Superspeedway racing frequently leads to dramatic airborne incidents. Last year at Daytona, Ryan Preece’s No. 14 Ford Mustang flipped nearly a dozen times on the backstretch, prompting NASCAR to investigate what caused the car to become airborne by sending it to its Research and Development Center. More recently, Corey Lajoie’s Chevy flipped at Michigan, leading NASCAR to implement aerodynamic modifications aimed at keeping the cars grounded. Additional changes are expected ahead of this weekend’s race at Talladega, which should help keep the NASCAR Ford race cars stable during crashes.

A report from NASCAR.com outlines the upcoming aerodynamic adjustments, including a taller roof rail, an extended rocker panel skirt, and fabric positioned beneath the right (passenger) side roof flap. These modifications are intended to prevent the Next Gen race cars from flipping during high-speed sideways collisions.

Specifically, the right side roof rail will feature a two-inch polycarbonate fin designed to deflect air off its flat surface when the vehicle goes sideways. Two bevels will allow air to flow through, triggering the roof flaps on top of the car to open and help maintain stability.

The right side roof flap will also have a specially designed triangular piece of fabric that will act like a parachute if deployed. The straight edge of the fabric will attach to the roof flap, while the cut edge, featuring a 7/8-inch divot, will be secured to the vehicle’s greenhouse. This fabric will be bolted down to ensure it remains attached in case of a crash.

Additionally, the rocker box under the center of the race car will receive an aluminum extension to reduce the gap between the car’s floor and the ground. This extension will be painted black and positioned at the bottom of the rocker box.

The race at Talladega is set to take place at 2 p.m. EST on Sunday, October 6th, 2024.