By alley - Sep 8, 2015, 10:31 AM ET

NASCAR at tech rules "crossroads"

Carl Edwards has called on NASCAR to make its low-downforce configuration a significant part of the 2016 Sprint Cup.

Comprising a lower rear spoiler, shorter front splitter and gripper tires, a lower-downforce rules package was introduced at Kentucky in July, and featured again

at Darlington last Sunday, in a race won by Edwards

Having already spoken in favor of racing with reduced downforce, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver has urged NASCAR to seize the "opportunity" and build the package into next year's rules.

"I really think we're at a bigger crossroads than most people realize," he said. "I think this is an opportunity for the sport to go in one of two directions.

"They can go the direction of making the sport competitive because the cars are easy to drive and everyone's car is about the same and we can basically have Talladega every week. Or they can go the direction of making the cars extremely hard to drive and showing the massive talent of the drivers, the crew chiefs and the pit crews, and I hope that they take the latter. I hope they really keep going this direction."

While the

high-downforce configuration received mixed reviews at Indianapolis

in July, Edwards says putting the racing "back in the drivers' hands" with the low-downforce setup takes NASCAR back to days he remembers fondly.

"If you think about [Darlington] and Kentucky, it's really a step back to what 2010 or '11 as far as aero influence on the cars," he said. "And to me when I watch these tapes from the '60s and '70s, I think man, how awesome could this racing be right now with as competitive as it is, everyone has the same information, everyone has the same tools.

"And to really put it back in the drivers' hands, I think it would change the sport in a huge way, in a great way, and I think it would be a lot of fun, so hopefully they continue this direction."

Darlington's race is due to be the last time the package is used this year, with NASCAR opting to stick with its standard configuration for the upcoming Chase series.

"If we keep going this direction and taking the downforce away and taking aero influence away, you're going to have to step up your game as a driver," Edwards said. "You really have to. You've got to dig deep. You've got to manage the tires. You've got to work better with your crew chief.

"It really makes it a lot of fun. That's the stuff that to me that stock car racing is about. That's what NASCAR is about, and I truly applaud NASCAR for running this package and trying this and doing it – and hopefully they like it as much as we do."

Originally on Autosport.com