Before the 2005 season came to a close, NASCAR officials announced plans to adjust the rules package for the impending 2006 season of racing in an effort to promote greater parity across the sport. The goal is to level the playing field, making it a more accessible environment for single-car and smaller race teams that are competing against multi-car power organizations.
The announcement which will create the greatest impact is the rule limiting the number of cars one team owner may field. NASCAR announced a cap on ownership that limits the number of teams one individual/organization may own to four. The four-car ownership cap program begins with the start of the 2006 NASCAR season.
While there are several multi-car organizations, only one team, Roush Racing, has been fielding more than four teams on a regular basis during the last few years. The four-car limit will also extend to owners and any affiliate group, which includes situations where one or more of the owners is entitled to receive any financial consideration based upon the performance of the cars entered by the other car owners or has any revenue sharing or ownership stake in the team.
NASCAR plans to work with groups, such as Roush Racing, to establish a reasonable timeline for compliance due to contracts with sponsors and/or drivers that may have already been exercised. While the rule seems targeted toward the Roush Racing operation, most car owners agree that the rule is important for the continued growth of the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series.
"This is something that is not only good for the owners, but it's good for the sport," said car owner Robert Yates. "This sport wouldn't be much fun for anyone if you had just a few guys holding all of the eggs. It would have been hard for someone like me to get into the sport the way it is today, so I think this is good for new owners and even current owners."
The rule change that will have the most immediate impact, however, is the new limitation on testing that is effective immediately. The new testing policy involves the creation of a set schedule of testing as determined by NASCAR. The sanctioning body determines where and when teams will be able to test, and these tests will constitute the only opportunities for teams to test at tracks where the series currently competes.
The six locations at which teams will be able to test in 2006 are Daytona International Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Lowe's Motor Speedway, Richmond International Raceway, Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Homestead-Miami Speedway. The testing limitations are going to place a greater emphasis on the preparations that take place prior to a test session, according to Slugger Labbe, crew chief for the #88 UPS Racing Team.
"Time is limited and testing is limited, so we have to make sure that we do different things and then put the whole package together as a team," Labbe explained.
"The cool thing is that with testing limited, the #38 and #88 teams working closer together will help our company. We're making our test lists, and our goal is to hit all the key points."
While this new rule does limit the tests that can take place at tracks with Nextel Cup Series-sanctioned events, it does not prevent teams from participating in tests at other locales such as Kentucky Speedway. What has been limited though is the ability to lease or purchase tires for such test sessions. Teams are no longer able to purchase tires, but may use any surplus they may possess. Labbe said it will be important to use any tire surplus wisely and to make sure a solid plan is in place for extracurricular testing.
"We bought tires throughout the year and have them in storage, but it is a limited supply that is going to run out," Labbe explained. "So we have to be smart with how we use that supply. We'll be able to go to Kentucky maybe three times and Nashville maybe eight times and then various road course testing. But when we do go we have to have a well thought-out plan and make sure it is important to go. We can't go and waste tires."
