NASCAR putting the bump back into bumpers for short tracks

An update to the NASCAR Rule Book issued on Wednesday will be a welcome sight for Cup Series drivers, as the front bumper has been weakened for upcoming short-track races.

NASCAR is no longer permitting the use of energy-absorbing foam in the front or rear bumper structure of the race cars. The move will soften the impact drivers feel when they run into the back of another vehicle.

One of the criticisms of the Next Gen car has been that it does not sustain damage easily from rear bumper shots, either to the front bumper of the driver who made the hit or the car that took it. But the biggest issue has been the second layer: the car's stiffness, which is jarring for the driver upon impact.

The rule change will impact the races at North Wilkesboro Speedway (July 19), Richmond Raceway (Aug. 15), Bristol Motor Speedway (Sept. 19), and Martinsville Speedway (Nov. 1).

In addition to removing the foam, NASCAR will also have teams modify the front bumper struts. This, too, will play a role in how the car absorbs the impact and damage if a driver runs into the back of another car.

The standard front bumper package looks like this:

The new short-track bumper will be this: