NASCAR won't use All-Star rules package again until 2019

NASCAR won’t use All-Star Race rules package in regular races until at least 2019

CHARLOTTE, NC - MAY 19: Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Discount Tire Ford, and Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M's Red Nose Day Toyota, lead the field during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 19, 2018 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) /

Despite rave reviews at this year’s Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race, the restrictor plate/spoiler combo used at Charlotte in May won’t make any appearances for the rest of 2018.

Brad Keselowski, you can now stand down. There won’t be any more races using restrictor plates and spoilers like the ones seen at the NASCAR All-Star Race until at least 2019.

The Team Penske driver has been vocal in his dislike for the All-Star Race rules package, even suggesting recently that using it in the regular season would encourage NASCAR drivers to head to other racing series. He needn’t worry, at least for this year, as NASCAR has announced it will not use the package in any regular season races in 2018, while leaving the door open for its possible use next year.

In reality, this was always the most likely outcome. Despite very little debate that the combination of restrictor plates, tall spoilers and splitters from four years ago produced more exciting racing at the All-Star Race, its use in a regular season race would have been a logistical nightmare. On top of that, NASCAR’s own rules prohibit drastic in-season changes except for safety concerns, and it’s doubtful the sport’s governing body wanted to go that route to explain why it would put the package into effect somewhere it wasn’t scheduled to be used.

Tabling the use of the package also gives NASCAR more time to study more carefully where it might make sense in 2019, because if there’s one thing everyone agrees on, it’s that the All-Star rules aren’t a one size fits all solution. The All-Star Race and 2017 Indianapolis XFINITY Series races were both spectacular, but the XFINITY Pocono race this year was anything but.

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If anything, it might be more logical to test the All-Star package at more XFINITY Series races in 2019, use it again for the All-Star Race itself and then roll it out in very select races (the Brickyard, anyone?) in 2020. We’re pretty sure Brad K. won’t pack up and head for IndyCar with that kind of rollout.

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