Is restrictor plate racing a healthy part of NASCAR?

Yes

1 of 5

by Scott Kolecki

• 

Write now Print Invite a writer™ Add to Favorites RSS Feed Contact this writer

While there is no doubt in any NASCAR fan's mind that one of the biggest thrills of stock car racing is the incredible speeds these cars can reach. On some of the largest tracks in the sport, drivers can achieve speeds in excess of 200 miles per hour while driving just inches from each other's bumpers. This impressive feat can, at least once per race, cause a wreck that will obliterate several cars in just seconds. The damage and the danger is colossal. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microso ft-com:office:office " />

To help regulate and limit the high end speeds these fantastic racecars can reach, restrictor plates were created. These plates, which reside below the carburetor on the intake manifold of any stock car engine, "restricting" the amount of air and fuel that can get into the combustion chamber. By doing so, the cars cannot go as fast, and reach a top speed that is notably slower than their true potential. Even with restrictor plates, stock cars have managed to reach speeds of 180-190 mph. The wrecks that occur are still monumental, and the fact that drivers almost walk away from them is nothing short of amazing.

But are restrictor plates a healthy part of racing? If for no other reason than the one listed above, the answer here is a resounding yes. Before the invention of restrictor plates, drivers could easily achieve speeds in excess of 200 miles per hour, often capping out at 210-220. At these speeds, the cars could literally lift off the track, and there have been instances of the cars actually entering the grandstands, injuring spectators in their wake. By restricting some of the speed these cars can produce, the restrictor plate actually acts as a safety device, ensuring a higher probability that even during the "big one" (the major wreck of any large track race), nobody is going to sustain a major injury.

There is another reason why restrictor plates are a healthy part of NASCAR as well. They act as a leveling tool, allowing cars to be limited in their top speed potential, thereby ensuring drivers a more competitive driving field. Should a team be allowed to run un-restricted, they would most probably run wide open most of the race, and the race leaders would probably pull far away from the pack, eliminating any possibility of competitive racing. While some NASCAR purists might argue that part of racing is building the best car with the correct setup, it is still a spectator sport, and there is nothing more thrilling than a race that is neck and neck, especially in the final laps before the checkered flag.

Ultimately though, the restrictor plate is about safety. NASCAR feels that they are a healthy part of racing, and the officials of NASCAR have gone a step further to ensure driver safety by developing "Car Of Tomorrow" program, which involved the development of a larger car, with lower top speeds and more safety built in to each model. These new stock cars are used in every Sprint Cup race as well as now being used in the Nationwide Series as well. Where restrictor plates paved the way for increased control over the acceleration and top speed of a stock car, these new "Cars of Tomorrow" are the next logical step in making NASCAR an exhilarating, but healthy, racing experience.

Learn more about this author, Scott Kolecki.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.