5 NASCAR innovations that revolutionized the sport

NASCAR has long been the pinnacle of stock car racing in America, serving as the birthplace of numerous innovations that have revolutionized the sport. These inventions have also benefited the broader automotive industry.

Beginning as a series featuring heavily restricted stock cars, NASCAR has undergone a remarkable evolution through generations of innovation and safety advancements. Today, the next-gen or Gen-7 cars compete on the same historic ovals that once hosted the early stock cars.

Most of these innovations revolve around safety devices introduced by NASCAR. Let us take a look at five innovations that have revolutionized the premier stock car racing series in America.

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5 NASCAR innovations that revolutionized the sport

#5 HANS Device

HANS device (Image via Imagn)

The HANS (Head and Neck Support) Device is a head restraint that reduces neck injuries. It was introduced after the epidemic of fatal accidents in NASCAR due to basilar skull fractures in the late 90s and early 2000s. Seven-time Cup champion Dale Earnhardt succumbed to the injury during the 2001 Daytona 500.

Even after Earnhardt's death, drivers resisted using the HANS device, but the governing body mandated the safety device following Blaise Alexander's death in an ARCA race later that season.

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#4 SAFER barriers

SAFER barriers—steel and foam energy reduction barriers—are another safety innovation intended to absorb and reduce the impact of high-speed crashes. NASCAR introduced the use of these 'soft walls' in an attempt to revolutionize the safety of the sport.

The deaths of drivers including Adam Petty, Kenny Irwin, Tony Roper, and Dale Earnhardt, which resulted from severe collisions with concrete barriers, resulted in the introduction of SAFER barriers. They are now a common sight at most oval tracks.

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#3 Restrictor plates

Restrictor plate from the 1988 Daytona 500 (Image via Getty)

Restrictor plates are devices installed at the intake of engines to reduce engine power, primarily at Superspeedway tracks like Daytona and Talladega. The device was introduced in 1988 to combat the risk of cars turning over at higher speeds.

The restrictor plates were introduced in the interest of driver and fan safety but brought a fundamental change in the style of superspeedway racing. The introduction of restrictor plates led to the development of plate racing, where cars race in close proximity to one another.

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#2 Roof Flaps

Roof Flaps in action (Image via Imagn)

Roof flaps are aerodynamic safety features that prevent cars from becoming airborne. These flaps are deployed like spoilers when a car spins to disrupt airflow and maintain ground contact by reducing lift.

First introduced in 1994, roof flaps remain a crucial component of next-gen cars, which also feature a new flap located in the diffuser under the rear bumper.

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#1 Car Of Tomorrow (CoT)

Jimmie Johnson's #48 Chevy (Image via Getty)

NASCAR introduced the Car of Tomorrow (fifth-gen car) in 2007, aiming to improve driver safety. Although the governing body made advancements in safety, the design was universally hated by fans and drivers alike, particularly for its poor drivability and technical issues.

Many veteran drivers openly criticized the poor handling characteristics of the car and the rear wing, which was deemed ugly by fans. The governing body ultimately returned to traditional spoilers in 2010 and retired the chassis design after the 2012 season, paving the way for the sixth-generation car.