What is a NASCAR Drafting Track? All You Need to Know

NASCAR’s drafting track is a racetrack where drafting is central to the racing strategy. Drafting allows cars to reduce air resistance by closely following one another, resulting in higher speeds and better efficiency. This technique is especially important at superspeedways like Daytona International Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway, and Talladega Superspeedway, where large packs of cars rely on drafting.

We first need to know how drag affects a car to understand how drafting works. Drag is the force that opposes a moving object, slowing it down. When a car speeds around the track, it encounters air resistance, which impacts its performance. NASCAR engineers design stock cars with aerodynamic principles in mind to reduce drag, but it can never be completely eliminated.

As a car moves forward, it pushes air out of the way, creating an area of low pressure behind it. This low-pressure zone, known as the slipstream, acts as a vacuum, pulling the trailing car forward. The result? Reduced air resistance for the second car, allowing it to maintain speed with less effort and energy.

Drafting allows both cars to travel faster together than they would separately, improves fuel efficiency and reduces mechanical stress on the engine. It also requires teamwork between drivers. The lead car absorbs most of the air resistance, while the trailing car gains speed with less effort. In some cases, the trailing car can push the lead car forward in a technique called bump drafting. This maneuver, however, must be executed carefully, as too much force can cause the lead car to lose control.

In NASCAR, it was first discovered by Junior Johnson in 1959. While testing his Chevrolet at Daytona, Johnson realized that his car was much slower than the rival Pontiacs. During the race, he decided to stay behind them and noticed that his engine was not working as hard.

By remaining in their slipstream, he was able to conserve power and maintain speed, while the other cars gradually lost performance. Johnson used this strategy to win the race, proving that drafting could be a game-changing technique in stock car racing. Johnson later commented on how modern drivers struggled to draft. According to ESPN, Johnson said in 2008,

“I don’t think a lot of these guys are really good in the draft. There’s a lot of skill to it.”

Drafting itself is legal in NASCAR, but tandem drafting, where two cars make continuous contact, is not. NASCAR banned tandem drafting in 2014 after a dangerous crash at Daytona in 2013, when Kyle Larson’s car was launched into the air, sending debris into the stands and injuring spectators.

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Dodge’s Possible Return to NASCAR

According to The Athletic, Dodge is planning a return to NASCAR through the Truck Series. The manufacturer, which left the sport in 2016, is reportedly preparing to enter the Craftsman Truck Series in 2026 under its Ram brand.

For years, rumors circulated about a new manufacturer joining NASCAR, with Honda considered a possibility. However, Honda has made it clear that it has no interest in joining NASCAR as long as the series continues to use V8 engines. Dodge, on the other hand, has no such concerns and appears ready to make a comeback. The Truck Series is the perfect entry point, similar to how Toyota entered NASCAR through the Truck Series before moving into the Cup Series in 2007.

Dodge has a long history in NASCAR. In 1953, Lee Petty won Dodge’s first NASCAR race. The manufacturer went on to win its first Cup Series championship in 1954. During the 1960s, Dodge introduced the powerful 426 Hemi engine. However, the engine’s huge success led to NASCAR banning it, forcing Dodge to exit the sport.

The manufacturer made a high-profile return to NASCAR in 2001, led by Bill Elliott. They were successful once again in 2012 when Brad Keselowski won the Cup Series championship in a Dodge. However, when Penske Racing switched to Ford in 2013, Dodge was left without a team. NASCAR President Steve Phelps recently hinted at the coming of a new manufacturer, saying,

“We have an OE that is close,”

According to Autogear, Dodge’s return strategy would begin with a Truck Series entry in 2026. However, it is not confirmed, and they may have plans for a possible Cup Series by 2027 or 2028 as well.