Tag Archives: Scott Miller

NASCAR Pleased with Performance of New Aero Package at Michigan

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Gene Stefanyshyn, NASCAR Senior Vice President, Innovation and Racing Development and Scott Miller, NASCAR Senior VP of Competition Photo - Kena Krutsinger / Getty Images

Gene Stefanyshyn, NASCAR Senior Vice President, Innovation and Racing Development and Scott Miller, NASCAR Senior VP of Competition
Photo – Kena Krutsinger / Getty Images

The new lower-downforce aerodynamic package under evaluation for 2017 got its first test in a points race at Michigan, and NASCAR officials liked what they saw in the 400-miler.

“It was definitely different than we’ve seen here before, a lot of action on the restarts, a lot of movement there,” said Scott Miller, NASCAR’s senior vice president of competition. “Obviously, we all watched it get strung out a little bit, which we weren’t hoping for longer into the runs.

“I think we saw a lot of things that we liked, some other things that may need a little bit of reevaluating, but I think overall, for such a big move in downforce, that it was a really pretty successful day and something that we can build on.”

If the new configuration, or a variation thereof, is adopted for next year, Goodyear will have time to build a tire designed for the new package and the track.

“I think we probably need to come back to a bit more work on the tires, which these tires have not been tuned to this package, so we’ll work with our Goodyear folks,” said Gene Stefanyshyn, NASCAR senior vice president, innovation and racing development. “Probably a bit handicapped by the entry speeds being pretty high (reaching roughly 218 mph), so still that creates some aero effects, so that’s something we’ll look at.

“But again, this has been planned as a two to three step process. We’re off to Kentucky tomorrow (for an organizational test on Monday and Tuesday), and then we’ll be on the track at Kentucky (July 9)—shorter track, lower speeds and all that, so we’ll see how that all comes together.”

By Reid Spencer

NASCAR Wire Service

NASCAR Amends Lug Nut Policy Across Three National Series

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Photo - Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images

Photo – Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images

After several drivers have recently voiced serious concerns about NASCAR’s lack of enforcement regarding their lug nut policy, the sanctioning body announced an amendment Monday afternoon.
Effective immediately, NASCAR is requiring all teams in its three national series – Sprint Cup, XFINITY and Trucks – to have all five lug nuts installed in a “safe and secure manner” at all times during a race.

NASCAR sent a memo to teams on Monday with the update which takes effect with this weekend’s on-track action from the 2.66-mile superspeedway of Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.

“NASCAR has been closely monitoring the aggressive strategies on pit road. Safety is an area we do not take lightly, as our record has clearly indicated. It’s important for us to have a system in place immediately for addressing lug nut installation, while we also work alongside the industry to develop the best long-term solution,” Scott Miller, NASCAR’s senior vice president of competition, said in a statement.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series managing director Richard Buck through a technical bulletin advised teams that the sanctioning body will come up with updated methods to efficiently officiate the change.

With the amendment, NASCAR now also reserves the right to require any competitor to report to pit road “to inspect for any noncompliance” at any time.

Furthermore, NASCAR added the following penalties should it determined all five lug nuts are not secured:

• If found pre-race, a correct must be made immediately and the driver will start at the rear of the field.

• If tires intended for the race are found without five lug nuts glued to the wheel, the teams will receive a written warning and a correct must be made immediately.

• If found post-race, the team will receive a P3 penalty, which mandates a minimum $20,000 fine (first offense), one race crew chief suspension and probation for Cup. For XFINITY, a minimum $10,000 fine (first offense), one race crew chief suspension and probation. In trucks, a minimum $5,000 fine (first offense), one race crew chief suspension and probation.

• Multiple offenses will result in escalated penalties.

The change in policy comes less than a week after three-time Cup champion Tony Stewart was fined $35,000 by NASCAR for lashing out on the former policy. The Stewart-Haas Racing driver cited NASCAR’s lack of concern for potential safety issues that stemmed from the policy’s abuse by race teams.