DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) There has been a string of goodbyes at Daytona International Speedway in recent years, from Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart to Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Danica Patrick.
There is another one on tap Sunday: The Daytona 500 will be the final NASCAR race for restrictor plates, the horsepower-sapping devices reduce speed and were intended to improve safety at the nations fastest tracks.
Dont expect a big send-off for the oft-maligned part, which has been in use since 1988. NASCAR is merely switching to tapered spacers at every track to keep speeds in check.