NASCAR has made a rule replace to handle the hearth in Kevin Harvick’s automobile in final weekend’s Southern 500.

All Cup groups should make the adjustments earlier than this weekend’s motion at Kansas Speedway. Cup groups apply and qualify Saturday. The Cup race is at 3 p.m. ET Sunday on USA Community.

The transfer comes after Harvick was vital of NASCAR and the Subsequent Gen automobile after a fireplace ended his race at Darlington Raceway. Scott Miller, NASCAR senior vice chairman of competitors, mentioned Tuesday on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio that it was “unacceptable” that vehicles had been catching on hearth and that the sanctioning physique was trying into adjustments.

NASCAR introduced the change Wednesday. The rule replace states:

• A lateral seal/dam should be put in between the again of the entrance clip weight field and the highest of the splitter panel (location proven beneath). This seal should prolong laterally to the width of the engine panel. The aim of this dam is to scale back the migration of tire particles from the splitter space.
• The decrease entrance part of the fitting aspect again cease panel should be trimmed as indicated. The part that’s eliminated should be changed by a 14 gauge stainless-steel panel. The metal panel should be mounted inboard of the polymer panel. 
• Utilizing any joint adjustment obtainable within the exhaust meeting, it is suggested that the clearance between the exhaust and the ground of the rocker field is maximized. 

Rudy Fugle, crew chief for William Byron, addressed the change Wednesday on “The Morning Drive” on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio:

“This panel goes to do a great job of closing off the underside the place the hearth goes to return into the cockpit,” Fugle mentioned. “ … It’s gonna assist shield the motive force.

“The large a part of this metal panel that’s getting in the fitting entrance foot field, rocker panel space, it’s going to maintain that fireside from going straight into the automobile. It’s received one thing that gained’t burn. And in order that’s a optimistic. Then they’ve really useful some coating that has some hearth protecting properties in it.”

One of many key points has been rubber stepping into the automobile and catching hearth in these areas.

“There’s an consumption for air in entrance of the automobile and it has hoses that go into these rocker bins and rubber goes by these hoses, accumulating on the headers,” Fugle mentioned. “We’ve got to vent all these items and a spot like Darlington, which everyone knows chews up tires …  we had been in a position to rely 20 kilos of rubber on a few of our vehicles post-Darlington. We had been in a position to ball all of it up and there was 20 kilos of rubber sitting in numerous areas. In order that’s a complete bunch that may catch on hearth.”