NASCAR officials are monitoring the situation to determine if changes are needed this weekend after the Nextel Cup drivers posted speeds approaching 200 mph in both practice sessions Friday. #9-Kasey Kahne turned a lap at 198.685 mph in the first practice. #7-Robby Gordon had the best lap in the second practice at 197.423 mph in the heat of the afternoon. “Right now we don’t think it’s a problem,” said NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter. “With the draft and the rate of closure so much better here, we feel the real speed is around 195. But we’ll keep looking at it and see what happens in qualifying [Saturday].” NASCAR officials could decide to make the holes in the restrictor plates smaller to further limit air intake and reduce horsepower. NASCAR did that for the Busch cars Friday, making the plate opening 1/32nd of an inch smaller after Mike Wallace posted a lap at more than 197 mph on Thursday.(ESPN.com)(4-28-2007) UPDATE: NASCAR decided not to change the size of the restrictor plate for the Cup cars after speeds exceeded 198 mph in practice. Speeds dropped enough to make Cup officials more comfortable with the speeds.(Roanoke Times)(4-29-2007)
