The jury is still out on whether the rules package used at the 2018 NASCAR All-Star Race can be a cure for boring racing, but NASCAR appears ready to go all-in on something similar to it for next year.
If you’re among the fans who enjoyed the action from this year’s NASCAR All-Star Race and would like to see what more races would be like with something similar to that setup again in 2019, you might be getting your wish.
RacinBoys got its hands on a proposed 2019 rules document this weekend that suggests NASCAR is considering a rules package similar but not identical to the one used in the All-Star Race for 13 different races next season. That’s many more than most observers thought we might see and might upset drivers and fans who urged a more cautious approach.
However, it’s important to note that the rules package NASCAR is pondering does not simply throw restrictor plates on the current engines and instead achieves a similar effect by using tapered spacers, something NASCAR already uses (a good discussion on plates vs. spacers can be found here). As well, there’s no mention of the spoilers or splitters used at Charlotte back in May.
According to RacinBoys, the 13 races under consideration for an All-Star Race-esque package are:
- Las Vegas spring race
- Auto Club (California)
- Both Texas races
- Both Kansas races
- Both Michigan races
- The All-Star Race and the Charlotte oval race
- Chicagoland
- Kentucky
- Indianapolis
(As a side note, Kentucky, Auto Club, Kansas and Indianapolis were all on our wish list for places the All-Star Race rules package might make sense earlier this year. Another one, Pocono, has already been tried in the XFINITY Series and found lacking.)
Naturally, NASCAR didn’t confirm or even really comment on the existence of the document in question, but RacinBoys is a credible source so it’s likely that these locations are indeed being kicked around for intervention. Our take is that we’re for experimentation to try and make racing more exciting at any of the more cookie-cutter tracks, as long as it goes hand in hand with a willingness to punt if those experiments turn out badly.
Let’s just say there’s going to be more interest among NASCAR fans in general when the rules announcement for the 2019 season is made.