NASCAR Releases Official 2015 Rules Package, Details Inside

Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

Update #1 – On Tuesday NASCAR released the rules package for 2015. The changes include: a ban on private team testing at any tracks following the season finale at Homestead-Miami. The horsepower has indeed been reduced from 850-900 down to 725 with the use of tapered spacer. The rear spoiler has also been cut down to six inches.

Other changes in 2015 include rain tires for Sprint Cup road course events with mandatory wipers, an option to have a panhard bar in the cockpit to allow drivers to adjust suspension, a new video system for officiating on pit road and an online rule book with 3-D illustrations.

End Update–

On Tuesday (September 23rd) NASCAR is expected to announce the 2015 rule package for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. It is expected that the new rules package for 2015 will come with several changes in an effort to produce a better on-track product. One of the biggest things NASCAR is attempting to do with the 2015 rules package is create an environment where cars are able to pass one another on the track. Often times in 2014 drivers have complained that it’s impossible to pass other cars on the track.

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While nothing has been announced yet, there have been rumblings in regards to what the new rules package will include. It is believed that the new package will include the following:

A two-inch reduction on the spoiler (from eight to six inches).
A 125 horsepower decrease to the engines (just 50 more than what is currently used in the Nationwide Series with the use of tapered spacers).
Several different gear rules.

NASCAR driver Matt Kenseth appears to be on board with some of the changes that NASCAR is going to make for the 2015 season. Kenseth recently commented via Motorsports.com on a test that NASCAR did with some of the possible new rules at Michigan last month. According to NASCAR the test and the new rules are in an effort to “reduce the rapid increase in spacing between cars and increase drafting at the end of the straightaway at many of our tracks” to hopefully “provide fans with the best action-packed racing possible.” Kenseth said the following in regards to the test and new rules:

"I think it was good to look at a lot of different things. I’m a firm believer in less downforce is going to be better as far as our ability to pass other race cars. Maybe it will separate the back of the field and the front of the field a little bit. And what I mean by that is maybe if a guy is not quite as good of a driver or makes a mistake he may not be able to catch your car as good – that type of thing. Maybe more cautions that aren’t debris cautions, there might be more accidents, things like that which I don’t necessarily think is a bad thing.You didn’t have that turbulent air so bad in traffic (during the test). You could roll around outside of people. It really opened the track up. It really widened the track out. Instead of being a one-groove track, it was, honestly, for being Michigan and just being repaved, it turned into at least three-groove track already just in that little 10, 20-lap run. I think everybody was encouraged by the results. I think a lot of people were really surprised by it. I don’t think it’s what they expected."

NASCAR will announce the final version of the package sometime on Tuesday. What are your thoughts on what many believe will be included in next seasons package? Do you believe that NASCAR is capable of producing a rules package that will allow for more passing and as a result better racing? Be sure to comment below and let us know what you think.

Christopher Olmstead is the Editor of BeyondTheFlag.com on the FanSided Network. Follow us on Twitter @Beyond_The_Flag and “Like” us on Facebook.

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