NASCAR will switch out the seven-inch rear spoiler in favour of a four-inch spoiler, which is the same set-up used on intermediate ovals.
Horsepower has also been reduced from 510hp to 465hp to account for the reduction in downforce.
It’s hoped the changes will allow drivers to pass in the pack and reduce fuel-saving strategies that have become prevalent.
Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin was instrumental in the changes, which he helped orchestrate in collaboration with NASCAR’s working group and event management president John Probst.
Probst said NASCAR spent more than 10 days performing simulations before settling on the “radical” changes, which also include a change to the drop-gear ratio.
Whether the changes come into effect at other speedways is still to be confirmed, though Talladega Superspeedway is also tipped to use the revised package.
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Hamlin said he hoped the changes would create similar scenes to those at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
“What we’re essentially trying to recreate is Atlanta at Daytona and Talladega,” Hamlin said.
“It happens organically at Atlanta because the cars themselves are grip-limited, and the fuel-mileage (racing) really doesn’t happen because you have to be on offence constantly.
“If you watch the pack, there is no saving. Guys are dicing it up the entire race. So this is what we’re aspiring to get to at some point, and it’s going to take chunks here and there.
“This is our first bite of the apple at this, so what I believe is that from the numbers that I’ve seen, it’s going to be roughly a 33 percent gain in the right direction. Any gain is going to be a gain.”
Fundamentally, the current package is too “draggy” meaning that when cars pull out of line, they can’t build momentum and overtake.
By taking downforce off the cars, it’s hoped that drivers will be able to pull out of line and overtake.
“I can tell you from the driver’s seat, what happens for us is we spend the entire race fuel mileage saving all for that last pit stop,” Hamlin explained.
“We basically know you have to be in the top four inside that last fuel window – unless there’s a big wreck – to have a shot at winning.
“You come out 10th, you are log-jammed. You’re not going anywhere. With the cars having as much drag as they have on them, then you can’t pull out of line to be offensive to get your track position back.
“We’re trying to make it to where it allows the drivers to pull out of line, when they get a run, and then hopefully great a little bit of space between them to allow them to get back in line, so it doesn’t make them so apprehensive to go make that bold move with 30 laps to go.”
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Hamlin has been critical of NASCAR via his Actions Detrimental podcast and was keen to play a part in the category’s changes.
“As you’ve seen with NASCAR over the last few years, since the Next Gen, they’re not afraid to just keep fine-tuning it and getting it good at all these race tracks,” Hamlin said.
“We’ve seen them make some horsepower adjustments on the short tracks in order to make those and road courses race better.
“Intermediates obviously speak for themselves – they don’t need a whole lot with how well the Next Gen races there.
“But then the next step is okay, let’s work on our superspeedway package from here on out.
“I think that this was a great collaborative effort to get the racing product as good as it can be for the fans.”
Despite the changes, drivers will go straight into qualifying with no additional practice.
The Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway acts as the regular season finale on August 30 (AEST).
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