NASCAR delivered the 2021 Cup Series rules bundle to teams on Thursday afternoon, and the most notable change included which package will be run for the 2 races at Darlington Raceway next year.
At Darlington (arranged for May 9 and Sept. 5), teams will make use of the 750-horsepower, low-downforce race package. In 2020, this package was run at tracks 1 mile in length and under and at roadway courses. The 3 races held at the 1.366-mile Darlington track in 2020 used the 550-horsepower plan.
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The 750-horsepower bundle will also be utilized on June 20 at Nashville Superspeedway for the first Cup race at that location. With that modification and addition, 23 of the 36 races will be kept up 750 horse power.
In addition to more horse power, that package includes:
— A significantly smaller rear spoiler, which shrinks from an 8-inch height to 2.75 inches.
The guidelines plan will typically remain the very same in 2021 as groups want to build off their understanding and experience from the race plan in 2020 while preparing to shift over to the Next Gen automobile for the 2022 season.
— Alterations to the radiator pan, removing its vertical fencing in an effort to minimize front-end downforce. The dimensions of the pan stay the very same.
— The front splitters overhang measures a quarter-inch (down from 2 inches), with around 2-inch wings (decreased from 10.5 inches).
” We constantly examine the race bundles to try to place on the very best possible racing for our fans,” said John Probst, NASCARs senior vice president, development and racing advancement. “When we generated the short track/road course bundle this season, Darlington was not part of it due to its unique size. Weve been assessing information from both race plans, in addition to feedback from oems, groups and chauffeurs and feel that the 750 hp/low downforce bundle best fits the track.”
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In other changes, teams should compete in a minimum of 16 points occasions with a short block sealed engine. This is up from the minimum of 13. Groups are likewise limited to 150 Restricted CFD (computational fluid characteristics) runs per calendar month.
The aero bundle for the brand-new roadway courses on the Cup schedule– Circuit of The Americas, the Indianapolis Road Course and Road America– will be figured out by the approving body, working with OEMs through the use of simulations to determine which plan will work best. This very same workout was done earlier in the summer to figure out which package to perform at the Daytona Road Course, which was a late addition to the 2020 schedule.
Below is the breakdown of each engine bundle and where it will be used:
750 horsepower: Bristol Motor Speedway (both oval and dirt), Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval, Circuit of The Americas, Darlington Raceway, Daytona Road Course (which the Busch Clash is running) Dover International Speedway, Indianapolis Road Course, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Martinsville Speedway, Nashville Superspeedway, Phoenix Raceway, Richmond Raceway, Road America, Sonoma Raceway and Watkins Glen International.
550 horsepower: Atlanta Motor Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Auto Club Speedway, Homestead-Miami Speedway, Kansas Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Michigan International Speedway, Pocono Raceway and Texas Motor Speedway.
” We continuously examine the race packages to attempt to put on the best possible racing for our fans,” stated John Probst, NASCARs senior vice racing, innovation and president development. Weve been assessing information from both race plans, as well as feedback from groups, oems and drivers and feel that the 750 hp/low downforce package best fits the track.”
At Darlington (arranged for May 9 and Sept. 5), groups will utilize the 750-horsepower, low-downforce race package. In 2020, this bundle was run at tracks 1 mile in length and under and at roadway courses. The three races held at the 1.366-mile Darlington track in 2020 utilized the 550-horsepower plan.
Superspeedway: Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway.
