New Changes For This Year’s Daytona 500
New NASCAR technology will be implemented in the race set for Feb. 19
February 10, 2023
Going into this year’s Daytona 500 on Feb. 19, there are many subjects of interest. NASCAR is working on implementing new technology and devices into the cup cars.
NASCAR is currently testing mufflers on the race cars, hoping to soften the roar of the V8 engine. Many fans were disappointed but in reality, the mufflers hardly tone down the engine noise.
Unsurprisingly, NASCAR banned Ross Chastain’s “hail melon” move, citing safety concerns. To make a long story short, during the Bristol Playoff 4 cutoff race, Ross Chastain drove his car against the outside wall around turns 3 and 4 on the last in a desperate attempt to make the championship 4 and compete for the cup. The stunt pulled by Chastain actually worked. Because Chastain didn’t apply the brakes before the final corner and held the throttle to the floor, the car carried its momentum throughout the corner. He passed several cars in the last corner of the last lap which gained him just enough points to barely edge out Denny Hamlin for the last remaining final 4 spot. The clip of Chastain pulling this incredible stunt immediately went viral. Since he is from a family of watermelon farmers, fans dubbed the pass the “hail melon.” In response, NASCAR’s sanctioning body banned the move and doing so will now result in a hefty fine and/or loss of valuable playoff points.
Also, new to 2023 is the removal of stage cautions on road courses. Not to mention, a new low-downforce package is being tested and planned for use on intermediate ovals. To break it down, the experimental low-downforce package has a spoiler over twice as small as the one that was used last season. During tests, the majority of drivers had positive feedback for the new setup.
Other big stories involve teams and driver changes. Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) replaced Cole Custer with Austin Hill for the 2023 season. Custer will now race full-time in the Xfinity series. Custer’s lackluster performance forced SHR to demote him to the Xfinity series, hoping Custer can learn from his mistakes and maybe go back to cup when needed.
Another huge announcement from SHR broke headlines just a few days ago; the retirement of Kevin Harvick. Harvick has been racing at NASCAR’s highest level since 2001 (replacing Dale Earnhardt Sr. after his fatal crash in the 2001 Daytona 500) and has since racked up dozens of wins. His best accomplishments have been his 2014 championship and his victory in the 2007 Daytona 500 to name a few.
The long-awaited anticipation of Kyle Busch’s debut driving for Richard Childress Racing (RCR) has been a source of interest over the last months. After a harsh breakup with Joe Gibbs Racing (Yeah, that Joe Gibbs; HOF Washington Redskins coach). This was due to the departure of M&M MARS as a sponsor for his team, which had been the team’s primary sponsor since 2008. During his time at Joe Gibbs Racing, Kyle Busch won numerous races and two cup titles. Although Busch’s best years will always remain with JGR, he hopes to turn his career around.
