Johnson in favor of further reducing spoiler height in Cup cars

As Motorsport.com first reported on Thursday, NASCAR has proposed lowering the spoiler from 3.5 inches to 2.375 inches in the 2017 rules package.

With less downforce on the rear of the cars, the shorter spoiler should slow cars down in the corners.

“We are all wanting slower center of corner speeds,” Johnson said. “We all feel that will put on a better race. The slower the center of corner speed is the more off throttle time we create, the more opportunities there are to pass, the more opportunities there are to make mistakes, the more opportunities you have to work on the handling of your race car.

“Directionally, that is the way the sport is going. I think the smaller spoiler is going to help us. We saw a nice improvement across all matrixes with the 2016 package and 2017 is another step of that. I will be here (Kansas Speedway) Monday testing the 2017 package and get a real good feel for it.”

NASCAR Vice-President of Innovation and Racing Development Gene Stefanyshyn added that a three-inch reduction on the outboard regions of the splitter will lead to reduce the downforce on the nose of the car by 500 pounds in 2017.

The use of biometric devices

Johnson is also intrigued with drivers using biometric devices in the car. NASCAR will allow non-telematic devices to monitor vital signs. The only catch is the device must be powered internally and not connected to any other vehicle electrical system such as the car’s battery, ECU or digital dash display.

“Then biometrics -- it’s cool to show and it’s another talking point. I think the broadcast booth and then how it’s integrated into the NASCAR app and things could be really cool and something else for the fans to see.”

Stefanyshyn said NASCAR doesn’t currently have the telematic system to collect and transfer the data from the car. But never say never.

“Just to clear this up, we’ve been talking to the drivers and some of them have biometric devices — Fitbits and those things — and said, ‘Hey, can we wear those or not?’ So we are not transmitting their data to the car or anything like that going on. We’ve simply looked at a bunch of devices and said if you want to wear one you can. It’s no more complicated than that.”

NASCAR listed the following as eligible biometric devices for 2017:

- Garmin Forerunner 735XT, Forerunner 235, Forerunner 15, Vivoactive HR
- Misfit Flash Link, Ray, Shine
- Polar A360
- Samsung Gear Fit2
- Tom Tom Spark Cardio
- Jawbone Up2