NASCAR underwent modifications to its short-track package, and the newly introduced change in the aerodynamic rules package was rolled out at the Phoenix Raceway on Friday. Aimed at enhancing racing on short ovals and road courses, this package has been the talk of the town ever since its announcement. Following this, fans and drivers expressed their views on NASCAR’s new venture.

After the Phoenix practice race on Friday, NASCAR drivers were enquired about the effectiveness of the changes they experienced with the new Short Track Package coming into force. Among them was the stock car racing driver, Corey LaJoie, who came into conversation with Frontstretch and shared his take on the matter.

“The next best option,”  Is Corey LaJoie happy with NASCAR’s new venture?

Ahead of the Shriners Children’s 500 race, NASCAR drivers were made to practice with the new short track configuration on the Phoenix Raceway. In a post-race interview, Corey LaJoie was caught in conversation with NASCAR reporter Bryan Nolen. The video was uploaded to Twitter by Fronstretch with the caption, “I think people had some unrealistic expectations coming here.” Corey LaJoie on the new short-track package at Phoenix: @TheBryanNolen“.

The reporter asked Corey LaJoie about how he felt about the newly introduced changes in the 1-mile tri-oval. Answering Nolen, the LaJoie did not seem disappointed; considering his expectations from the new configuration, he said, “I think people have some unrealistic expectations coming here.”

“You know, the only real change that we tried to test was the up-down splitter and the different diffuser stuff, where the up-down diffuser didn’t kind of provide the type of race that we anticipated, where this was the next best option for what we had. So it’s not gonna look at times different” continued Corey LaJoie.

Unlike most other drivers who confessed to having barely experienced changes, Corey LaJoie has a clear understanding of the changes he has undergone. These changes, he feels, are not supposed to make a driver feel significant differences while racing. A simplified rear diffuser and a taller rear spoiler of 3 inches were the changes in configuration brought about by the package. However, the up-down diffuser, according to LaJoie, did not turn out to provide a race as anticipated by NASCAR drivers.

Read More: Ryan Blaney Clearly Skeptical About Ford’s Short Track Chances After Dicey Las Vegas Outing

NASCAR’s New Short Track Package features slight modifications to the Next Gen car. They specifically aim at decreasing the downforce created by the vehicles. In addition to the aerodynamic package, Goodyear introduced tires with thicker gauges. These tires are designed to keep more heat in the tires on short tracks, which should lead to increased lap-time fall-off. The new package requires adjustments to find the right balance between mechanical grip and aero grip. This will turn out to be a challenge for crew chiefs during the actual race.

Other NASCAR drivers on the new short-track package

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All drivers had mixed reactions to NASCAR’s new short-track package. Among them was a dissatisfied Denny Hamlin, who sounded uncertain of the changes, as he said, “I would say that it was probably a little bit better in traffic. Very small from what I could tell.”

He felt that the changes were nothing earth-shattering. Hamlin’s JGR teammate, too, confessed to experiencing negligible differences while driving. In response to Hamlin’s statement, Martin Truex Jr mentioned, “It felt similar, honestly; I couldn’t really tell. I mean, the teams engineer everything to make the cars close to balanced as they can. So I felt exactly like I did here last fall.” 

Additionally, the No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford driver, Chris Buescher, expressed his views in a manner similar to that of Corey LaJoie. The former said to NASCAR.com, “I thought you could run a little more sideways a little bit easier on exit. And for me, I didn’t get around a lot of cars. But I thought when guys were around me. They could get a little bit closer and not pay as big of a penalty as normal.” Although Buescher felt no pronounced changes in driving, he is hopeful of a better experience than what they previously had.

The new configuration in the short track package is thus expected to yield better results at the actual race.