NASCAR has made some mistakes this season. In addition to the positive experience with Goodyear tires, almost all the innovations of the sanctioning body have been criticized. From the highly inspired joke of next generation cars to the missing pillars, the drivers did not let the officials rest. Now, even though Sheldon Creed took the pole position at the Michigan Xfinity, another chapter of criticism is underway.
The speed recorded during qualifying does not seem comparable to last year due to a new package. This problem worries Ryan Blaney, the former 2-mile speedway winner. He expressed surprise and disbelief at NASCAR’s latest innovation.
Ryan Blaney is not in favor of Michigan’s new move
This year, NASCAR introduced new aerodynamic rules for its circuits. This rule first saw the light of day in Phoenix and was criticized by fans for reducing the fun. In general, the shorter the circuit, the lower the strength. But high-speed tracks like Michigan International Speedway require more downforce for better control and faster speed.
This time, however, Michigan had a different story. The press revealed to Ryan Blaney that the Xfinity pole qualifier saw a speed 18 mph lower than last year. Polish winner Sheldon Creed recorded a fastest speed of 171.645 miles per hour, beating Riley Herbst by 0.101 seconds. Although qualifying for the Cup was canceled due to rain and Denny Hamlin was crowned the metric pole-sitter, Blaney was dismayed to learn of the new package. “I didn’t even know that…why the hell are we doing this?” »
Ryan Blaney, the winner of the 2021 Michigan race, explained more about why he was upset. “I try to consolidate the races in the Speedway races … that’s what you have to do in those places. This place offers a good view with the normal pack. Especially in these cars, get to the left rear and let people go. This race went well, I don’t know why they changed it.”
Michigan had also served as a testing ground for the NASCAR pack before. In 2016, Sprint Cup drivers lined up to test the 2017 aero package At the time, downforce was on a downward trend: That package featured 1,600 pounds, down from 3,500 pounds two years ago. At a track like Michigan, drivers entered the turn a little faster with these changes, but had to reduce their speed by more than 10 mph to get through the turns.
Contrary to Ryan Blaney’s current complaints, he praised the 2021 NASCAR package.
Ryan Blaney defended his win with flying colours
The current NASCAR race in Michigan rivals that of 2021, when Ryan Blaney won the race. That’s why the Penske driver ardently supported him at the time. In this race, Blaney was not among the leaders early on, as Kyle Larson and the other Hendrick Motorsports drivers battled for the lead. But on the final restart, Blaney was pushed by Kyle Busch. The heads clustered behind Blaney, a byproduct of the drag generated by the giant spoiler. It was a block and mirror driving game.
After winning the FireKeepers Casino 400 trophy, Blaney justified the rules of the pack. “The fans wanted a package of high force and low power. If you listen to others, many other people in the garage want a package of low force, high power. This is what I personally like to drive. It’s not about skill, it’s a different kind of racing. You have to understand a different way of approaching the race, a different way of driving. We’re not all running and drinking lemonade while riding these 550s, maybe it’s a different kind of ride than what changed three years ago, with the low spoiler and high power. It just changed and everyone had to adjust to it. » It’s clear that Ryan Blaney might not be so defensive about the upgraded aircraft package. We can only wait for the race in Michigan and see how it plays out.
