BROOKLYN, Mich. — NASCAR announced on Tuesday changes to the race package for the Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday, August 14.
The changes to the car for the race include a nine-inch spoiler with a one-inch wicker bill, a two-inch splitter and a 43-inch radiator pan. These changes are expected to increase the drag on the cars and optimize the racing. NASCAR spoke to the OEMs, owners, drivers and MIS about the package options to select the one to make the competition stronger.
NASCAR and its racetracks are officially on record as wanted fans to leave their Confederate flags at home when they come to the track. Here is the offiical statement:
“As members of the NASCAR industry, we join NASCAR in the desire to make our events among the most fan-friendly, welcoming environments in all of sports and entertainment.
“To do that, we are asking our fans and partners to join us in a renewed effort to create an all-inclusive, even more welcoming atmosphere for all who attend our events. This will include the request to refrain from displaying the Confederate Flag at our facilities and NASCAR events.
“We are committed to providing a welcoming atmosphere free of offensive symbols. This is an opportunity for NASCAR Nation to demonstrate its sense of mutual respect and acceptance for all who attend our events while collectively sharing the tremendous experience of NASCAR racing.”
SIGNATORIES
International Speedway Corporation (ISC)
Auto Club Speedway
Chicagoland Speedway
Darlington Raceway
Daytona International Speedway
Homestead-Miami Speedway
Kansas Speedway
Martinsville Speedway
Michigan International Speedway
Phoenix International Raceway
Richmond International Raceway
Route 66 Raceway
Talladega Superspeedway
Watkins Glen International
Speedway Motorsports Inc. (SMI)
Atlanta Motor Speedway
Bristol Motor Speedway
Charlotte Motor Speedway
Kentucky Speedway
Las Vegas Motor Speedway
New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Sonoma Raceway
Texas Motor Speedway
Dover International Speedway
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Pocono Raceway
Iowa Speedway
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
Road America
Canadian Tire Motorsport Park
Eldora Speedway
Gateway Motorsports Park
"Good racing"
What does that mean to you?
Is it all about how many passes there are for the lead, or are you satisfied with tight racing through the field, even if the leader is zooming away?
Or is it better if the cars are packed together, like we get at Daytona and Talladega with restrictor plates?
And then there's the matter of crashes? Are there real racing fans who truly enjoy watching a bunch of cars getting wadded up? Is a race without any crashes "boring" by definition?
The South and NASCAR are forever tied together.
The back roads and the moonshiners down South is where NASCAR began, so despite its rise to a national presence in the past few decades, it's still a Southern sport at its root and that's how it's perceived by many in this country.
So this recent controversy about the Confederate flag in South Carolina, and NASCAR's take on it, is interesting.
One would think, from a distance, that NASCAR would be that rare group that defends the flag -- claiming its part of the Southern heritage and not to be condemned.
Wrong.
BROOKLYN, Mich. -- The word Biblical came up a lot Sunday at Michigan International Speedway.
On one hand, the race had a Biblical length; taking five hours to run 138 laps, due to an incredible FOUR red flags and a steady stream of rain showers, which would seem to pop up as soon as the drivers got called back to their cars and hit the track after the last delay.
And secondly, the rain that ended up forcing the race to be ended early, at lap 138, was of BIblical proportions. As the race was officially called, driver rankings were replaced by "SEVERE WEATHER ALERT: TAKE COVER" on the scoring pylon and fans were warned of possible lightning.
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