The Talladega Dilemma

This past weekend’s race has once again opened up the on going debate over restrictor plate races. Fans love it. Drivers hate it. And it all derives from the same thing, those tight packs that house 10 to 30 cars which make lead changes almost an ever lap occurrence also force drivers to brace for the inevitable big one that lurks around each turn.

So who should Nascar disappoint; the fans or the drivers? Well judging from their quick reply to Sunday’s crash-fest it seems the fans have won this battle. But have they won the war? With Sunday’s incident as an example the inherent danger that comes from racing at 200 MPH has transferred from the track itself to the fans in the stands and that’s not an issue to take lightly. But Jimmie Johnson’s solution to the problem is more extreme than Nascar or the track is currently willing to do. Johnson has called for a complete restructuring of the track that would erase the tremendous banking and length of the Superspeedway, which are deemed the major culprits in the current “crisis.”

However, former crew chief and Nascar owner Ray Evernham has offered his own advice. He has suggested that Nascar must slow down the cars to lessen the chances of the cars going air born, much in the way the restrictor plate and roof flaps have been designed. My uneducated mind would say that they should make the holes smaller in the plates reducing the air flow, thus reducing the horsepower and then speeds, as a quick fix before Daytona in July, but once again I am not an engineer.

I am a fan. And as a fan, I have to say I look forward to both the Daytona and Talladega races each season. It beats the craptastic but much safer races at California and its similar cookie cutter siblings. The tight packs make the action heart pounding, the danger is almost palpable and the finishes are usually very satisfying, flying vehicles aside. To transform these tracks into 1 ½ or 2 mile shadows of their former selves is to modernize Wrigley Field, removing the ivy and grandstands and replacing them with foam padding and seas of silver concrete. It’s just not acceptable.

For their part, Talladega is evaluating the catchfence, which serves as the primary barrier between the fans and the action. All early indications are that the fence did it’s job but is that enough?

The fact of the matter is, Nascar’s stance on increasing the policing of cars is not the answer. The plates were introduced after Bobby Allison’s car went flying towards the flag stand in 1987 and 22 years later, it has happened again. So tell me Nascar, what else are you going to do?