NASCAR Cup Series pit boxes are going to be lit this season.
Literally.
The teams inquired to NASCAR over the off-season about the potential of adding LED video screens to their pit boxes as an added sponsorship activation platform and it was approved by the sanctioning body.
NASCAR Cup Series managing director Brad Moran personally likes its potential as well even if he knows working through some trial and error will be forthcoming when it debuts for the Daytona qualifying races.
“They will need to have dimmer switches,” Moran said during the annual media briefing at the NASCAR R&D facility in Concord, North Carolina. “We do have the ability within our rules to tell them turn it off, turn it down, whatever we need to do. We’ll find a happy medium as we go.
“Teams are pretty excited about it. There’s no technology like where they hit their box and it lights the whole thing up. There’s none of that. They’re allowed to have a lit board to broadcast different sponsors throughout the event.
“The only thing we’re starting with is during green flag runs, do not change them and that could even change as we go and learn what negative effects do come from it. The positives already outshines the negatives. I like it. I like the lights. It adds to our show and another element to improve the show.”
The LED board will basically wrap around the pit box where sponsor logos are usually wrapped on it. Moran also said that this update is only for the Cup Series for economical reasons.
“Cup only for obvious reasons because it’s probably a pretty substantial expense for the teams and the industry,” Moran said. “It’s also an opportunity for them to increase their sponsorship, something to sell to sponsors. For the highest level, we feel it’s a good opportunity for the teams to create some new income with it and give more back to their sponsors.”
The NASCAR Cup Series Rule Book, Section 15.9 has been updated with subsections B through H to reflect the new technology. An email address belonging to a NASCAR employee has been redacted.
- The pit cart, when fully constructed, must be a maximum of 15 feet high x 15 feet wide x 15 feet deep. Except for hoses, antennae, camera/flag poles, and sign boards, no part of the pit cart will be permitted to extend past the maximum allowable dimensions (including but not limited to, ladders, awnings, canopies, support stanchions, overhangs, occupants, seating, etc.)
- Electronic programmable displays or messaging boards will be permitted. The display must be mounted on the pit cart. The display must not protrude beyond the ends of the pit cart and must have a maximum height of 42 inches.
- Reflective materials (tape, paint, etc.) will not be permitted on the messaging board enclosure/surround.
- The messaging board display must not be used as a source of collimated light (laser pointers, etc.), spotlight, or floodlight.
- The messaging board must operate in a static display configuration (no flashing, strobing, chasing, changing, etc.) during green flag conditions.
- The messaging board display configurations must be approved in advance by NASCAR through submission to NASCAR Competition Operations (REDACTED)
- The messaging board display must have an adjustable dimmer function.
- NASCAR reserves the right to require the messaging board display to be turned off at any time.
Matt Weaver is a Motorsports Insider for Sportsnaut. Follow him on Twitter.