RESTRICTOR PLATES Opinion varies among drivers

Cars were spread out more and passing limited at Daytona.
By CARY ESTES
SCRIPPS HOWARD NEWS SERVICE
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The shape of things to come in restrictor-plate racing was unveiled Sunday during the Daytona 500. And for the most part, that shape was a straight line.
A bigger rear spoiler that caused more aerodynamic drag and a softer tire that wore out quicker than usual combined to create a scenario where the drivers were unable to race with the accelerator mashed constantly to the floorboard, as has been the case for years in restrictor-plate racing.
As a result, instead of the cars being packed tightly together throughout the race, they became spread out following each caution. Passing was limited, with the lead changing hands only once over the final 25 laps.
"We just sat there in line and rode for about 100 laps," fifth-place finisher Jimmie Johnson said.
Formations
By the end of the race, only four cars were in the lead group. Johnson crossed the line several seconds behind race-winner Dale Earnhardt Jr.
"It was a really big surprise to me how the field separated out," said Earnhardt. "That was the strangest thing. The package isn't a whole lot different than what we've run here in the past, yet we took off in little packs and there were cars all over the track. I mean, when was the last time somebody who was running fifth at Daytona lost the draft?
"There was a lot of lifting [off the accelerator], not because you were going to run in the back of somebody but because you were going to spin out. You'd see guys go into the corner and they'd be turning [the steering wheel] to the right to keep from going sideways. It was an incredible sight to see."
Some drivers loved the change because it made for safer racing and put more of a premium on driving ability rather than on working with others in the fickle draft.
But other drivers said the new setup made the racing somewhat boring, mainly because they were forced to drive lap after lap in a single line.
"It just got so strung out at the end that it wasn't as much fun to race because we were all in small packs," said Matt Kenseth, who finished ninth. "Overall, I thought the race was better, even though the last part of the race was probably boring to watch."
Jeremy Mayfield, who finished 25th, was even more critical of the setup. "This just isn't really racing," Mayfield said. "If that was a race, then I don't know what the hell racing is all about."
Second-place finisher Tony Stewart had a much different opinion. He adamantly defended the new setup, saying it gave drivers more control and resulted in a truer form of racing.
"We actually got to race each other," Stewart said. "I hope everybody doesn't put a negative spin on this because we're not running three-wide. None of us want to run three-wide. It's not what these cars were built to do.
"We got to make the difference as drivers, not as motor programs and aero programs. It put the driver back into it. We may not have had 20 guys go across the [finish] line within 5/10s of a second of each other, but who cares? Guys got to race. That's what this whole thing is all about."