[Gotham Dark Knight]

I read somewhere that before the use of restictor plates, that Bill Elliot had the fastest qualifying lap at Daytona... 210.364 MPH...

Anyone know if there have been faster qualifying laps elsewhere?

[WVGrandma4Kasey]

Originally Posted by Gotham Dark Knight

I read somewhere that before the use of restictor plates, that Bill Elliot had the fastest qualifying lap at Daytona... 210.364 MPH...

Anyone know if there have been faster qualifying laps elsewhere?

Info site, you'll have to dig for it. You can find almost anything here.

http://racing-reference.com/index.jsp

[LSC9901]

Fastest qualifying lap ever was in Talledega in 1987 by Bill Elliot. 212.809 MPH

[Quality88]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

Fastest qualifying lap ever was in Talledega in 1987 by Bill Elliot. 212.809 MPH

What was caused the restrictor plates... not totally... but the perverbial straw that broke the camels back.

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by Quality88

What was caused the restrictor plates... not totally... but the perverbial straw that broke the camels back.

There have been three reasons that NASCAR used restrictor plates in its history.
The first use came in 1971 as part of NASCAR's plans to reduce the size of engines from 427 cubic inches (7.0 L) to 358 cubic inches (5.9 L). In order to allow teams with smaller budgets to race the larger engines, NASCAR made mandatory the use of a restrictor plate to be placed on larger engines to equalize performance with smaller engines. The transition ended in 1974, when NASCAR banned the larger engines, and went to the current 358 cubic inch (5.9 L) formula. This was a transitional process and, as not every car used restrictor plates, this is not what most fans call "restrictor plate racing."
The second use came following the terrifying crash of Bobby Allison at the 1987 Winston 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. Allison's Buick LeSabre flew tail-first into catchfencing early in the event, injuring spectators. After a summer where the two subsequent superspeedway races were run with aids to prevent cars from flying, and smaller carburetors (390 cubic feet per minute instead of 750 cubic feet per minute), NASCAR imposed restrictor plates again, this time at the two fastest circuits, both superspeedways: Daytona for all NASCAR-sanctioned races and Talladega for Cup races. The Automobile Racing Club of America also enforced restrictor plates at their events at the two tracks. In 1992, when the Busch Series began racing at Talladega, the plates were implemented.
However, restrictor plates are not used for Craftsman Truck Series trucks; rather, air intake, aerodynamic, and spacer restrictions were implemented for those races, combined with the aerodynamic disadvantage of the trucks, allows NASCAR to eliminate the use of such equipment for the trucks.
The third use came in 2000. Following fatal crashes at the New Hampshire International Speedway during the May Busch Series and July Cup Series races, NASCAR imposed restrictor plates for Cup cars to slow the cars headed towards the tight turns as part of a series of reforms to alleviate stuck throttle problems which were alleged to have caused both fatal crashes. The plates, used for the Whelen Modified Tour events at the track, were used just once at the 2000 New Hampshire 300 event, allowing Jeff Burton to dominate by leading all 300 laps in the ensuing race. Due to the lack of passing (and by most all fan's accounts, an extremely boring race at a track that already produced boring racing) and the addition of an automatic kill switch in the case of a stuck throttle, the use of restrictor plates was discontinued at New Hampshire for the following race for Cup only. (Restrictor plates are still used for the Whelen Modified Tour.)
Rusty Wallace tested a car at Talladega Superspeedway without a restrictor plate in the 2000s, and described the experience as "out of control" [1].

[Quality88]

Knew some of that.... the rest was good info.... I knew about Rusty testing at DEGA without a restrictor cause I had made a bet with a friend that if they took the plates off the cars would do 230mph. Rusty did 229mph and said he thought he could get 235 if he tweeked it. LSC where did you get the rest of that info?

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

There have been three reasons that NASCAR used restrictor plates in its history.
The first use came in 1971 as part of NASCAR's plans to reduce the size of
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only. (Restrictor plates are still used for the Whelen Modified Tour.)
Rusty Wallace tested a car at Talladega Superspeedway without a restrictor plate in the 2000s, and described the experience as "out of control" [1].

I knew this but have never read this version before. Please advise me where you found it. It looks like a good source for knowledge.

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

I knew this but have never read this version before. Please advise me where you found it. It looks like a good source for knowledge.

Whew ... you almost got me with that one. I had to do some quick re-research to find out where I found it. Relatively common resource.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restrictor_plates

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

Whew ... you almost got me with that one. I had to do some quick re-research to find out where I found it. Relatively common resource.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restrictor_plates

You have to watch Wikipedia. I use the site quite a bit but it has the facility for users to input their own knowledge and I have seen multiple verifiable errors on the site.
That being said, your piece on the plates were on the money.
My personal opinion is two fold.
1. NASCAR does zero desire to have some car end up in row 25 of some grandstand somewhere. This thought makes every trial lawyer in the country salivate.
2. NASCAR is so concerned about drivers safety (this is a myth; if Carl Long or Derike Cope would have died in the 2001 Daytona wreck, do you honestly think NASCAR would have taken the measures they did post-Dale? NASCAR is concerned about driver safety but they go hyper when it comes to the safety of the selected drivers who put butts in the seats on race day.) Plates cause close racing and on high-speed tracks close racing is conducive to multi-car wrecks. Unfortunately, to a sizeable number of people, this is the reason they watch racing. Thus, high ticket sales at Daytona and Talladega and high TV ratings for the same, thus more revenue for ISC.

[LSC9901]

The battle over restrictor plates is interesting from both sides of the fence. Drivers hate it because it does cause the "Big One" and fans love it because it causes the "Big One". Without it the drivers would be irritated because of the drafting effect that it offers. If they couldn't stay up to speed then they wouldn't be able to stay with the pack, thus upsetting them for the day. The same scenerio for the fans would bring similar results. The last thing we want to see is our driver in mid pack somewhere with no way to get his pole postion car back to the front.

Safety will always be an issue on all the tracks. The question is how much safety versus speed do the teams want ? One sure way to deal with the plates is to reduce the size of the track. To me Talledega is a race I could miss and not be real upset. Yes it is thrilling to watch 15 cars go rolling end over end but I always have this fear that someone will die doing it. At that point I ask "is it worth it ?" My answer is no but as you noted and as I have stated many times before, it is all about the money. A totally boring race is not exciting to the fans and if it were to occur every year then eventually attendance would decline, and we all know that NASCAR doesn't want that.

I believe they are always looking for ways to deal with the restrictor plate tracks but just haven't yet found the resolution that will make the majority happy.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

The battle over restrictor plates is interesting from both sides of the fence. Drivers hate it because it does cause the "Big One" and fans love it because it causes the "Big One". Without it the drivers would be irritated because of the drafting effect that it offers. If they couldn't
-------------------------------------------------------------
end over end but I always have this fear that someone will die doing it. At that point I ask "is it worth it ?" My answer is no but as you noted and as I have stated many times before, it is all about the money. A totally boring race is not exciting to the fans and if it were to occur every year then eventually attendance would decline, and we all know that NASCAR doesn't want that.
I believe they are always looking for ways to deal with the restrictor plate tracks but just haven't yet found the resolution that will make the majority happy.

Here are three solutions, two of which aren't feasible, one is but NASCAR'd never do it.
1. Reduce length of track. (too expensive) 2.5 and 2.6 miles is too long and the fans in the stands need binoculars to see the back stretch clearly.
2. Reduce the banks. (too expensive)
3. Make the cars run to a STOCK (as in what the manufacturers actually sell to the public) factory template, with exceptions made for wheelwells, etc.,. NO airdams or spoilers unless the manufacturer has such an option available to the public and can document sale of 500 of said items. Get NASCAR completely out of the race car designing business! If <insert manufacturer> can't/won't make a competitive car then...??? C'est la vie.
IF they can't/won't make a two-door in a given model, then they run a four door.
Imagine: the National Association Of STOCK CAR Auto Racing running an actual stock car??? What a concept!!!
Such a car would be as areodynamic as a Peterbuilt, responsive and would put on a good show. It worked "back in the day" (Gosh, I dispise that term!), and I honestly feel it'd work again.
OK...Pick up your stones and throw away! I'll just duck.

[LSC9901]

No stones from me Bob, as you might expect. I too am one that would love to see the STOCK CARS return to what they are supposed to be ... STOCK CARS. Yes there would have to be some allowances for different items. Mainly ones that would effect safety. Obviously glass in the side windows would be an exception and yes the wheel wells may have to be resized to accomodate the needed tires but I think if generally they returned to a more stock car type of car the racing would be more interesting. It would be a little more like the Saturday night "run what ya brung" type of racing.


Oh yes .... the good ole days.

[Team Yates]

There's no stone throwing from me, unless I can throw them at Team Hendricks!!

[WVGrandma4Kasey]

[quote=LSC9901]

Safety will always be an issue on all the tracks. The question is how much safety versus speed do the teams want ? One sure way to deal with the plates is to reduce the size of the track. To me Talledega is a race I could miss and not be real upset. Yes it is thrilling to watch 15 cars go rolling end over end but I always have this fear that someone will die doing it. At that point I ask "is it worth it ?" My answer is no but as you noted and as I have stated many times before, it is all about the money. A totally boring race is not exciting to the fans and if it were to occur every year then eventually attendance would decline, and we all know that NASCAR doesn't want that.
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I have never seen a caution free race, I know there was one a couple years ago on a Monday race. I would really love to see one. See how much skill the driver and pit crews really have and who really has the best car. I guess I'm weird, but I don't like wrecks. I like to watch the handling of the car on the track. I'm mesmerized by the movment and the skill of the drivers. I'm not holding out much hope of seeing a caution free race. And I know thats what most fans are excited about, the crash fest.

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by Team Yates

There's no stone throwing from me, unless I can throw them at Team Hendricks!!

Now, now Yates ... if you throw them at Hendricks someone will throw them at you and then NASCAR will get involved and there will be a point forfeiture and a dollar panalty. Can you really afford $50K ???

We might be better off just shootin' some spitballs !!!