NASCAR and Speedway Motorsports have changed the curbing in the frontstretch chicane at the Charlotte Roval for Sunday’s Cup Series race.
The 4-inch ‘turtles’ have been replaced with 2.25-inch curbing. The smaller curbing should help lessen the impact Cup Series drivers feel when going over it and the car bottoming out when it lands.
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On Saturday, a few drivers complained after practice and qualifying that the impact was too hard from going over the curbing. Martin Truex Jr. said it felt like getting a concussion. Kyle Busch agreed with that sentiment.
NASCAR also sent out a reminder about track limits when it comes to penalties for cutting the chicane.
The rule reads as follows:
“Vehicles must run the full course at all times. Going straight at the chicane(s) may result in a stop-and-go penalty in an assigned location for the violation. If a vehicle goes straight in the back straight chicane, the vehicle must perform the stop and go prior to exiting the back straight chicane or on the apron, driver’s left, prior to the start/finish line on the lap the violation is announced. If the vehicle goes straight in the front straight chicane, the vehicle must perform the stop and go on the apron, driver’s left, prior to the start/finish line or driver’s right at the back straight chicane on the lap the violation is announced. If the stop-and-go is not performed by the vehicle prior to exiting the designated penalty assessment location(s), the vehicle may be assessed a pass-through penalty.
“If in the closing laps of the race, and there is not enough time to assess the pass-through penalty, a post-race time penalty of 30 seconds will be assessed to the vehicle total time prior to posting of the race results. You will be judged as missing or shortcutting any turn previously described when all four tires are on the non-track side of the red and white rumble strips that define the apex of the turns.”