ROANOKE TIMES 

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, August 19, 1993                   TAG: 9308190073
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Cox News Service
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

NASCAR ADDING RESTRICTOR PLATES

Restrictor-plate racing, the slowed version NASCAR runs for safety reasons at its fastest tracks, is spreading. Winston Cup officials said carburetor restrictor plates, currently used only at the Talladega and Daytona tracks, will be used at Atlanta and Charlotte this year, and probably at Michigan next year.

The Winston Cup season concludes with the Hooters 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Ga., on Nov. 14. The remaining race at Charlotte Motor Speedway this year is the Mello Yello 500 on Oct. 10.

Restrictor plates have been mandatory for Winston Cup races at Daytona and Talladega since 1988. Talladega, at 2.66 miles, and Daytona, at 2.5, are NASCAR's longest and fastest ovals. Bill Elliott set Winston Cup's qualifying-speed record of 212.809 mph at Talladega in 1987.

The Pocono track in Pennsylvania also is 2.5 miles long. Michigan (2.0 miles), Atlanta (1.522) and Charlotte (1.5) rank fourth, fifth and sixth on the NASCAR circuit in length.

It is believed the diameter of the holes in the restrictor plates, which limit the flow of gas and air, will be 1 inches, larger than the seven-eighths -inch holes in the plates at Daytona and Talladega. The larger the holes, the less speed is restricted.

Restrictor plates have divided NASCAR participants since their introduction. On Monday, Robert Yates, owner of the Ford driven by Lake Speed, said restrictor plates would make cars slower and safer but no less exciting.

But many critics of restrictor plates say the kind of racing typical of Talladega and Daytona, long trains of cars drafting closely in line because they lack the power to pass one another, is less safe than unrestricted racing.

Keywords:
AUTO RACING 


 by CNB