Chase Briscoe is unsure if the increased horsepower will lead to a better short-track product in NASCAR.
The new short-track package features a 3-inch spoiler and a simpler diffuser to cut underbody grip.
What's the new package?
The package includes a 750-horsepower setup, which may boost speed on straights but could also put more strain on tires and brakes.
Chase Briscoe spent a week and a half in the simulator, fighting the car in every corner, lap after lap.
How will it affect the race?
The increased horsepower might make the field more spread out, with the top teams pulling away from the bottom teams.
Briscoe thinks the difference in top teams and bottom teams will be more extreme, with setups becoming more important.
What are the challenges?
The new package may reduce time on the throttle and trim overall downforce by around 25% at tracks like Darlington.
The margin for error narrows, and cars become harder to keep in line, with tires taking a hit and lap times swinging.
Chase Briscoe believes the outcome is not set in stone, and the shift could play into a team's hands on some tracks but not others.
The 750-horsepower setup might lead to a four- to five-second falloff in lap times, with teams having to dig deep and drivers wrestling the wheel.
Briscoe stated that the rich might get richer, with the top teams benefiting more from the increased horsepower.
The new package brings a simpler diffuser, which could reduce underbody grip and make the cars more difficult to handle.
Chase Briscoe thinks it could go either way, making the race better or worse, but he's not against the change.
The increased horsepower makes the cars more fun to drive, but the outcome is uncertain, according to Briscoe.