NASCAR Delivers 2014 Competition Package to Teams

dpkimmel2001

dpkimmel2001

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NASCAR delivered the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rules package to race teams today, following collaborative development by the industry.

“It was important to get the final pieces of the rules package to teams as quickly as possible following the final tests last week,” said Gene Stefanyshyn, NASCAR vice president of innovation and racing development. “Throughout the process, we gained valuable data that informed many of the changes for 2014. This data will prove useful as we continue to evolve the racing product into the future.”

Changes to the package include statically setting the race car ride height and eliminating the pre- and post-race front height rules and inspections. Additionally, the 2014 package includes a square leading edge on the splitter, side skirt and rear fascia adjustments and an eight-inch rear spoiler. Finally, a 43-inch by 13-inch radiator pan will round out changes for 2014.

“We looked at a number of important factors when finalizing what the 2014 version of the race package will look like,” Stefanyshyn said. “The Gen-6 car has been a great asset to our sport. As we continue to improve and develop the racing product, we’ll rely significantly on the critical data that has been generated by the entire industry over the last several weeks. We’re extremely appreciative of those efforts.”

The first race featuring the new package will be at Phoenix International Raceway on March 2. This package will not be utilized for restrictor-plate races, including the 2014 Daytona 500 on Feb. 23.

from here
 
BbtsdU3CYAAGHDk.jpg

Is that really the new spoiler? If so, that's a big *** spoiler.
 
So nascar decided they needed to rely MORE on aero down force to solve the aero problems. No surprise there.

If they do indeed use a flatter spoiler angle, like the pic above, that will alleviate aero push a little. What we may see is more cars wrecking when another car gets close to that thing.
 
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10151748891916269&id=277595166268

Q. And the spoiler, it appeared that you were using or maybe you were using it to differentiate a clear portion of the spoiler. Will the spoiler be clear at all?

GENE STEFANYSHYN: Yeah, what we decided to do was while we were working on this, some of the drivers were talking about rear visibility. So we actually decided to create a composite base for the spoiler. That is, as you know, our spoiler today is 7.25 inches. So we're creating a composite which is six inches, and then we're putting a Lexan blade into that. So we're actually ‑‑ it was with an eye to giving our drivers better rear visibility than they have today. So that was part of the thinking in there. That and it gives us the ability to quickly change the Lexan in and out.
But it was with an eye to give the drivers a bit more visibility. We were looking at it saying here's something we can do to help them. Was when we first did it, some of the drivers said we can see better. So we thought, why not, it's a good idea.

I suggested this on this forum 2 years ago. Sadly, nascar didn't triple the number of brace mounts and go full lexan. :p

Q. Just watching the test from the stands and from pit road, there doesn't seem to be a ton of difference when I was watching it compared to trying to think back to watching the race in October. Can you maybe tell me something maybe that you saw or some things that the drivers said that they felt that maybe we wouldn't know just by watching it?

(Read this Gene dance to avoid ever saying 'no, we didn't make the racing closer')

GENE STEFANYSHYN: Yeah, I think you listen to what the drivers say, then we look at each of the individual cars from previous races and how much ability they have to run better, more consistently and things like that, and we clearly see that some of the teams are further or have thought about this or maybe not. Maybe they've all thought about it the same, but there are some teams that are kind of dialing into the ideal situation quicker than others.
So that is something we also when we look at this, we say what we're looking at right now and the data we're looking at is not necessarily the way it's going to be. Because once the teams start to dial in the packages, we think they'll be coming closer together.
Now what we were looking for were things like what was the time gap between the first and fifth car, the first and tenth car, the first and 15th car? Did we bring the group closer together? So there is a question like you could look at those groups. Did we bring that group closer together? If we did bring that group closer together, were there battles within that grouping?
So, again, it's kind of we need to ‑‑ if we don't bring them closer together, how are they to battle and pass? So this is one of the key things we were looking for. Can we bring them closer together? Then we think over time as they all begin to understand, iterate, perfect and really hone in on their final solution they'll all get close to that, because generally they all migrate to what is best, and we should see some better battles on the track there. So that was our thinking.

:XXROFL:
 
I read all the rule changes, I still don't think anyone knows how it will play out. Maybe it helps?? My only concern was when a car caught the leader could he pass. If he can't catch the leader then I don't care. I saw multiple times last year when the 2nd place car was faster but when he caught up couldn't pass.
 
With that big of a spoiler shouldn't that make it harder for the car behind you to take the air off of it?
 
BOWTIE GUY said:
With that big of a spoiler shouldn't that make it harder for the car behind you to take the air off of it?
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car behind should be able to slingshot better with the larger spoiler. the lexan should also help the leader keep an eye on the cars behind him.
 
BOWTIE GUY said:
With that big of a spoiler shouldn't that make it harder for the car behind you to take the air off of it?
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Possibly.

If it's bigger and at the same angle, it will increase aero push for the car behind. The car in front will use the extra down force to go thru the turn faster. When some of that air is disrupted, the car will get loose. It could make them more sensitive to a car running next to them.
 
Mike Joy was on WDBJ News tonight and he said there isn't much excitement, from the drivers, teams or fans, for "tracks of a certain size" and said that, outside of the Daytona 500, if he was taking a fan to their first race, it'd be Martinsville.

I sure hope NASCAR's paying attention. Less brobdingnagians. More real racetracks.
 
I don't see the droves planning their racing weekends around Mike Joy's words - unless of course those words support their position already.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
Mike Joy was on WDBJ News tonight and he said there isn't much excitement, from the drivers, teams or fans, for "tracks of a certain size" and said that, outside of the Daytona 500, if he was taking a fan to their first race, it'd be Martinsville.

I sure hope NASCAR's paying attention. Less brobdingnagians. More real racetracks.
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You must be a religious man. ;)
 
SlicedBread22 said:
Didn't they say soon they're making a rule book that the fans will be able to see?
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They mentioned something about that earlier this year. I wouldn't be too surprised to see something come along after the unveiling of their newly designed website for 2014. Of course that's only a guess about both of those things. Each year, for about as long as I can remember, they've released a new version of their website on or around January 1st. Normally that is preceded by some kind of announcement. This year I've heard/read nothing about a new site. You'd think after the feedback that they've received about the most recent format change something new has got to be coming up.
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
They mentioned something about that earlier this year. I wouldn't be too surprised to see something come along after the unveiling of their newly designed website for 2014. Of course that's only a guess about both of those things. Each year, for about as long as I can remember, they've released a new version of their website on or around January 1st. Normally that is preceded by some kind of announcement. This year I've heard/read nothing about a new site. You'd think after the feedback that they've received about the most recent format change something new has got to be coming up.
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I hope if/when they change the site.. they change it back to what it was before. Took me 3/4 of the year to get used to this one :confused:
 
Johali said:
Why does anybody think that when we are able to get copies that it will be understandable to a mere mortal, It will probably be printed in Mechanical Engineerese.
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I think the only thing that they'll make available are race day type rules. In other words, things we already all know.
 
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The verbiage "@ NASCAR'S discretion" makes all things possible.
 
Seeing the existing rules only gives you half of the story . The teams will continue to find loop holes that Nascar will have to make up new rules for . It's a constantly evolving thing . The governing body is the governing body , they have to make up new rules as they go along.
 
ted@economy said:
Seeing the existing rules only gives you half of the story . The teams will continue to find loop holes that Nascar will have to make up new rules for . It's a constantly evolving thing . The governing body is the governing body , they have to make up new rules as they go along.
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Especially when they blow obvious calls like Menards spin, which led to Bowyers spin. Then they messed up the first penalty...and that's when the making up rules started.
 
The New Aero package looks to be little more than a last minute band aid for a gushing wound. It's like a bunch of corporate drones had multiple meetings and decided "we have to do something" and something turned out to be nothing of consequence.
 
the problem isn't make cars race closer or leveling the playing field, the solution is letting the cars be enough different so that one car is faster than another. you do this by having tires that fall off, you do this by allowing teams more leway setup wise so certain cars run better at certain times. heaven forbid a certain team have an advantage over another one. the more the cars all run the same speeds the more factors such as if there is a car in front of them will come into play. a car needs perfect conditions to be able to pass, why because everyone is running about the same speeds. This is why people say the racing was better back in the day with earnhardt, waltrip etc. but the naysayers say oh but we had winners lapping the field, we had 2 or 3 cars on the lead lap, etc. the reason the racing was better back in the day is because cars actually were able to pass one another, yeah sometimes the leader ran away with it and run by a lot, but the racing back in the pack was WAY better, because cars ran different speeds at different times of the race back them much more so.
 
hidesert cowboy said:
the problem isn't make cars race closer or leveling the playing field, the solution is letting the cars be enough different so that one car is faster than another. you do this by having tires that fall off, you do this by allowing teams more leway setup wise so certain cars run better at certain times. heaven forbid a certain team have an advantage over another one. the more the cars all run the same speeds the more factors such as if there is a car in front of them will come into play. a car needs perfect conditions to be able to pass, why because everyone is running about the same speeds. This is why people say the racing was better back in the day with earnhardt, waltrip etc. but the naysayers say oh but we had winners lapping the field, we had 2 or 3 cars on the lead lap, etc. the reason the racing was better back in the day is because cars actually were able to pass one another, yeah sometimes the leader ran away with it and run by a lot, but the racing back in the pack was WAY better, because cars ran different speeds at different times of the race back them much more so.
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Sounds easy till it's your driver running at the back of the pack and about to go a lap down. Then you don't want him to be at a competitive disadvantage .You want him to change engine builders or manufacturers or crew chiefs till he's running at the front again.
 
one thing that is going to be really different is the stupid minimum front height rule and penalties are gone. So the mickey mouse bump stops and trick shocks are gone. They will have front suspension again, springs that really work. I don't think they will be able to seal them off to the track as easily if they have to run springs

http://www.sportingnews.com/nascar/...-horsepower-in-cup-cars?modid=recommended_3_5

"We did play with downforce on the car, the amount, and we did play with the balance of front to rear," Stefanyshyn said. "For '15 we'll try some other things. … Now we will be having heavier springs in the front end, which will enable the teams to essentially be not running on the bump stops or having the whole vehicle totally loaded on the suspension system. We'll have some dampening between the mass of the body and the suspension which will give them more mechanical grip.
 
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