NASCAR cuts size of Talladega restrictor plates following McMurray crash
NASCAR has cut the size of the restrictor plates used for Sunday’s race at Talladega after high speeds during Friday’s practice sessions and Jamie McMurray’s crash.
McMurray’s car went airborne and flipped over multiple times after he cut a tire on the backstretch during Friday’s second practice session. His car had begun to catch air before it was catapulted higher by Ryan Newman’s car.
The restrictor plates will be cut from 7/8ths of an inch to 55/64ths of an inch. The reduction will lead to a loss of horsepower and slow the cars down. Speeds were reaching over 200 MPH in the draft during Friday’s practice sessions.
Restrictor plates cut the flow of air through the engines and reduce horsepower. They help create the large packs commonly seen at Talladega and Daytona where drivers have to rely on the draft to make passes.
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Nick Bromberg is a writer for Yahoo Sports.
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