Since the introduction of the Next Gen car before the 2022 season, Fords often have an advantage any time NASCAR races on a superspeedway like Daytona, where drafting with other cars is imperative to running well.That advantage stemmed from the design of its Mustang which featured a flatter nose that better allowed Ford drivers to bump draft and push Ford teammates. Last year, Ford won three of six races on tracks where drafting is essential (Atlanta, Daytona and Talladega).But Ford (along with Toyota) rolled out a redesigned model this year that is much different than the previous version of the Mustang. Only Chevrolet has the same car as last year.Having a different Mustang has presented Ford drivers with a host of unknowns, including whether they’ll be able to bump draft as effectively as they are accustomed to."I would say that the pushes are going to be way more timid at the very beginning at least," said Chase Briscoe of Ford-backed Stewart-Haas Racing on Thursday. &q
Thursday night’s qualifying races at Daytona International Speedway were particularly important to the Ford and Toyota camps as both kept close watch of their redesigned bodies.