The actual qualifying speed is more likely to be in the mid to high 180′s as it has been for the past 5 years. That seems right around where NASCAR wants to keep it. It makes for good speculation as to how fast they could be going if left unrestricted. I’m not mechanically inclined at all, but logically there has to be some topping out point. Right? I mean going fast and turning left has it’s peak speed built in by virtue of the left-hand turn. There’s another series for go fast, go straight. My quick search shows John Force besting the NHRA at 333.58 mph.
In NASCAR’s first 18 years (1950 – 1967) of Spring races at Daytona International Speedway the pole speed went from 98.840 mph to 180.831 mph. That’s an average increase of 4.555 mph each year.
The next 20 years (1968 – 1987) of Spring races the pole speed increased from 189.222 mph to 210.364 mph. An average increase of 1.057 mph each year.
Where would we be 20 years later at the Spring race of 2007?
Even with an average yearly increase of 0.529 mph (half of the prior 20 year span) the pole speed for the ‘Daytona 500′ 2007 would be 220.944 mph.
Is that possible?
| History of Daytona Pole Speeds for Spring Races | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Driver | Make | Pole mph | +/- Prior | Restriction |
| 02/05/1950 | Joe Littlejohn | Oldsmobile | 98.840 | – | none |
| 02/11/1951 | Tim Flock | Lincoln | 102.200 | +3.360 | none |
| 02/10/1952 | Pat Kirkwood | Chrysler | 110.970 | +8.770 | none |
| 02/15/1953 | Bob Pronger | Oldsmobile | 115.750 | +4.780 | none |
| 02/21/1954 | Lee Petty | Chrysler | 123.410 | +7.660 | none |
| 02/27/1955 | Tim Flock | Chrysler | 130.293 | +6.883 | none |
| 02/26/1956 | Tim Flock | Chrysler | 135.747 | +5.454 | none |
| 02/17/1957 | Bamjo Matthews | Pontiac | 134.382 | -1.365 | none |
| 02/23/1958 | Paul Goldsmith | Pontiac | 140.570 | +6.188 | none |
| 02/22/1959 | Bob Welborn | Chevrolet | 140.120 | -0.460 | none |
| 02/14/1960 | Cotton Owens | Pontiac | 149.892 | +9.772 | none |
| 02/26/1961 | Fireball Roberts | Pontiac | 155.709 | +5.817 | none |
| 02/18/1962 | Fireball Roberts | Pontiac | 158.774 | +3.065 | none |
| 02/24/1963 | Fireball Roberts | Pontiac | 160.943 | +2.169 | none |
| 02/23/1964 | Paul Goldsmith | Plymouth | 174.910 | +13.967 | none |
| 02/14/1965 | Darel Dieringer | Mercury | 171.151 | -3.759 | none |
| 02/27/1966 | Richard Petty | Plymouth | 175.165 | +4.014 | none |
| 02/26/1967 | Curtis Turner | Chevrolet | 180.831 | +5.666 | none |
| 02/25/1968 | Cale Yarborough | Mercury | 189.222 | +8.391 | none |
| 02/23/1969 | Buddy Baker | Dodge | 188.901 | -0.321 | none |
| 02/22/1970 | Cale Yarborough | Mercury | 194.015 | +5.114 | none |
| 02/14/1971 | A.J. Foyt | Mercury | 182.744 | -11.271 | none |
| 02/20/1972 | Bobby Isaac | Dodge | 186.632 | +3.888 | none |
| 02/18/1973 | Buddy Baker | Dodge | 185.662 | -0.970 | none |
| 02/17/1974 | David Pearson | Mercury | 185.817 | +0.155 | none |
| 02/16/1975 | Donnie Allison | Chevrolet | 185.827 | +0.010 | none |
| 02/15/1976 | Ramo Stott | Chevrolet | 183.456 | -2.371 | none |
| 02/20/1977 | Donnie Allison | Chevrolet | 188.048 | +4.592 | none |
| 02/19/1978 | Cale Yarborough | Oldsmobile | 187.536 | -0.512 | none |
| 02/18/1979 | Buddy Baker | Oldsmobile | 196.049 | +8.513 | none |
| 02/17/1980 | Buddy Baker | Oldsmobile | 194.009 | -2.040 | none |
| 02/15/1981 | Bobby Allison | Pontiac | 194.624 | +0.615 | none |
| 02/14/1982 | Benny Parsons | Pontiac | 196.317 | +1.693 | none |
| 02/20/1983 | Ricky Rudd | Chevrolet | 198.864 | +2.547 | none |
| 02/19/1984 | Cale Yarborough | Chevrolet | 201.848 | +2.984 | none |
| 02/17/1985 | Bill Elliott | Ford | 205.114 | +3.266 | none |
| 02/16/1986 | Bill Elliott | Ford | 205.039 | -0.075 | none |
| 02/15/1987 | Bill Elliott | Ford | 210.364 | +5.325 | none |
| 02/14/1988 | Ken Schrader | Chevrolet | 193.823 | -16.541 | Restrictor Plate |
| 02/19/1989 | Ken Schrader | Chevrolet | 196.996 | +3.173 | Restrictor Plate |
| 02/18/1990 | Ken Schrader | Chevrolet | 196.515 | -0.481 | Restrictor Plate |
| 02/17/1991 | Davey Allison | Ford | 195.955 | -0.560 | Restrictor Plate |
| 02/16/1992 | Sterling Marlin | Ford | 192.213 | -3.742 | Restrictor Plate. 35° Spoiler |
| 02/14/1993 | Kyle Petty | Pontiac | 189.426 | -2.787 | Restrictor Plate. 45° Spoiler |
| 02/20/1994 | Loy Allen Jr | Ford | 190.158 | +0.732 | Restrictor Plate. 45° Spoiler |
| 02/19/1995 | Dale Jarrett | Ford | 193.498 | +3.340 | Restrictor Plate. 45° Spoiler |
| 02/18/1996 | Dale Earnhardt | Chevrolet | 189.510 | -3.988 | Restrictor Plate. 45° Spoiler. 14:1 Compression Ratio |
| 02/16/1997 | Mike Skinner | Chevrolet | 189.813 | +0.303 | Restrictor Plate. 45° Spoiler. 14:1 Compression Ratio |
| 02/15/1998 | Bobby Labonte | Pontiac | 192.415 | +2.602 | Restrictor Plate. 45° Spoiler. 12.5:1 Compression Ratio |
| 02/14/1999 | Jeff Gordon | Chevrolet | 195.067 | +2.652 | Restrictor Plate. 45° Spoiler. 12.5:1 Compression Ratio |
| 02/20/2000 | Dale Jarrett | Ford | 191.091 | -3.976 | Restrictor Plate. 45° Spoiler. 12.5:1 Compression Ratio. NASCAR issued front & rear shocks. Minimum rear spring rate of 345 pounds |
| 02/18/2001 | Bill Elliott | Dodge | 183.565 | -7.526 | 15/16″ Restrictor Plate. 70° Spoiler with a 1″, forward-facing flange at the top. 4″ front air dam. Addition of a roof spoiler, 1 3/8″ high by 40″ wide, 10″ behind the top of the windshield. Fords & Pontiacs rear spoilers 59″ wide. Chevrolet at 57″. |
| 02/17/2002 | Jimmie Johnson | Chevrolet | 185.831 | +2.266 | 7/8″ Restrictor Plate. 55° spoiler angle with maximum width of 57″. Spoiler heights: Chevrolet & Dodge 6 1/4″, Ford 5 3/4″, Pontiac 6 1/2″. |
| 02/16/2003 | Jeff Green | Chevrolet | 186.606 | +0.775 | 7/8″ Restrictor Plate. 55° spoiler. Smaller fuel cell. 1.5″ nose “kickout,” or the extension of the front air dam below the bumper. Bodies must mount on the same reference point. Total rear weight of the right rear & left rear not exceed 50% of car’s minimum weight. |
| 02/15/2004 | Greg Biffle | Ford | 188.387 | +1.781 | 29/32″ Restrictor Plate. Rear spoiler increased to 6 3/4″. |
| 02/20/2005 | Dale Jarrett | Ford | 188.312 | -0.075 | Restrictor plate down 1/64″. 55° spoiler. |
| 02/19/2006 | Jeff Burton | Chevrolet | 189.151 | +0.839 | Restrictor plate down 1/64″. 55° spoiler. |
The restrictor information is from Jayski’s.