Tuesday, June 7, 2016

Reduced downforce for Michigan this week and Kentucky next month

NASCAR unveiled rules updates for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series FireKeepers Casino 400 race at Michigan International Speedway on June 12. The continued development of the rules package has been an industry-wide collaboration to further enhance the racing.

In addition to rules changes that were previously put into place for the Sprint All-Star Race (welded truck trailing arms and new brake cooling rules), NASCAR made additional updates to the aerodynamic package to further reduce downforce and sideforce. They are:
* Reduce skew generated sideforce by setting rear toe to zero (same rule used in All-Star race)
* Aero package tweaks to reduce aero generated downforce and sideforce
* Spoiler shortened from 3.5 inches to 2.5 inches
* Splitter reduced to 2 inches
* Resize of deck fin to match spoiler

“As both a fan and track promoter, I have loved what NASCAR has done with the lower downforce rules this year,” track president Roger Curtis said. “It has made for some exciting and entertaining racing. Taking off even more downforce, and now sideforce, as well, will only make the racing even more competitive and thrilling for our fans at MIS.

“I applaud NASCAR, teams, and drivers working together on increasing competition and continually improving the sport for our fans. These changes put even more back in the hands of the drivers. With our high speeds and wide track at MIS, the racing in June should be fantastic. I cannot wait for the FireKeepers Casino 400.”

“I expect the racing to be really good,” Kyle Larson, who tested the package at Michigan last week. “I think with you lifting the groove will move up some. It’s just going to be really exciting racing. I think you can see every race track we have been to this year has been much better racing. That was just a smaller step in downforce. Another step will just make it better.”

- Michigan International Speedway

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