Full Throttle

Say good-by to the Chrome Horn.

It’s use has been tacitly approved by various factions within NASCAR.

Not least of which the drivers who lean on the Chrome Horn to “move aside” someone on their way to the checkered flag.

That “approval rating” usually, but not always, gets a thumbs down when the Chrome Horn is used to improve your position by one, to 39th.

Regardless of when it’s used NASCAR’s lexicon takes the first step of 16 this weekend at Bristol to remove the Chrome Horn from daily discussion and into the historical record along side Pure Oil signs, Hudson’s “Twin H” carburetor and the days when Jeffy was still called “Flash.”

Enter NASCAR’s “Carbon Fiber Horn” era.

Some may choose to call it the “Splitter Horn,” we’ll have to wait and see how drivers, broadcasters and fans describe the carbon fiber splitter when used as a battering ram to gain position. That should come quickly, Bristol more than any other track is prime territory for the technique.

This weekend also signals the start of what NASCAR believes will bring some sense of sanity to the increasing costs of racing.

The CoT has brought with it the mantra of safety first, something everyone wants, but the undertone has been universal, cheaper to build race cars, that can be used on all circuits regardless of track configuration.

Early indications are that may not be the case and it starts with that contraption pictured above. Looking very much like something out of Dr. Frankenstein’s Lab, minus the arcing and sparking of a few thousands volts, that jig is part of the pre-race inspection process.
It checks 220 points on the chassis ostensibly to keep setups more standard and help teams keep their pockets from being picked by the NASCAR Fine Man