page_title: Safety in NASCAR
section_title: Restrictor plate
hierarchical_section_title: Safety in NASCAR / Restrictor plate
caption_attribution_description: Rendering of a restrictor plate used in the NASCAR stock car racing series.
context_page_description: Safety in NASCAR has evolved into one of the biggest concerns in stock car racing's largest sanctioning body. Mainly after the death of Dale Earnhardt, a seven time Winston Cup Series champion, NASCAR has decided to change all of their safety policies, such as the use of the HANS device. Since 2001, NASCAR has also changed the cars for the NASCAR Cup Series and the Xfinity Series. NASCAR's safety policy includes the racing fire suit, carbon fiber seating, and roof flaps.
context_section_description: As a safety measure to reduce speeds at the two high-banked superspeedways (Daytona and Talladega), restrictor plates are used. There are some tracks, however, where restrictor plates are not mandated and therefore see faster speeds—specifically Atlanta Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway. While Atlanta is generally considered the fastest track, restrictor plates are not mandated there. In 2004 and 2005, higher qualifying speeds were posted at Texas, earning it the title of the circuit's fastest track. Unrestricted, Sprint Cup cars produce over 750 horsepower (560 kW) and can run at speeds in excess of 200 mph. Rusty Wallace completed a 2004 test for NASCAR at Talladega in which he used an unrestricted motor to complete average lap speeds of 221 mph (356 km/h) and top speeds near 230 mph (370 km/h). The 2010 width is 63/64-inch. This is the largest carburetor restrictor plate opening since the one-inch mandate in 1988, the first year the horsepower-reducing plates were used in the Cup Series at Daytona.
  Unfortunately, the restrictor plates have an unintended effect on the race.  Because of the reduced horsepower of the cars, the cars form large packs.  During a race it is not uncommon to see thirty or more lead changes during a race.  This also is the source of the Big One.  When a driver crashes, usually, they take that pack with them.  During the 2010 Coke Zero 400, 21 of the 43 cars crashed.  This is a safety concern that has puzzled NASCAR. However, an unexpected consequence of the introduction of the Car of Tomorrow and re-paving of Daytona and Talladega track surfaces has been the separation of the pack into two-car pairs.
  Since the 2012 season, NASCAR Cup cars now have fuel injection instead of carburetors, but restrictor plates are still being used.
caption: Artist rendering of a NASCAR restrictor plate
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