NASCAR modifies 2015 Rulebook

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NASCAR introduced several modifications to the 2015 Sprint Cup rule book on Wednesday that involves competition, driver eligibility and safety issues.

Qualifying

Random drawing will determine pit stall assignments for qualifying. Vehicles leaving pit road are subject to pit road speed and expected to get up to speed on the lower lane prior to merging into traffic and not impede the progress of other cars making a qualifying run. Drivers that block other qualifiers could be subject to disciplinary action which could include having his or her time disqualified.

Each team must have a spotter to monitor NASCAR’s channel during the sessions.

Double File Restarts

Although NASCAR has not changed the restart process, it added a diagram to simplify the explanation:

New double file restart procedures diagram

Photo by: NASCAR Media

Freshman eligibility

Under Sec. 10.4.4.4 Rookie Driver Responsibilities which addresses familiarization of the NSCS by a rising competitor and allowing the team to run a fifth car for said driver, the language changed to “Car owners will be permitted to enter such fifth vehicle in non-Championship Events, provided the car owner and driver are otherwise eligible to compete in the non-Championship Event, and the only driver permitted to drive the fifth vehicle is the designated rookie driver. Non-Championship Events will not count towards the vehicle's seven permissible starts.”

Inspection

NASCAR issued changes for camber and rear axle housing location specifications and tolerances along with rear wheel toe alignments (specified for different tracks), wheelbase, wheel offset (ovals and road courses), rocker panel width, main frame rail width, engine location and track bar heights for superspeedways.

The Car

Front brake cooling hoses (Sec. 20.15.2.1.1, c. & d.)

NASCAR mandates that, “All brake cooling hoses must be secured to a front bumper cover brake duct and a spindle duct. Brake cooling hoses that extend below the front bumper cover brake duct will not be permitted.”

Wheels and tires

Valve stem location has been moved to the inside of the rim - center only. Goodyear updated the tire codes at 21 tracks and changed the minimum cold inflation for Kentucky.

NASCAR-Mandated ECU Software

When NASCAR first announced it was adding engine control unit (ECU) software to the cars, pundits wondered whether it would be totally tamper proof. Any modification or attempt to block NASCAR from gathering data from a team’s ECU now falls under NASCAR’s new deterrence system.

Decals

NASCAR mandated that any graphics must to at least two inches away from the numbers on the cars. The numbers on the door and roof must be of a different color than the rest of the car. The centerline of the number must be centered on the door — or six inches forward of the centerline.

Vehicle markings will not be permitted on the spoiler, tailgate decals, rear window, rooftop or forward of the hood pins.