BROOKLYN, MI — While the Chase for the Sprint Cup heats up, NASCAR was looking to the future at Michigan International Speedway Tuesday, Oct. 20.
Drivers Erik Jones, Chris Buescher and Chase Elliott were on the two-mile oval in the Irish Hills testing out NASCAR’s new rules package, which will be implemented in the 2016 season. Jones, of Byron, leads the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series points standings and served as Denny Hamlin’s replacement for Tuesday’s test.
(Related: FireKeepers Casino replaces Quicken Loans as title sponsor of June NASCAR race at MIS)
The main changes include a three-and-a-half inch spoiler, a quarter-inch leading splitter edge and a 33-inch wide radiator pan, according to NASCAR. Jones, Elliott and Buescher were on the track testing these changes as NASCAR was looking at what the tires could handle, corner speeds and more.
Jones called the changes a step in the right direction, and said the experience to hop in the Sprint Cup Car and race on his home track was “a cool feeling.”
The 19-year-old driver was not alone in his praise of the new rules package as fellow Michigander Brad Keselowski took to Twitter to echo his remarks.
Good news- 2016 rules package is a huge upgrade @PhoenixRaceway Bad news- apparently I stink at restarts. https://t.co/NmmQm1sv4N
— Brad Keselowski (@keselowski) October 13, 2015
These changes are expected to provide lower downforce on the cars, which is similar to this season’s package used at Kentucky Speedway and Darlington Raceway. While testing the rules Tuesday, the new package will not be implemented until the 2016 season.
Buescher, who leads Elliott by 27 points in the NASCAR Xfinity Series standings, said the change in downforce had the drivers actually using their brakes on the track Tuesday.
“I think I was going about 210 (mph) out there today,” Elliott said after the morning’s test. “I’m not sure on the exact number, but it’s fast out there.”
In addition to this NASCAR-wide package, each track will have its own specific rules with the hopes of catering to each track’s length, configuration and surface.
Toyota, Ford and Chevrolet each had a car out on the track to try and find the right combination for the June Sprint Cup Series at MIS.
“What we’re hoping to accomplish is, first of all, looking at the tire and getting the tire right, and the speeds in the corners, everything that we’ve looked at from a low downforce perspective,” NASCAR Senior Vice President Steve O’Donnell said in a teleconference regarding the changes. “The goal is to reduce the speeds in the corner, bring a tire that has more grip and more wear.
“We think we’ll deliver both of those, which ultimately produces great racing. So that’s what we expect to see in Michigan, and that’s the data we want to collect as we go out there for the test.”
(Related: NASCAR changes expected to reduce speeds at MIS)
NASCAR implemented a series of package changes for MIS’ August race, which increased drag with the hopes of improving on-track action while decreasing speeds.
August’s Sprint Cup Series race will continue on as the Pure Michigan 400.
Elliott, who is NASCAR legend Bill Elliott’s son, will replace the retiring Jeff Gordon on the Sprint Cup circuit in 2016.
