LAS VEGAS — NASCAR held a second consecutive assembly with its Cup drivers to debate their security issues with the brand new Subsequent Gen automotive and promised to proceed the periods for the remaining month of the season.
Saturday’s assembly at Las Vegas Motor Speedway lasted 75 minutes, the identical size as final week’s contentious session at Charlotte Motor Speedway. NASCAR had a prolonged slide presentation for the drivers for the reason that one at Charlotte was halted when the assembly deteriorated into an emotional confrontation between drivers and NASCAR management.
A number of drivers final week likened the Charlotte assembly to an episode of “Seinfeld” because it turned “an airing of grievances.” The Las Vegas assembly was a lot calmer and NASCAR was capable of full the presentation, which was expanded to incorporate data from questions raised by the drivers at Charlotte.
2 Associated
Though the Las Vegas assembly was optionally available, NASCAR stated it was well-attended regardless of “some notables” who weren’t current. The Related Press confirmed that Kevin Harvick, one of the outspoken drivers concerning the Subsequent Gen, was current for the Las Vegas assembly.
“I am nonetheless standing,” a smiling Brad Keselowski stated as he exited the assembly room Saturday.
Kurt Busch and Alex Bowman each suffered concussions in what ought to have been routine crashes. Each drivers had been injured when the rear of their automotive hit the wall.
As a result of the Subsequent Gen was constructed to be sturdy, drivers have complained the rear is approach too stiff and the drivers are absorbing far an excessive amount of power from impacts. Bowman has missed two races already and stated he’ll be out no less than the following three, whereas Busch stated Saturday after lacking 13 consecutive races he shall be stepping away from full time racing.
NASCAR thinks it has a repair for the rigidness of the rear of the Subsequent Gen, with modifications potential by the beginning of subsequent season.
Corey LaJoie, who has sided with NASCAR in its improvement of the Subsequent Gen, stated NASCAR advised the drivers at Charlotte that design modifications it examined “takes about 50% of the G-load away on a rear impression.”
“You may at all times say we must always have achieved it sooner,” LaJoie stated on his podcast “Stacking Pennies.”
“However these items takes time. It isn’t like NASCAR is simply sitting on its palms, ready for an additional man to get harm. No one is at extra of a threat or detriments to seeing their opponents harm than NASCAR is. Once we had been designing this automotive, security was above and past each different checkpoint.”
There are 4 races remaining this season with the Subsequent Gen – together with Sunday at Las Vegas to open the third spherical of the playoffs.