SteveR wrote:
IIRC the top three guys all called Daytona their home track and ran 16" wheels. I ran 16's as well. I think Randy didn't bring any 16's. Nevertheless, he ran a better fast lap than I on 15's. I think the top speed gearing of 16's pays off over the course of an entire race.
Steve
I do not profess to know the wheel size of every car that ran Nationals at Daytona, but I believe it reasonable to think that some of the 2.5 cars were equipped with 16's.
When the 944 Cup first ran Daytona, before Nationals, I was running a 2.7L motor and I distinctly remember passing 2.5 cars that had passed me coming out of the bus stop, and before we got off the banking to the front straight I was driving past them at a good clip. That never happen to me in that car anywhere else. At the time I attributed it to the ability to punch thru the air better once we got to 100 mph.
I am not confident that taking a few lbs out of the 2.5 cars will make up any difference, but I think the results from 2013 suggest it is worth a try so that the 2.5 cars feel they have a shot at a win or a podium