NASCAR makes practice changes for playoff races due to track, tire updates
The playoffs are getting ready to start for NASCAR, and big changes have been made to how teams practice. Bob Pockrass of Fox Sports revealed that extra practice has been added to the playoff race for the Xfinity and Cup Series at Charlotte because of changes to the infield portion of the course. The Xfinity Series drivers get 50-minute sessions while the Cup Series gets two 20-minute sessions for each group.
Pockrass also said that the Cup Series teams will also get an added 20-minute session at Watkins Glen because of the new tire code used during the June test. The Charlotte race will happen on Oct. 11-13 and the Watkins Glen race will happen on Sept. 15.
Earlier this month, Charlotte Motor Speedway announced it has begun new paving on a section of the infield between Turn 6 and Turn 7. The goal is to create more passing zones and added excitement.
“In just six short years, the ROVAL™ has created many unforgettable moments, from Ryan Blaney’s miraculous victory in the inaugural event and Chase Elliott’s unforgettable burnout in Heartburn Turn to AJ Allmendinger’s dramatic triumph for Kaulig Racing last season,” Charlotte Motor Speedway President and General Manager Greg Walter said in a news release. “These enhancements are designed to challenge drivers to further push their limits and race for the win in an event that will make or break the championship hopes of several Playoff contenders.”
Can Bubba Wallace clinch a spot in the NASCAR playoffs?
The NASCAR Cup Series playoffs officially begin on Sept. 8 when the drivers compete in the Quaker State 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. One of the drivers to watch is Bubba Wallace who needs to have a big day at Darlington to clinch a playoff spot.
“It’s just showing up and me doing all that I can,” Bubba Wallace said on Dale Jr. Download this week. “Take out the outside factors. Pit stops or we call a wrong race, right? You go out and drive your best race you’ve ever had knowing that you have the people, knowing that you have the equipment and everything else will make its own way. That’s how I’m approaching it.”