28 Comments on Why NASCAR Uses Restrictor Plates

Eddie on


Okay, I still don’t get it. I’ve harped on this for years. It’s safe to drive at Talladega at 195 MPH but it’s dangerous at 210 MPH??? In other words, the drivers are incapable of handling 20 MPH faster speeds? I watched the early race years in person at Talladega and the the Superbirds and other cars running all day long at over 200 MPH speeds with no problem. All I can figure is that NASCAR is scared to death of lawsuits. Take the damned plates away and let ‘em race! Give more downforce leeway to the car builders and larger roof flaps to keep them down to the ground. Earnhardt could have killed a lot of people when he flipped at Talladega if he had gotten on the hood or roof of another car a few seconds longer and flipped into the stands but there was no outrage then. The plates are accident makers with the cars running so close. When there is a wreck, it’s not just one or two cars but bunches. Just my opinion but these ARE R-A-C-E cars aren’t they?

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RacingWin Reply:
April 20th, 2009 at 5:46 pm

NASCAR has to put fan safety above everything else — or there will be no NASCAR.

When cars are going so fast that they start to become aircraft instead of race cars they are too fast. NASCAR had to do something

The restrictor plates may not be the best solution, but together with the roof flaps so far they have worked.

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Eddie Reply:
April 20th, 2009 at 5:51 pm

So who determined the “take off” speed for the cars? I’ve seen them go airborne at much slower speeds before. You can build fan safety in at a track. You can not keep the “big one” from happening. Someone replied to my first post that there were huge amounts of lead changes at Talladega last year. Sure there were but they’re still running in huge groups of cars that will take out half the field in case of an accident. Wonder if he remembers years ago when the better built engines helped the leaders pull far away from the rest of the field? (Hint: no restrictor plates then)

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Ron Reply:
April 21st, 2009 at 1:18 am

If that is what you think then go find another sport to watch, like maybe boring baseball!!!!!!!!

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judy barnhill on


i hope that dale jr win the race this coming sunday this crom from the race fans judy barnhill and alton cANNON

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tami on


I hope things go better for dale jr thi sunday he has had alot of bad luck

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John Weldon on


I think they call it raceing. That’s no reason for the nascar Restrictor Plates.
Let them do what they do race flat out.
Leave them alone and lets go raceing boys the old school way.

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SCOTT GIBB Reply:
April 22nd, 2009 at 3:18 pm

Guss don’t care if some one dies or not?

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Arthur Pratt on


Get rid of the restricter plates and let them race.

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mamadew88 on


Maybe this will be lucky for our Jr., at Dega, who is so good at restrictor plate racing. His father was the King and taught his son very well when it comes to this type of racing. Hopefully this coming race will be the one that will turn things around and he can make the chase.
Our hearts and prayers go out to you Junebug.
Git ‘er dun………

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BadBob on


It’s no fun watching race cars following each other. Let them race. No lawsuits. Race at your own risk and once on race track property, you are at your own risk. Post signs, racing can produce injuries. Signs will not stop anybody from coming to a race. Were there any lawsuits when Earnhardt was killed?

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RacingWin Reply:
April 20th, 2009 at 5:43 pm

Talladega averaged 58 lead changes per race last year. I don’t see how that is “cars following each other.”

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Ron Reply:
April 21st, 2009 at 1:14 am

You have not seen the older races, so SHUT UP!!!!

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RacingWin Reply:
April 21st, 2009 at 11:47 pm

Ron, actually I have.

I’ve seen Richard Petty, David Pearson, Bobby Allison, Fred Lorenzen, Buddy Baker to Kyle Busch Dale Jr and more drivers race.

I’ve met most of them.

The old Talladega races were never as competitive as today’s.

boatsailor on


Did we watch the same race?? Sure there plenty of lead changes, But mostly the same few drivers!! Even with 12-15 diff. drivers. The races seemed to be a carousel ride!! Don’t forget that A number of lead changes occurred coming off of pit road. and the occasional speeding or out of pit box penalty. there is NO doubt in my mind that with ALL of the safety improvements dealt out by NASCAR that 220 mph. would be reasonable. then MAYBE the COT would be fun to watch. NASCAR has made the sport allmost Mundane.

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Eddie on


There you go boatsailor! I’ve written in other forums many times about how the media and NASCAR advertise a “down to the wire” or “bumper to bumper” finish for the viewer. Of course they can do that since they know the look of the field will be the same on white flag laps as it was during the starting laps. How many of you older guys remember back in the 70′s when a guy was a couple or three laps down later in the race but still had a chance by sheer power and racing expertise and pit crew organization? Ahhh, those were the days. I wish the newer fans could have seen REAL racing then. I’m gonna shut up and let others comment after this. I do love NASCAR and my fellow fans but PLEASE bring back the real racing days again NASCAR! At least ry it on an experimental basis. Maybe one or two races with not a plate to be found?

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BushPilot on


Everyone has their own idea of how fast is too fast. It’s the same on the interstate. Some people drive ten mph over the speed limit and feel its safe and it’s ok but bitch at people who go slightly faster and are comfortable. (comfortable in their minds) I remember Bill car flying into the infield for no particular reason other than he was going about 125 MPH… Too many other rules designed to make all the cars the same speed is killing racing.

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Lance Patterson on


Roof “flaps” is a misnomer. Flaps are lifting devices. What they actually have on the roofs are spoilers or lift-dumpers. Whatever, since they were added you rarely if ever see a car get airborne, so it seems that there really is no need for the restrictor plates anymore.

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Ron Reply:
April 21st, 2009 at 1:10 am

I agree with you we have the flaps, we have better ideas on how to keep car out of the stands. What you see in this video was in dinosaur days, what we have today is so modern it makes this video look like it is from the early 1800′s. I would like to see the restrictor plates removed or bigger than what they are now. As long as NASCAR can control idiots like Kyle Busch they have nothing to worry about!

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RacingWin Reply:
April 21st, 2009 at 11:40 pm

In NASCAR we’ve always called them flaps. Maybe a rocket scientist would disagree, but the crew chief knows what we’re talking about.

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Lance Patterson Reply:
April 22nd, 2009 at 1:23 am

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist, and obviously everybody knows what we’re talking about. I just made the comment that it’s a misapplication of the term. I don’t expect anything to change, just as I don’t expect NASCAR to remove the restrictor plate requirement no matter how many people complain.

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swampy88 on


Folks, what we have here is 6 of one and a half a dozen of the other. Either way, it sucks the wet end! But we must have some safety issues, I don’t want to see the cheap seats creamed by a flying car, do you? go junebug/don’t pit!

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swampy88 on


Folks…..do we really want to see the cheap seats creamed by a flying car? We have to have some safety guidelines…..too bad it’s a plate.
Go junebug/don’t pit>

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Jim Fulbright on


Sorry the video didn’t sell me!!!!!!

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jonny franklin on


The problem today is the nascar drivers have it to easy with power steering air condition the drivers yesterday had to work in 150 degrees no power steering.Those were men.I believe these drivers need the restrictor plate because if they go over 200 they would all wreck!These young punks today do not know what real racing was back in the 70′s.

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scott on


The problem with not having the plates isn`t the speeds but the “G” forces the drivers would face. Remember a few years back when they took the plates off of the open wheel cars at texas I think and the drivers were about to pass out at 225. The drivers refused to run the race.

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Patsy on


I have been going to Talladega since 1985 when Bill Elliott set the record at the home track. They ran alot faster then than now and had no problem until Bobby Allison got into the grandstands. They put the plates on to keep them from getting airborn, or so they said. I said at that time and I still say that the fence should be taller,more enforced,and maybe some kind of catch net strong enough to keep parts from going into crowd.

Nascar has done nothing but slow the cars down so they run in a cluster and can’t get away from each other. What happened to racing? The fastest car is the winner. Where did it go but down with these plates. If you are going 160mph and you blow a tire r cut one down, you are going to get airborn if the circumstances are right. It has nothing to do with the speed of the car.

Talladega use to be the fastest track, now it’s the slowest next to short tracks. I say, the owner of Talladega needs to come off some of that money they have received over the years and fix the problems with the stands instead of taking the racing out of racing. Just like the car drivers, trhe people who come to a race of any kind know or should know and except the responsibility of, accidents and a chance on being hurt or killed. If you are scared, stay the hell at home. Take the damn plates off and let the boys race.

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Barb on


Poor Poor JR. He’s not the only driver on the track. There are other drivers who have worse luck than him. When he doesn’t win or get his way he cries. He is a spoiled brat.I hope he never wins

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