitter will have 1.75 inches less overhang than the current splitter.
“We had a lot of discussions with really everyone in the industry and looking at where we may or may not want to head for 2016 and what it kept coming back to was more specific to tracks. If we could really dial in some packages around certain tracks and maybe have a couple more groupings in 2016 and as we looked ahead and talked to the industry, Kentucky really stood out as an intermediate racetrack.
”We also looked at the testing that we’ve done and when you go test everybody sees different things and without points on the line, you never know. For us, we looked at it as an opportunity to improve upon some of the racing we’ve seen at Kentucky. We think it’s a great opportunity for us; the competitors are all lined up and this win will be just as big as any other on the series circuit.”
RELATED: Reaction pours in to new rules package
The 2015 and proposed ’16 changes specifically target competition on the intermediate speedways, those tracks that are more than a mile and up to 2 miles in length.
O’Donnell said that while the sanctioning body gets plenty of feedback from teams, drivers and other stakeholders, they are mainly looking at a few things.
“I think we look at just really a couple things. Is there more side-by-side racing? Are there more passes for the lead? And is it safe? And candidly, that’s what fans expect. They want to see drivers up on the wheel, passing for the lead as often as possible.
”I know that really simplifies it but when we talk to the drivers and the race teams, they all get that. They may have different avenues as to what they think will produce more of that and a lot of varying opinions on that.”
O’Donnell added that NASCAR is aware that the new rules package may need some massaging after its run at Kentucky.
“This is one race so we’re not going to say that’s it for this package. We know we’ve got some work to do with the tires as well so we’ll take a look at it, we’ll see what the indicators are and go from there. If we have to make tweaks, we certainly will do that.”
Other notes from O’Donnell:
• The Sprint Cup Series heads out West for its first road course race of the 2015 season at Sonoma Raceway with Sunday’s Toyota–Save Mart 350 (3 p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1, PRN, SiriusXM). The NASCAR executive is excited about that action and more road course racing at Watkins Glen in August.
”I think the competitors look at this as a huge opportunity. We’ve had 10 different winners over the past 10 races out at Sonoma. Obviously, Jeff Gordon is pretty strong there as well as Clint Bowyer, two guys who are looking for a win. Really happy with the action that we’ve seen from the road course racing and certainly something that we look forward to.”
• O’Donnell also discussed the process of how start times are set. The NASCAR XFINITY Series Owens Corning AttiCat 300 at Chicagoland Speedway was originally scheduled for 9:30 p.m. ET on Saturday before rain moved it to Sunday afternoon. FOX Sports’ busy programming slate of the U.S. Open Golf Tournament as well as the Women’s World Cup Soccer Tournament contributed to the later start time and was also part of the reason that this past weekend was an off weekend for the premier series.
Erik Jones won at Chicagoland and he also won the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series American Ethanol 200 at Iowa Speedway. O’Donnell touched on the impressive weekend sweep.
RELATED: Jones wins at Chicagoland | Jones repeats at Iowa
“I think every fan knows that Erik Jones is really an incredible talent that’s going to quickly move up through the ranks. I think he won a late model race as well Tuesday, so he had himself quite a week.
”Really exciting stuff that took place this weekend and the talent that’s coming up through the system is just awesome.”
• O’Donnell, who spent time earlier this month taking in a Whelen Euro Series event touched on the possibility of a few European drivers making the leap of racing in the United States.
“There’s some interest from the U.S., in bringing some of those guys over. We’ll see a couple this year starting in New Hampshire and see where it goes.”
• After Sonoma, the Cup Series returns to Daytona for the 17th race of the season as the series inches closer to the halfway mark of the schedule. It is also an opportunity to see the progress that the DAYTONA Rising project has made.
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“I can tell you getting down to Daytona every once and awhile, the construction is ongoing but when fans get a chance to see the sight lines down there, it’s really cool and I’m excited not only for July but I think it really sets as up well for launching the season in ’16.”