NASCAR's rule changes for short tracks and road courses in 2020, explained

This change to NASCAR's rules seems like it's actually a crowd-pleaser.

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Like it so often does before the start of a new season, NASCAR is making some rule changes, but the governing body’s latest move seems like it will be a real crowd-pleaser for both drivers and their fans.

New for the 2020 season, which begins February 16 with the Daytona 500, NASCAR announced a rules package that reduces downforce for the Cup Series short-track and road-course races in an effort to improve the racing and competition. The changes, which include a significantly smaller spoiler, are designed to eliminate some of the stabilizing downforce at certain tracks and place a greater emphasis on the driver’s ability and the car’s handling.

But what exactly are these rules and how could they change the sport? Let us explain.

What are NASCAR’s key rule changes for short tracks and road courses in 2020?

This package for these tracks is similar to what was used during the 2017 and 2018 seasons, following backlash last year. As NASCAR explains, the changes include:

A significantly smaller rear spoiler, which shrinks from an 8-inch height to 2.75 inches. The front splitter’s overhang will now measure a quarter-inch (down from 2 inches), with approximately 2-inch wings (reduced from 10.5 inches). Alterations to the radiator pan, removing its vertical fencing in an effort to reduce front-end downforce. The dimensions of the pan remain the same.

At what tracks will this package be used?

Sonoma Raceway (Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

The tracks that will employ this new package are Bristol Motor Speedway, Dover International Speedway, Martinsville Speedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Richmond Raceway and Phoenix Raceway, which will host the 2020 championship weekend. New Hampshire is the longest of these tracks at 1.058 miles, while Dover and Phoenix are both one-milers and Bristol, Martinsville and Richmond are all less than a mile.

The package will also be employed for the three road courses at Sonoma Raceway, Watkins Glen International and Charlotte Motor Speedway’s “Roval” course.

What do NASCAR executives have to say about this?

The rule changes follow NASCAR president Steve Phelps’ vow at the end of the 2019 to improve the quality of racing and entertainment value, particularly at short tracks.

“Our promise to our fans, and we’ll do it right here, is we are going to provide the best racing we can at our short tracks,” Phelps said in November, via USA TODAY Sports. “I think we’ve over-delivered on the intermediate tracks, and we will make sure that when we get to Phoenix in the spring, and some of the other race tracks that are short tracks, that are going to have better racing.”

John Probst, NASCAR senior vice president for innovation and racing development, said the aerodynamic changes were inspired by the previously used package because “the 2017 levels of downforce on those types of tracks had pretty good side-by-side racing that our fans enjoyed” and called it a “a step in the right direction to create more side-by-side, exciting moments”, which were noticeably lacking during some short-track events.

For example, while the Bristol and Richmond races in 2019 featured a variety of race leaders and laps led — though Bristol had twice as many — Martinsville was the opposite. Brad Keselowski won the spring Martinsville race after leading 446 of 500 laps, and Martin Truex Jr. won the fall event with 464 of 500 laps out front.

While on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio on Tuesday, NASCAR executive vice president Steve O’Donnell explained why the sport didn’t just wait until 2021 when the Next Gen car will make its competition debut. He said:

“It’d be easy to take a pass on the 2020 season and say let’s get through that, but we all collectively thought we owe it to our fans to put on the best race possible at every one of our venues — not just the intermediate tracks and hope for a good race at the short tracks and road courses.

“So really, applaud the teams for working together with us to go back to a package we know works. The drivers had asked for that low downforce package, as well, at the short tracks. So we’re going to see that. I think the fans have wanted that and asked for it, so we’re going to deliver on those tracks.”

Probst also said, via NASCAR, the new rules had a “broad base of support” from drivers, team engineers, manufacturers and broadcast partners during meetings in December when the sport was in Nashville for the end-of-year NASCAR Awards.

How have NASCAR drivers reacted to the new rules for short tracks and road courses?

Judging by the reaction of some drivers and others in the industry, they’re clearly excited about what the rules could do for the quality of racing.