It is going to be a very busy weekend for NASCAR with all three racing series in two different cities.
While the Craftsman Truck Series missed racing on the streets of Chicago last weekend, they will run a road course race this weekend at Mid Ohio while the Xfinity and Cup Series race on the newly named super speedway of Atlanta.
Last year Atlanta Motor Speedway was reconfigured and the entrance to pit road is now at the entrance to turn three. After NASCAR saw a number of issues with cars falling laps down during green flag pitstops in the Atlanta race in March, NASCAR has altered the pit road speed for this weekend.
Under green flag conditions drivers may run 90 mph in sections, one and two of pit road; however, they must maintain a 45 mph speed limit in sections three through 18 of pit road. During caution flag pitstops drivers must maintain a 45 mph speed limit throughout all of pit road.
Also, this weekend NASCAR has amended the Damaged Vehicle Policy or “crash clock”. Each series will have an additional minute to make any repairs to the cars after a crash. The Cup Series will have eight minutes to make repairs while the Xfinity Series will have seven minutes; once all repairs have been completed, the car must make minimum speed in order to continue on and the race.
Sunday’s race in Atlanta will be the first time this season that the Cup Series has returned to a track for the second race; except this time it will be under the lights on Sunday night.
When a Cup Series driver crosses the finish line on Sunday night, it will mark win number 2,000 for Goodyear tires who has been the official tire company for NASCAR for many years. To mark the special occasion the race winner will receive an additional trophy.
Sunday’s race will also see some new additions to the safety package in the cup series cars.
Sunday’s race will also see some new additions to the safety package in the Cup Series cars. The changes are designed to make the car safer and more flexible in a crash to protect the drivers.