NASCAR announced Thursday its rules package slate for the 2021 Cup Series season, a day after next year’s schedule was unveiled.
For returning tracks to the 36-race schedule, the rules are largely unchanged save for Darlington Raceway.
Cup teams will use the 750 horsepower, low downforce race package at the 1.366-mile track. It’s the package that’s been used this season on road courses and short tracks. Nashville Superspeedway, the 1.333-mile track being added in 2021, will use the same package.
The packages for the other new race tracks - Road America, Circuit of the Americas and the Indy road course - have not been decided on.
“We constantly review the race packages to try to put on the best possible racing for our fans,” John Probst, NASCAR’s Senior Vice Presiden of Innovation and Racing Development said in a media release. “When he brought in the short track / road course package this season, Darlington was not part of it due to its unique size. We’ve been evaluating data from both race packages, as well as feedback from drivers, teams and OEMs and feel that the 750 hp / low downforce package best fits the track.”
Other rule changes include:
- Teams are restricted to 150 restricted computational fluid dynamics runs per calendar month.
- Teams must compete in a minimum of 16 points events with a short block sealed engine (up from 13).