In their continuing battle to keep the drivers on the course and not short cutting the track, NASCAR is making some changes to the course at Watkins Glen International for the races this weekend.
NASCAR will be adding tire packs and other “track-limit enforcement” to keep the drivers from short-cutting the course.
It is well known that if a portion of the track is paved, whether or not it is a part of the course, drivers will make use of it. NASCAR is looking to curtail some of that activity during the races at Watkins Glen this weekend.
To eliminate some of the advantage drivers were obtaining in turn one, NASCAR has added four tire packs that will be progressively closer to the course; starting at eleven, nine, and six feet. The move will force the drivers to at least stay closer to racing groove.
Tire pack barriers are also being added to the exit of the Carousel to help avoid major incidents as the drivers exit the area.
NASCAR is making to changes after concerns over “safety, race control, and consistency in track-limit enforcement.”
NASCAR’s senior director of racing communications Amanda Ellis explained the philosophy behind the changes saying, “there is going to be a tire barrier or a tire pack coming out of the carousel, and that is an area where we have seen some pretty hard hits. We’re also going to have some tire packs in Turn one and those are essentially in the runoff areas. If you go back and you watch parts of the race last year, the drivers were really starting to use that runoff area.”
Goodyear is also bringing a different tire configuration for the races.
The drivers in all three series will have a chance to practice on the course with the new barriers before they make qualifying runs.