One tweak to the NASCAR rules regarding backup cars can make a huge difference to the starting grids of 2018 races beginning with Daytona. According to ESPN's Bob Pockrass, any team that has to use a backup car during the race weekend will start from the back in the race. The current rules allow for a driver to keep his or her place as long as the car used for qualifying is the same as the one used in the race.
Starting in 2018, a driver who goes to a backup car will have to start at the rear of the field. Current rules... https://t.co/Q67WhzbqtI
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) September 7, 2017
This change means that, unlike under the current rules, a car that is crashed or experiences an engine failure in practice will send the driver to the back of the pack regardless of qualifying. In Daytona especially, this is a big deal. Not only does the car have to survive practice and qualifying, but also has the Can-Am duel to contend with before the headlining Daytona 500.
Another change to the rules is that no backup car can come to the track with a pre-installed engine. What this effectively changes is teams having three engines to use over a race weekend. Currently, a team can have two cars with installed engines plus a spare engine in the hauler. The new changes mean only one installed engine and one backup.
The moves will cut costs for teams but will also make practice crashes a much bigger deal than in the past.
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