Jonny K says: What does NASCAR have to Lose with Restrictor Plate Experiment?

This weekend the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series goes home to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the exhibition Monster Energy All-Star Race. NASCAR has enacted some rules changes to hope for better racing for the fans than in previous years.

The sactioning body has decided to add restrictor plates (yes, the same ones used at Daytona and Talladega) to the cars. They will also mandate six inch spoilers and the 2014-style splitters for the front of the car. NASCAR hopes these aero changes will give a disadvantage to the lead car, and form tighter packs of cars, possibly leading to more green flag passes, especially for the lead.

There were absolutely zero green flag passes for the lead in last year’s All-Star event, with all lead changes coming at the end of the stages. Some might say that putting plates on the cars would lead to even more of a disparity between the lead car and the rest of the pack, (see Burton, Jeff New Hampshire 2000) but NASCAR hadn’t yet tweaked the spoilers and splitters like they will be for Saturday night’s showdown.

Last year, NASCAR experimented with putting plates on the Xfinity series cars at Indianapolis, and seemed happy with the results. There was better racing, plenty of passing, including a race-winning pass for lead by William Byron on his teammate Elliott Sadler with 16 laps to go. Granted, Indy is a much different track than Charlotte, but it proves that NASCAR’s experiments have worked in the past.

Honestly, what does NASCAR have to lose with this endeavor? The worst-case scenario is another boring All-Star Race. There have been plenty of those in recent years.

If the plates produce the action and excitement fans are looking for, great, NASCAR has found a system that makes their annual homecoming scrimmage a success.

If the same-old-same-old holds true, then NASCAR goes back to the drawing board and comes up with the next great idea that Amerigo will likely hate.