End of restrictor plates near?
By Dustin Long
The Roanoke Times
DOVER, Del. -- A NASCAR test session next month at Talladega Superspeedway for its new car will help series officials determine if they can use larger holes in a restrictor plate there and at Daytona.
Gary Nelson, a former Cup series director who consults NASCAR, says he hopes NASCAR's car of tomorrow will allow series officials to someday get rid of the carburetor restrictor plates that limit horsepower and keep speeds around 190 mph at Daytona and Talladega.
Teams have been asked to bring engines they'd normally use at a track like Michigan or Charlotte to the test, which will be held Oct. 9, the day after the Talladega race. Former driver Brett Bodine, who leads NASCAR's efforts on the new car, says the plan is to see what size of a restrictor plate can be used.
The new car, which debuts at Bristol next spring, is larger than and not as sleek aerodynamically as the current car. That should allow NASCAR to increase the size of the holes in the restrictor plate and give drivers more throttle response. The new car is scheduled to run at Talladega next fall during the championship chase.
Nelson said the biggest purpose of the test is to figure out the engine package for the races at Daytona and Talladega and "maybe there is an alternative or elimination of the restrictor plate down the road.''
Nelson made it one of his goals when he became the Cup series director in 1991 to get rid of restrictor plates. He never did before moving to another position at NASCAR in 2002 and later starting his own research and development company.
NASCAR has used restrictor plates at Daytona and Talladega since 1988.
Before the change, Bill Elliott ran a qualifying lap of 212.809 mph at Talladega. Elliott Sadler won the pole there last spring in the most recent Cup race with a lap of 188.511 mph.End of restrictor plates near? 
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