NASCAR Sprint Cup Series

The blade spoiler is expected to make its first race appearance on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series cars at Martinsville in the spring, but bump drafting is already front and center stage at Daytona Speedweeks, which culminates with Sunday’s 52nd annual Daytona 500.

NASCAR officials are encouraging drivers to put on a better show at Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway by eliminating restrictions on where drivers can bump draft – basically, ramming the car directly in front of them to make both cars go faster.

“The fans are asking for this, they’re asking for less policing of the racing and I think NASCAR is listening,” says David Reutimann, driver of the No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota Camry. “I don’t think any other sport can say they’re doing this. There is no other major-league sport that listens to the fans the way NASCAR does and makes changes. Last year, they asked for double-file restarts – they got it. There’s a lot of things they’ve asked for, and I think NASCAR is trying to accommodate them.”

In addition, NASCAR has added a little bit of aerodynamic drag to the cars at the superspeedways, while giving teams a larger restrictor-plate, which should allow for better throttle response on track. The plate, which is now 63/64ths of an inch, is the largest used in the Daytona 500 since 1989.

The potential for more aggressive driving could make for some of the most exciting racing in years. Saturday night’s non-points Budweiser Shootout – the first race with the new interpretation of bump drafting in place – offered up some fan-pleasing action and concluded with a multi-car wreck which couldn’t be blamed on bump drafting. But no one knows exactly how it will play out in Sunday’s Daytona 500, where the stakes and the prize are much higher.

“It's hard to look into the future and predict that,” says NASCAR Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton. “I think it's in the drivers' hands. I think it's all about on how aggressive they feel that they can get to make a pass; how much real estate that they can use up, and it remains to be seen, the outcome of that. But it's back in their hands and I think anything can happen.”

The biggest technical change in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is replacing the rear wing, which was introduced as one of the defining characteristics of the Car of Tomorrow back in 2007, with a 4-inch blade spoiler. All the teams will get a chance to test the new configuration, before likely racing it on the Martinsville half-miler, March 28.

The reason for the change is primarily aesthetics: Fans didn’t like the way the wing looked, and NASCAR reacted accordingly. “We went in and put the wing in for all of the right reasons, and over the course of the little over two complete seasons that this car has been on the racetrack, the general acceptance of the wing didn't grow past the point we thought it should have,” says NASCAR President Mike Helton. “So, the move now is to go back to a more traditional-looking NASCAR-type Sprint Cup car, which includes a spoiler.”

NASCAR has already begun testing the spoiler on selected cars and initial reports suggest it should produce just about the same amount of downforce as the wing did, but with improved visibility out of the back end of the car.

“I’m looking forward to it,” says Denny Hamlin, driver of the No. 11 FedEx Toyota Camry. “I think from an image standpoint it’s going to be better. From the racing standpoint, I don’t think you’ll see much difference. I think it might even be a little better.”

“I think it’s been very positive,” agrees Michael Waltrip, owner/driver of the No. 51 NAPA Toyota Camry. “I think the spoiler was a little bit of an easy decision for everybody involved because ever since I’ve been on this earth, I never raced with a wing. My Late Model car out in Kentucky had a spoiler on it and everything I ever raced had a spoiler on it. I think it will bring identity with the car back to the fans.”

Down the road, perhaps as early as 2011, NASCAR is also looking at implementing fuel injection, possibly in concert with a switch to alternative fuels.

Other changes for 2010:

• In the NASCAR Nationwide Series, the new-generation car will be run at four races: Daytona on July 2, Michigan International Speedway on Aug.14, Richmond International Raceway on Sept. 10 and Charlotte Motor Speedway on Oct. 15.


• Also in the Nationwide Series, teams will be limited to bringing 15 people to the track for races, the same number as in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.


• The Nationwide Series adds a road race at Road America in Wisconsin, replacing the Milwaukee Mile. That makes it three road races on its schedule.


• The Truck Series will adopt double-file restarts for the first time this year, as well as giving teams the option of using a self-venting fuel can that eliminates the need for a catch-can man.

Add it all up and it ought to be a great season in all three of NASCAR’s top divisions.

“I think we have got a lot of good things to offer everybody,” says Pemberton, NASCAR’s competition chief. “I think all of our rules are positive moving into 2010. To be honest with you, I'm as excited as you about 2010, very excited about the spoiler coming back. Since I was a kid and saw my first race with Richard Petty in 1970, watched him win, or attended my first race at the track as a crew member in 1980 at the Daytona 500, I think 2010 will go down as one of the most exciting years of all.”