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KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- NASCARs two top technical officials on Friday explained the rationale behind rule changes for the 2017 season that were released to competitors earlier this week.The minor changes are being made to improve safety and hopefully create more competitive racing.Modifications for Sprint Cup Series cars include a smaller rear spoiler and shallower front splitter, intended to reduce the overall downforce level. The 2017 rear spoiler will measure 2-3/8 inches by 61 inches.NASCAR ran Sprint Cup Series races this summer at Michigan International Speedway and Kentucky Speedway using a 2? inch by 53-inch spoiler in an effort to simulate the 2017 aero package, but the competition was not as close as hoped.Our objective here is to get more off-throttle time for the drivers, said Gene Stefanyshyn, NASCAR senior vice president of innovation and racing development. If we take downforce off, the corner speed will slow down and the driver will be off-throttle more. The splitter and the spoiler reduction was done in concert because we wanted to retain the same balance in the car.We tried a 53-inch wide spoiler but went back to the 61 after we got some feedback from the drivers, he added. They just needed a bit more in the rear, so we fine-tuned it that way. It gives the car a bit more stability.Drivers were generally positive in their reaction to the new rules.I believe anything we can do to take aerodynamic dependency away from these cars makes the racing better, makes it more fun and showcases the drivers talent and the crew chiefs ability to change, said Carl Edwards of Joe Gibbs Racing.?Thats good stuff.We are all wanting slower center of corner speeds, added six-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, who will remain at Kansas on Monday to test the 2017 package in his Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.We all feel that will put on a better race. Directionally, that is the way the sport is going and I think the smaller spoiler is going to help us.For restrictor plate races at Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway, the plate openings have been decreased by 1/64 of an inch in an effort to reduce horsepower and contain speeds.NASCAR will also reduce the number of tires allotted to competitors on race weekends and will require drivers to start races with the tires used for qualifying.Safety changes include a strengthened floor section near the pedals and modifications to the steering column to prevent the steering wheel from pushing back into the cockpit in a frontal impact. Roof hatches will be mandatory at restrictor plate tracks and optional elsewhere.We work on safety on an ongoing basis and agree as an industry that there is no compromise when it comes to safety, Stefanyshyn said. When we do find something and its significant and needs to be handled, we will handle it in a proper way.NASCAR continues to crack down on efforts to create a rear-steering effect by skewing the angle of the rear axle, and rules regarding chassis construction in the rear axle area have been tightened up for 2017.Friday at Kansas Speedway, Kyle Busch and Kyle Larson were held out of the first 30 minutes of Cup Series practice because they attempted to bring their cars back into rear axle angle compliance after last weeks race at Charlotte Motor Speedway by violently swerving during the cool-down lap.We asked them not to swerve and they swerved, so theyre in the garage, said Scott Miller, NASCAR senior vice-president of competition. That was pretty specific. We told them [in September at New Hampshire Motor Speedway] that we would look at our resources after the races, and weve been doing that.Stefanyshyn and Miller added that while they hope the 2017 package forms a solid base for the long term, they would not rule out NASCAR selectively testing out new ideas during races as it prepares for 2018.Nothing ever stays the same, so moving forward, we will look at more efficient ways to actually potentially test possible packages for the future, said Miller. I think we did a good job the last couple of times with the races. Thats really the best way to collect data - at an actual event.Hopefully we can get out in front of it a bit further with a bigger cross section of race tracks if we have some proposed new things in the future. Cheap Washington State Cougars Jerseys China .J. -- New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz will miss the rest of the season after having surgery on his left knee. College Jerseys Outlet . 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FRISCO, Texas --?Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett did not make any promises about the rest of the season, but he made it clear that?Dak Prescott is the teams starting quarterback.You can make it as simple or as complex as you want to make it, Garrett said. Its pretty simple for us: Daks going to play quarterback as we go forward.After Sundays 10-7 loss to the New York Giants, Garrett said at no point did he contemplate pulling Prescott in favor of Tony Romo, who has been the No. 2 quarterback the past four games.Prescott struggled against the Giants, completing 17 of 37 passes for 165 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. He was also sacked three times. Prescott has gone three straight games without passing for at least 200 yards.Romo, the franchises all-time leader in passing yards and touchdowns, suffered a compression fracture in his back on Aug. 25 and was on injured reserve for the first nine games. During that span, Prescott went 8-1 as the starter and had 13 touchdown passes to two interceptions. He completed better than 65 percent of his passes in nine of the first 11 games.Over the past two games, howeveer, Prescott has found the going rougher.dddddddddddd The Cowboys beat the Minnesota Vikings 17-15, but Prescott threw for just 139 yards on 12-of-18 passing. He did not have an interception but he was sacked three times.In the past two games, the Cowboys have converted just two of 24 third-down opportunities, and both came on runs -- a scramble by Prescott against the Vikings and a run by Ezekiel Elliott.Were just focused on Dak playing quarterback for us, Garrett said when asked what he would need to see -- or not see -- in order to make a move to Romo. And well continue to do that in our preparation this week and as we go forward.Hes done a really good job for us up to this point, won 11 of 13 games that hes started, and hes handled really every situation as well as you can handle it. So well just continue that way. Tony will be in a backup role for us and hell be ready to go if hes called upon to play.But Daks done an outstanding job up to this point. [Im] excited to see him continue to play. ' ' '