What device replaced the restrictor plate at Daytona and Talladega in 2019?

The device that replaced the restrictor plate at Daytona and Talladega in 2019 was a tapered spacer. It limited engine airflow and horsepower while allowing NASCAR to move away from the traditional flat restrictor plate.

Restrictor plates had been used at Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway since 1988, after Bobby Allison’s 1987 Talladega crash raised major safety concerns. The 2019 Daytona 500 was the final Cup Series superspeedway race using the traditional plates. The new system debuted at Talladega later that spring.

A tapered spacer is thicker than a plate and has tapered openings that restrict airflow more smoothly. NASCAR paired it with aerodynamic changes, including a larger rear spoiler, and targeted approximately 550 horsepower for those races. The terminology can cause confusion because both devices restrict engine output, but NASCAR treated the tapered spacer as the replacement for the traditional plate.