Gary Nelson, NASCAR’s managing director of competition, says he’d like to get rid of the plates, which officials use to control speeds at Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway, but NASCAR has yet to find an alternative. The plates reduce engine horsepower by slowing down air as it flows into an engine. The cars end up racing in large, tight packs at Talladega and Daytona ÃÂÃÂ thrilling for fans, but just short of terrifying for drivers. “I’m still trying, but we haven’t found anything better,” Nelson said. The plates also lead to conspiracy theories in the garage; some teams believe NASCAR officials show favoritism in handing out less-restrictive plates to their rivals. Nelson says the officials take the responsibility of making all the plates equal “very seriously.”(USA Today)(1-23-2004)
