NASCAR made some last-minute changes ahead of the upcoming Playoffs race at Talladega Superspeedway.

Announced just days before the YellaWood 500, these aerodynamic changes are intended to improve vehicle stability and safety in hopes of preventing cars from becoming airborne during accidents.

The most important of these changes is the introduction of increased height roof rails, equipped with 2-inch polycarbonate fins. This addition is designed to effectively deflect air when the car skids sideways, combined with two bevels to optimize the activation of the roof flaps.

Another noticeable change includes an extended rocker panel apron, an aluminum extension placed under the vehicle’s rocker housing. This change eliminates the gap between the car’s floor and the ground, which is necessary to minimize aerodynamic lift.

Christopher Bell, driver of the No. 20 Mobil 1 Toyota, Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet, Ty Gibbs, driver of the No. 54 Monster Energy Toyota, Denny Hamlin, driver of the No. 11 FedEx Ultimate Fan…


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The third technical modification is the fabric placed under the right roof flap, carefully crafted in the shape of a triangle with a 7/8-inch cutout at the edge. The design allows the fabric to act like a parachute.

These updates are the result of efforts by the NASCAR Research and Development Center to reduce the risks associated with high-speed racing, particularly the risk of the car becoming airborne during crashes.

The YellaWood 500 tournament will begin on Sunday at 2 p.m. EST. Fans are eagerly awaiting developments at Talladega, the iconic 4.66-mile superspeedway known for its unpredictable racing.

The final round at Kansas Speedway kicked off the 12th round of the Cup Series playoffs.

NASCAR Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400 Results at Kansas Speedway

  1. Ross Chastain, No. 1 Chevrolet in track racing
  2. William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
  3. Martin Truex Jr., No. 19 Joe Gibbs Toyota Racing
  4. Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Penske Racing Ford
  5. Ty Gibbs, No. 54 Joe Gibbs Toyota Racing
  6. Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
  7. Christopher Bell, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Toyota Racing
  8. Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs racing for Toyota
  9. Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
  10. Zane Smith, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
  11. Chris Buescher, No. 17 RFK Race Ford
  12. Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
  13. Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
  14. Joey Logano, No. 22 Penske Racing Ford
  15. Corey LaJoie, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Ford
  16. Ryan Preece, No. 41 Stewart-Haas Race Ford
  17. Bubba Wallace, No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota
  18. Noah Gragson, No. 10 Stewart-Haas Race Ford
  19. Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
  20. Daniel Hemric, No. 31 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
  21. Ty Dillon, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
  22. Brad Keselowski, No. 6 RFK Race Ford
  23. Harrison Burton, No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford
  24. Chase Briscoe, No. 14 Stewart-Haas Race Ford
  25. Tyler Reddick, No. 45 Race Toyota 23XI
  26. Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
  27. Todd Gilliland, No. 38 Ford Motorsport, front row
  28. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 JTG – Daughtery Racing Chevrolet
  29. Michael McDowell, No. 34 Ford Motorsport, front row
  30. John Hunter Nemechek, Legacy Motor Club Toyota #42
  31. Kaz Grala, #15 Rick Ware Race Ford
  32. Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
  33. Justin Haley, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
  34. Austin Cindric, No. 2 Penske Racing Ford
  35. Erik Jones, Legacy Motor Club Toyota
  36. Jimmie Johnson, Legacy Motor Club Toyota #84
  37. JJ Yeley, Chevrolet of the No. 44 New York racing team
  38. Josh Berry, No. 4 Stewart-Haas Race Ford